Communications Minister Paul Fletcher, who last week ordered an investigation into Australia Post, is familiar with the concept of complimentary timepieces. In 2016, he was given a Huawei Bluetooth watch. Along with a Chinese teapot, from the same sponsor – all duly declared.

This was after Huawei was banned from working on the NBN but before it was banned from supplying components for the 5G network. The point of Huawei's charm offensive was to undermine the warnings that Liberal politicians were hearing from Australia's top spooks.