Sam Dastyari quits the Senate

Sam Dastyari has quit the Senate.

It follows a string of controversies involving his links with Chinese political donors.

The Labor Senator gave a short statement and did not take questions.

“Today, after much reflection, I’ve decided that the best service I can render to the federal parliamentary Labor Party is to not return to the Senate in 2018,” he said.

“I’ve not reached this decision lightly.

“I will spare the party any further distraction.”

He said he was a “patriotic Australian” and that he “always acted with integrity.”

Dastyari said he will continue to be a grassroots member of the Labor Party in 2018.

He is the latest in a long list of former federal senators to not survive 2017, joining Lambie, Parry, Nash, Roberts, Ludlam, Waters, Xenophon, Culleton and Kakoschke-Moore.

Bill Shorten released a statement shortly after saying Dastyari had made “the right decision.”

“Sam Dastyari is a good, decent and loyal Australian and an effective parliamentarian, but his judgement has let him down and now he has paid the heaviest price,” he said.