Prime Minister, Premier in dispute over Victoria’s infrastructure deal with China
OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Guy has implored the Premier to reveal details of a secret infrastructure deal with the Chinese government, but has baulked at suggestions a Liberal Government would tear the deal up.
OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Guy has implored the Premier to reveal details of a secret infrastructure deal with the Chinese government, but has baulked at suggestions a Liberal Government would tear the deal up.
Mr Guy this morning hit out at Premier Daniel Andrews for refusing to reveal the terms of the government’s memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Government.
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It comes after Mr Andrews and Prime Minister Scott Morrison traded biting insults in an escalating war of words over China.
Mr Morrison lashed out at the Victorian Premier for signing the secret infrastructure deal with saying he was “surprised” by the move.
Mr Guy said the fact Mr Andrews wouldn’t reveal any details showed his arrogance.
“At the first stage, we need to know what’s in it. I mean, Victorians have a right to know what the Premier has signed us up to,” Mr Guy said.
“The fact the Premier doesn’t want to say a single detail tells you everything about his personality, and says everything about the arrogance with which he treats Victorians. It’s time to kick him out.”
Federal Labor MPs have told News Corp Australiaof concerns it could help China take out strategic stakes in key infrastructure.
But when asked if a Coalition government would scrap the agreement, Mr Guy said he needed to know what it included in the first place.
“No, I’m not saying tear anything up, I’m saying tell us what’s in it,” Mr Guy said.
“I’m not going to get into a hypothetical on whether I’ll scrap it or I’ll keep it, I just want to know what’s in it.”
Victoria is the first and only Australian state to support President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” Initiative, after Mr Andrews finalised the agreement with the Chinese ambassador to Australia.
Mr Morrison has accused the Andrews Government of failing to consult the Commonwealth on the key foreign policy matter.
“I was surprised that the Victorian government went into that arrangement without any discussions with the Commonwealth government at all,” the Prime Minister said.
“They know full well our policy on those issues and I thought that was not a very cooperative or helpful way to do things on such issues.”
Mr Andrews shot back at Mr Morrison and said DFAT was involved in the drafting “all the way through”.
“I understood that the (federal) Trade Minister who is in China at the moment thought that it was a fantastic deal,” he said.
“Maybe the latest Prime Minister needs to get a briefing from DFAT as well … They’re all a bit confused up there (in Canberra), aren’t they?”
Mr Andrews defended the secrecy surrounding the agreement, saying MOUs were regularly kept confidential: “That’s the way these things work, and they always have worked.”
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Asked about the Premier’s comments, a spokesman for DFAT said it discussed the proposed agreement with the Department of Premier and Cabinet in June but did not see the final version until after the announcement.
“The Government was not informed that an MOU was signed until it was announced on October 25,” the spokesman said.
Victorian Nationals Leader Peter Walsh said Mr Andrews needed to make the details of the deal public.
“Revelations that Daniel Andrews has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese Communist Party government and that he will keep the details secret should send shudder of concern down the back of every Victorian taxpayer,” Mr Walsh said.
“What debt deals has Mr Andrews signed Victoria up to? Are they to part pay for his unfunded infrastructure promises?”
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said Victoria needed to explain precisely what is in their agreement, adding he encouraged engagement by Australian companies but they needed to be mindful of Australia’s foreign policy.
Originally published as Prime Minister, Premier in dispute over Victoria’s infrastructure deal with China
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