China: Federal government makes new move to curb foreign powers in Australia
Universities and even local councils will be in the sights of the foreign government, which is pushing to have the power to veto any deal with overseas nations like China. HERE ARE THE 32 NSW AGREEMENTS ON PUBLIC RECORD
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More than 130 agreements between states and foreign governments will be reviewed to ensure they do not negatively impact Australia’s national interest.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed the various deals and agreements involving 30 different countries would be assessed under proposed new laws giving the federal government the right to veto or cancel deals and agreements if they are deemed inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy.
“That’s just states and territories that we know of and that are in the public domain,” Mr Morrison said.
Of the agreements found on public record there are 19 by the NSW government, 31 by Queensland, 29 are with South Australian authorities and 20 with Victoria.
There are 48 agreements and deals with China nationally, 16 with Japan and 12 with India.
Mr Morrison said subnational partnerships with other countries can “greatly assist” Australia’s foreign policy, but in cases where they were not in the nation’s interest they would be cancelled.
“It’s an important day for ensuring that Australia’s national interest is protected, is promoted,” he said.
“That is our responsibility and that is our pledge to the Australian people to follow through on that pledge.”
Seven agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOU) between different local councils in NSW and foreign governments will also be reviewed, as will six university deals.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said details of a public register of all deals with foreign governments would be covered in the upcoming bill, indicating there would also be transparency around the cancellation or veto of arrangements.
“That will all be public as the legislation comes forward in the next week but the intention is to make the arrangements transparent,” she said.
States and territories will also be given six months to conduct a “stocktake” of all existing agreements for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to review before those deemed acceptable are added to a public register.
The massive transparency shake-up outlined in the federal government’s Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Bill 2020 empowers the Foreign Minister to scrap any agreement if it adversely affects Australia’s relations, or is “inconsistent” with foreign policy.
The Daily Telegraph has previously revealed concerns about the NSW Government’s Confucius Classrooms program, funded by the office of Chinese Language Council International — known as Hanban — amid claims it could expose children to propaganda.
Two years ago the state government cancelled a program offering NSW principals free trips to China if they expressed an interest in setting up a Confucius classroom at their school.
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Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said the sector was in “early discussions” with the Foreign Affairs and Trade and Education departments on the “implications” of the proposed laws.
“It will be very important to discuss the exact definitions and scale of what the new laws are
intended to capture,” she said.
“It is critically important to strike the right balance between national security and the research collaboration which is driving so many advances in knowledge – including the search for a COVID-19 vaccine.”
Ms Jackson said universities were “equal partners with government agencies in the Universities Foreign Interference Taskforce which has devised “robust guidelines” to keep institutions and intellectual property secure.
Arrangements up for review in NSW include a memorandum between the University of NSW and the Maharashtra Government in India, and another with Qingdoa City in China.
Department officials will examine the City of Sydney’s memorandum with Guangzhou in China on education, trade, culture, business and sustainability, and a similar agreement between the state government and Beijing.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the party would “examine” the new legislation, adding a government he lead would “not participate” in the BRI.
“The idea that the national interests should be looked after by the federal government when it comes to foreign policy is something that we’re very supportive of. I would regard it as completely unremarkable,” he said.
But Mr Albanese said he found it “remarkable” the government had allowed the Port of Darwin to be sold off to a company with links to China.
“At the time, as the infrastructure spokesman, I was very critical of that decision,” Mr Albanese said.
A spokesman for the University of Wollongong said the institution had “always responded positively and proactively to regulatory changes and sector-wide reforms and will continue to do so”.
“UOW values international collaboration and is committed to working with its partners to have a positive impact in the world through the transformative power of education and research,” he said.
“UOW is equally committed to protecting Australia’s national interests in our conduct of research and in our engagement with international partners.”