Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

'Damaging' Dastyari should go: Howard

Former prime minister John Howard believes Labor's Sam Dastyari is damaging his team and should go, after he asked a Chinese donor to pay a personal debt.

Former prime minister John Howard believes Labor's Sam Dastyari should be ditched from the frontbench because Chinese "cash for comment" allegations against him are damaging his party.

Relying on the "true Westminster principle" that a frontbencher goes if their continued presence damages the team, Mr Howard said Senator Dastyari definitely fell into that category for asking a Chinese donor to pay a personal debt.

"And that was the rule in the end that I applied when people got into difficulty and I think (Senator Dastyari), on that ground, he has gone a million," he told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.


1 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world