Nick Xenophon on national roadtrip to spruik Huawei to Australia
Former SA senator-turned-Huawei lawyer Nick Xenophon will lead a charm offensive across the country for the Chinese telco, which has been banned from the 5G network.
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Former SA political powerbroker Nick Xenophon will be a guest of honour for Chinese telco Huawei Australia as the controversial company begin a charm offensive across the country.
Huawei Australia has announced it will embark on a series of nationwide ‘Let’s Talk Huawei’ public forums in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra in mid-March as it seeks to let ordinary Australians make up their own minds about the company.
Mr Xenophon, the former SA senator who fell out of politics after a failed return to state parliament in March 2018, was engaged by the telco as a lawyer in December last year.
At the time he was subject to criticism with SA Labor Senator Penny Wong calling on him to act in the letter and the “spirit” of the laws on lobbying and foreign interference.
Huawei has been banned from Australia’s NBN and 5G rollouts, and faced an international backlash, over fears its equipment could be used to spy on other companies and countries.
Mr Xenophon said the ‘Let’s Talk Huawei’ public forums, that will first visit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra in mid-March, were not charm offensives.
“This is a fact offensive,” Mr Xenophon told The Advertiser.
“Never in Australian corporate history has a company been so unfairly maligned as Huawei. “Not only is there no smoking gun. There is no dribbling water pistol.
“This is not just about (being banned from the) 5G network, it is about a company that has been unfairly maligned.”
Mr Xenophon, who is being promoted as “arguably one of Australia’s most successful independent politicians” will be joined by Huawei USA Chief Security Officer Andy Purdy – who also served as cyber security adviser to former US president George W. Bush.
The tour is expected to eventually visit regional parts of Australia, and Adelaide.
On Monday former Labor minister Stephen Conroy says the UK are “undermining Australia’s sovereignty” in their decision to allow Huawei to assist in the building of their 5G network. China would “never let a western country build China’s telecommunications infrastructure,” he said.