China expert to deny child sex offence
The former national president of the Australia China Business Council intends to plead not guilty to a child sex offence and trying to hire a prostitute.
Duncan Harvey Calder is charged with attempting to procure a child aged over 13 and under 16 to do an indecent act and seeking a prostitute in the view of a public place.
He appeared briefly in the Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday.
One of the charges was adjourned for a committal mention on December 4.
His lawyer David Manera said Calder would deny the offences.
"At this stage, our position is that we will be pleading not guilty to those charges," Mr Manera told reporters outside court.
Calder's bail was renewed on conditions including not going near Perth International Airport.
Calder was part of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's trade delegation to China in April.
