The Australian National University has confirmed it rejected a multi-million dollar donation from a billionaire property developer last year. The decision came after the university's vice chancellor was warned by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that the benefactor had links to the Chinese Communist Party.
The revelation comes as the Labor Party pushes for an inquiry into foreign interference in Australia. Labor is urging Parliament's powerful intelligence committee to conduct the investigation.
The ANU's rejection of the donation highlights growing concerns about foreign influence in Australian institutions. The university has not disclosed the identity of the benefactor or the exact amount of the donation.
This development follows ongoing debates about national security and foreign interference in Australia's political and academic spheres. The push for a parliamentary inquiry underscores the seriousness with which lawmakers view these issues.
