The Chinese-Australia influencer whose company helped the Victorian government sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative was hired "without any tender process" and without any public disclosure according to the Australian's Rachel Baxendale.
Jean Dong, who has lived in Australia for close to 15 years, is the director of 'Australia China Belt and Road Initiative' a company paid more than $35,000 to consult the Victorian government on its deal with China.
Ms Dong has hired key former politicians including former trade minister Andrew Robb, and former finance minister Lindsay Tanner, but without any financial compensation according to Ms Baxendale.
"Are Lindsay Tanner and Andrew Robb doing this out of the goodness of their hearts," she said.
Ms Baxendale told Sky News host Andrew Bolt, Jean Dong clearly has "very strong connections to powerful people within the Chinese Communist Party".
