Australia’s Most Mentioned Issues in the News (September 3 – 9, 2016)

Editor’s Note: Welcome to this weekly recap of Australia’s news, powered by iSentiaLabor senator Sam Dastyari resigned from the frontbench on Tuesday, following a media conference on Monday, after it was revealed a Chinese company paid a personal bill, and Chinese media reported he supported China in relation to South China Sea decisions. Dastyari will continue to serve as a senator for New South Wales and denied he had done anything in return for taking the funds, while the government says Australia’s political donations system should be looked at carefully by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.  PM Malcolm Turnbull met with British PM Theresa May during the G20 summit in China, and said he was confident of a free trade agreement with Britain post-Brexit. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for Australia to provide a “fair, transparent and predictable” policy environment for foreign investment, following a government decision to block a Chinese bidder from acquiring electricity network Ausgrid, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said Australia and other western countries should have “never unsettled Syria”, calling for a “legitimate government of Syria”.  The NRL Finals kick off tonight with an all Queensland encounter between the Broncos and the Titans, while the Cowboys are dealing with bad publicity ahead of their game against the Storm after their players were allegedly involved in egging cars in Townsville, with forward Jason Taumololo charged along with four other Cowboys squad members.The AFL Finals started last night, with less controversy and more football, the Western Bulldogs knocking West Coast out in convincing fashion, with finals perennials Geelong and Hawthorn playing tonight and the first ever all NSW final on Saturday, with the GWS Giants playing their inaugural finals game against cross town rivals the Swans.Serena Williams has progressed to the US Open semi-finals after defeating Simona Halep in three sets, while Kei Nishikori is also through to the semi-finals after defeating world number two Andy Murray in five sets. The Tennis Integrity Unit is looking into a first-round match at the Open after irregular betting patterns were detected, the second allegation of match-fixing at a major tournament this year. Quote of the week: "It makes him feel like he's honestly been physically lifted up by the people back home. It's like they are there with him." Former Paralympian Kathleen O’Kelly Kennedy, on how Paralympian flag bearer Brad Ness felt when he was presented with a crowd-funded prosthetic leg which he will use at the Opening Ceremony.