"Rather than being xenophobic about this, we need to be alive to the commercial deals that are being done and what might come later," Dr Garrick said. The arrangement, uncovered by a Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation, involves monthly payments of $73,000 (including GST) to Mr Robb starting on July 1, 2016. And they have picked this bloke, the Leader of the Opposition, as their candidate.. Now not so much. If the courts decision does not stand, we will continue to face exposure to imperious government intervention in export markets, without any protection for those who do the right thing. While the centre of US-Chinese tensions is the South China Sea where China has militarised reefs in disputed waters Darwin is important because it is the southern flank of US operations in the Pacific. "He's now saying that any criticisms of improper Chinese behaviour attempting to influence our political system is our fault. Chinese-owned company Landbridge has a 99-year lease over the Darwin Port. It's been built and rebuilt in the near-century since. The company has previously denied its operations are influenced by the Communist Party and stated that Mr Robb was not engaged in political representation on its behalf in Australia. The company statement, translated for the ABC, also quotes board chairman Ye Cheng as saying that in order for Landbridge to achieve its global goals "it will be necessary to draw on experts such as Mr Andrew Robb who have global vision and global influence". and I said, 'well, I'd love to but I've been a minister in a cabinet, in a related area, I can't do any work for you in Australia and I can't do it for 18 months'," he said. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Chinese-owned Darwin Port struggling to pay back debts He writes news and analysis with a focus on foreign policy, legal affairs and government transparency. Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge after leaving federal parliament. The delegation was lobbied by Rizhao Communist Party deputy secretary Liu Xingtai to support the trade park as part of a "Two Countries, Two Parks" proposal. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. In early 2019, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Robb had quietly ceased his controversial consultancy with Landbridge as the deadline loomed for lobbyists for overseas state interests to sign up to Australias new foreigninfluence register. The statement also said deputy secretary Liu had met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NT Chief Minister Adam Giles on April 14, 2016, and "proposed the co-operative model of Two Countries, Two Parks". "He has no credibility now, he left Parliament and went to work for Chinese interests," he said. Chinese port company warns Australian review raises sovereign risk The full text of this article is available to MacroBusiness subscribers, Cancel at any time through our billing provider, Stripe. Nobody in the emerging liberal trading bloc is going to be upset by it. Former "stooge of China" gives nod to Darwin Port seizure Mr Robbs consultancy with the leaseholder of the Darwin Port, Landbridge, was trumpeted by the Chinese-government aligned company in 2016, but became intensely controversial when an investigation by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Four Corners revealed his fee, and that he had joined the company straight after quitting parliament. You get the drift of what behaviour this category captures. Mr Brumby announced in February he was quitting the Australian board of Huawei, the Chinese telco accused by security agencies of posing a security risk to western communications infrastructure. The ethics code for departing ministers bans them for a period of 18 months from lobbying or advocating to the government or public service on any matters they previously dealt with as a minister. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Port in a storm: the Darwin lease made sense only a few years ago. Secondly, it's not 'we' this is in of those 'gotcha' questions should be asking PM Morrison. Copyright 2023 Private Media Pty Ltd. Publishers of Crikey. Andrew Robb Pty Ltd provide strategic advice in solving problems and capturing opportunities, particularly in regards to: Until his recent retirement from politics, Andrew Robb was Australias Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism. It ended with the city being decimated 77 short years ago. From left, now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Landbridge chief Ye Cheng and then trade minister Andrew Robb at a northern development conference in 2015. Credit: Glenn Campbell. Ninety-six years is a long time by any standard. [1] In 2019, Robb left the position, shortly before a new foreign-interference law took effect.[2]. The mayor of Mount Gambier, Andrew Lee, took a 10 per cent stake in the winery when it was acquired by the Ye family in October 2016 for an undisclosed amount, estimated to be more than $20 million. Mr Robb was scathing in comments to the ABC last week about a "toxic" relationship between Australia and China that he blamed on former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Australia's intelligence agencies. A Chinese company that owns a 99-year lease on Darwin port has warned that its treatment at the hands of the Australian government risks scaring away investors from other countries. Enter your email address and Crikey will send a Verification Code. And all of it is being done under the guise of economic development at a time of economic turbulence for those countries, Dr Garrick said, which sounds familiar to Darwin, where the NT Government is currently going through a fiscal crisis and severe economic downturn. Redirecting funding to pet hobbies; offering jobs to the boys without a proper tender process; secretly bankrolling candidates in elections; taking up private sector jobs in apparent breach of parliaments code of ethics, the list goes on. Zhang Jie, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote in 2015 about the concept of first civilian, later military in which commercial ports are to be built with the goal of slowly being developed into strategic support points to assist China defending maritime channel security and control key waterways. Landbridge says if it happens then itll spike sovereign risk. But the Darwin port deal differs in significant ways to other . Chinese influence compromises the integrity