Labor MP Luke Gosling says Scott Morrison ‘responsible’ for Darwin Port sale

Solomon MP Luke Gosling has slammed the federal government for allowing Darwin Port to be sold back in 2015 and accused the government of ‘playing politics’ over foreign ownership.

• Darwin Port’s Chinese sale in spotlight after Victoria deal belted

LABOR federal MP Luke Gosling has accused the Morrison government of “playing politics” by targeting Victorian agreements with China while ignoring Darwin Port.

The member for Solomon also said the Commonwealth was ultimately responsible for ticking off on the 99-year lease of the port to Chinese company Landbridge, which has links to the CCP.

But the Commonwealth has claimed Darwin Port’s $506 million lease is exempt from new foreign influence legislation, because it was sold to a company rather than a government.

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Mr Gosling told the NT News control of the port should’ve never fallen under the influence of a foreign power.

“It was on Scott Morrison’s watch as Treasurer that the control of the strategic port of Darwin shifted to a foreign entity,” he said.

“No one could think it serves Australia to have our vital northern port in the control of a foreign country.”

Mr Gosling also implied the decision to target deals between Victoria and China was made to hurt the state’s Labor Premier Dan Andrews.

Luke Gosling OAM MP said the federal government had ignored the Darwin Port issue. Picture: Che Chorley

“(The Morrison) government has given itself the ability to torpedo deals between states and territories and foreign powers, but is using it to play politics, rather than in our national interest,” he said.

A Morrison government spokesman referred the NT News to comments made on Nine Radio by foreign minister Marise Payne.

“(The sale of Darwin Port) wouldn’t necessarily fall under this legislation specifically, Jim,” Ms Payne said.

“Largely because it was an agreement with the government and a Chinese company, not a state government or a government entity,” she said.

Following the decision to nullify Victoria’s agreements with the CCP government, independent senator Jacqui Lambie said Darwin Port’s sale “should be torn up”.

“It’s about time we had a good look at that Port of Darwin because if anything goes on in the future … you can guarantee we are going to need to be operating from there,” Ms Lambie said.

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Originally published as Labor MP Luke Gosling says Scott Morrison ‘responsible’ for Darwin Port sale