BEIJING: The Senate will investigate the lease of Darwin’s port to a Chinese company as part of a broad ranging inquiry into the sale of strategic national assets to foreigners.
ALSO examined will be the lease of the NSW electricity network TransGrid and the decision to block the sale of the Kidman pastoral properties.
The Senate economics references committee will consider whether there should be any legislative or regulatory changes to ensure Australia’s national interest is adequately considered in asset sales.
It will report back by February 4.
The inquiry motion was moved by shadow defence minister Stephen Conroy and bumped another inquiry proposed by Independent senator Nick Xenophon, the Greens and other crossbenchers.
That would have involved a very detailed examination of the Darwin port deal, even considering the effect on local businesses and the environmental impact on indigenous and historical sites from any port expansion.
Under the controversial deal, the NT government agreed to lease the port to Chinese-owned firm Landbridge for $506 million for 99 years.
Deals like this by states or territories are exempt from consideration by the Foreign Investment Review Board. The government is considering whether this exemption should be removed.
This was regarded as a very deal good for the NT.
But it speedily attracted criticism on grounds that implications of selling a strategic asset to China hadn’t been adequately assessed.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the NT government undertook the lease negotiations in close consultation with the Commonwealth, including with the Department of Defence, security services and a number of other agencies.
Defence had negotiated a deed of licence for assured port access, plus contingency requirements.
“The Department of Defence has repeatedly stated it does not have any security or access concerns with the lease,” Mr Turnbull said.
Businessman MP Clive Palmer saw this as a part of a Chinese move to control all Australian ports.
