Fitzgibbon denies Liu paid him

Former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon says new allegations that he took payments
from a Chinese businesswoman friend are outrageous and untrue and he plans to sue.
Mr Fitzgibbon told parliament he rejected completely a report in Fairfax newspapers
claiming that Helen Liu organised a payment of $150,000 to him as part of a campaign
to build political and business connections.
In a letter sent to a senior Chinese bank executive, Ms Liu said the payment was
worthwhile because Mr Fitzgibbon would soon become a cabinet minister, Fairfax
reported.
In the report, Mr Fitzgibbon said he had already declared all that he was required
to in his relationship with Ms Liu.
"I totally reject the suggestion that I have received any money from Helen Liu
beyond campaign donations which were appropriately declared as required," he said.
He told parliament on Wednesday the report was outrageous.
"I reject those allegations completely, they are completely untrue and they are
false," he said.
Mr Fitzgibbon, now a backbencher, said he believed the claims were defamatory. He
said he had placed the matter in the hands of his lawyers for immediate action.
He resigned from the defence portfolio in June following a series of reports in
Fairfax newspapers, initially alleging that unnamed defence officials were so
concerned about his relationship with Ms Liu that they undertook a clandestine
investigation of their minister.
A defence internal inquiry failed to uncover any such investigation.
Mr Fitzgibbon subsequently admitted failing to disclose that he had accepted two
first-class flights to China paid for by Ms Liu.
However, he ultimately quit after it was revealed that his brother, NIB Health Fund
chief Mark Fitzgibbon, had used his office for a meeting to lobby for defence health
contracts.
Fairfax newspapers also reported on Wednesday that the office of Deputy Prime
Minister Julia Gillard was informed early last year of Mr Fitzgibbon's alleged
dealings with Ms Liu.
Mr Gillard told parliament on Wednesday this was news to her.
"The first time I was aware of them (allegations) was when I read the newspapers
this morning," she said.
Ms Gillard said her office had been contacted by a solicitor from law firm Slater
and Gordon regarding the matter, but no specific allegation about the nature of the
relationship was made at the time.
"A subsequent email was sent containing a photograph of Mr Fitzgibbon on a plane
with an unnamed Chinese gentleman (but) no words or allegations were contained in
the email," she told parliament.
"The government made appropriate checks ... and determined no further action was
required."