of our politics, Soft power goes hard: China's economic interest in the Pacific comes with strings attached, The risks of a new Cold War between the US and China are real: here's why. Read more: The was not without its controversy - even before Australia-China relations soured, as Andrew Robb, a former minister for trade, took an $880,000 consultancy position with the Chinese group immediately following his exit from politics in 2016. Australias foreign investment review processes have been tightened. But the deal put Darwin directly in the crossfire between US and Chinese interests. Mr Robb's job with Landbridge commenced on July 1, 2016, according to a Four Corners Fairfax Media 2017 joint investigation. Were working to restore it. All above board, maybe, but does it really pass the pub test? Read more: Please try again later. In 1990, after Andrew Peacock's resignation after his election defeat, Robb was appointed federal director of the Liberal Party. They have been reactive, readily accepting the lure of pearls cast on our shores without considering longer-term currents. Despite pleas by non-political heads of our spy organisations, the government is today insisting on carrying on like they give a fuck about our national security. From left, now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Landbridge chief Ye Cheng and then trade minister Andrew Robb at a northern development conference in 2015. revealed his fee, and that he had joined the company straight after quitting parliament, has been blocked from entering Australia and has had his permanent residency cancelled, continues to advocate for Australia to back the policy. Clumsiness and indecision do not serve Australian interests well. Then trade minister Andrew Robb is congratulated after he concluded the second reading debate on the China - Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2015.Credit: Andrew Meares. As soon as he left politics, Robb was hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per year salary. In relation to the Ministerial Standards, Scott Ryan, the Minister Assisting the Cabinet Secretary, reiterated the rules for former frontbenchers. Mr Ye frames much of his business activity, including the acquisition of the Port of Darwin lease, in terms of advancing Beijing's ambitious global trade and infrastructure project "One Belt, One Road". Landbridge signed . This is what you need to know, Canberra grassland earless dragon headed for extinction as ACT government updates list of threatened species, Buses, ferries proposed as Hobart stadium transport fix, Live: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo remembered for 'wicked sense of humour'. Liberal Andrew Robb takes $880k China job as soon as he finishes in President Xi subsequently established an integration committee to oversee civilian and military investment in technology. Following a front-bench re-shuffle in March 2010, Robb was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction, a post previously held by Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce, and chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee. Why don't more Australians know about the bombing of Darwin? Late last year, the ForeignInfluence Transparency Scheme became active with the launch of a public register for people who seek to influence the Australian political process on behalf of foreign interests. News National Former PM Rudd urges review of lease of Darwin Port to China company. Follow our live coverage. The Chinese owner of the Port of Darwin is using the port as security to seek a $500 million loan from the Chinese government's trade bank. 27 Apr 2023 00:13:32 Thank you for your very kind wishes! According to Morrison "Andrew Rodd is a person of the highest integrity. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. The port has operated in a number of locations, including Stokes Hill Wharf, Cullen Bay and East Arm Wharf. The late 2015 deal with Landbridge shocked the country and led to the most-asked question in the Curious series history, about why the NT decided to lease the port to a foreign company and how they got away with it. Former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage said he was stunned that Australia had blind-sided its ally. He added that former minister Andrew Robb also took on a lucrative consulting job with . Many Curious Darwin readers asked how Mr Robb was involved in the port deal. [10], Robb is a republican;[11] he is against abortion except where the health and state of the mother are in serious threat.[12]. You can submit your questions on any topic at all, or vote on our next investigation. Mr Robb's consultancy with the leaseholder of the Darwin Port, Landbridge, was trumpeted by the Chinese-government aligned company in 2016, but became intensely controversial when an . Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. "Debate and transparency and honesty about things is not bad. In that time Robb also sat on the boards of numerous Australian companies including Australia's largest consulting engineering company, Sinclair Knight Merz. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacifics leading geo-politics and economics portal. A Critical Infrastructure Centre has been created to give extra national security advice. It is a far cry from the debt-trap colonialism China stands accused of using to gain leverage over other foreign governments, such as Sri Lanka and Nepal. Port of Darwin lease: don't hold your breath! - MORNING MAIL The Landbridge statement from September 2 said "the process of internationalisation of the Landbridge Group and the results achieved had greatly impressed him (Mr Robb)". Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge after leaving federal parliament. Senior Lecturer, Business Law, Charles Darwin University. Robb remained a member of . That was the day before the 2016 federal election, that Mr Robb had stated months earlier he would not be contesting. 'A seriously dumb idea': Why did the NT lease Darwin's port to China? To connect a sign in method the email must match the one on your Crikey account. Yes, in breaking through we have got a little bloodied, but our efforts were not in vain, and they must not be in vain. It may have been pushed by . Barnaby Joyce has called on former trade minister Andrew Robb to answer questions on his role with Landbridge - leasee of the Darwin port - as former top US intelligence chief James Clapper .