Andrews Government’s ‘cosy’ Belt and Road deal slammed by state Opposition
The Andrews Government has been slammed for refusing to release crucial advice it received before signing its contentious Belt and Road deal with China. It comes amid souring diplomatic relations with the communist regime.
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The state Opposition has criticised the Andrews Government for refusing to release advice obtained from the Federal Government about its contentious Belt and Road deal with China.
Documents obtained by the Coalition reveal Victoria was in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the middle of 2018, before the deal with China was signed off in October, just prior to the state election.
The documents are heavily redacted after the Victorian Government argued releasing them in full “would prejudice relations between the state and the Commonwealth”.
But one email from a Department of Premier and Cabinet adviser described the agreement as “a high priority for Victoria”.
“My executive director is keen to land this ASAP and is under some time pressure from further up,” the email said.
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the lack of transparency was concerning.
“What have Daniel Andrews and Labor got to hide when it comes to this deal with the Chinese Government?”
“Victorians deserve to know what the security risks are and what Victoria has given away in Labor’s cosy deal with the Chinese Government.”
“With the Chinese Government hitting Victorian farmers with a punitive 80 per cent barley tariff, we deserve a government that will put Victorian jobs first.”
A Victorian Government spokesman said they did not comment on security matters.
“This agreement is about creating opportunities for Victorian businesses and local jobs – opportunities that will be more important than ever as we rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic.”
It comes after the Andrews Government was urged to reassess its commitment to the controversial initiative, amid souring diplomatic relations between Australia and China.
The differences are also behind a rift between federal and Victorian Labor over comments by Treasurer Tim Pallas criticising the Morrison Government’s approach to the superpower, including its push for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.
China this week sent farmers in Victoria scrambling to find new buyers by putting an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley, and the industry fears more trade limits could follow.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence and strategy director Michael Shoebridge said the world had changed since the coronavirus and the public needed more details about the state’s negotiations with the Chinese Government.
“This pattern of a lack of transparency may be to Beijing’s advantage … It has been a problem from the start,” he said.
“This is an issue of national significance and people shouldn’t hide behind process.”
“If it does proceed without a fundamental reassessment that is a national problem.”
Mr Shoebridge said project tenders were usually kept secret because they involved governments and private companies. But Belt and Road projects were different because they involved Chinese Government-owned enterprises.
“You’re dealing with state-based proposals tied to a strategic agenda from China … That’s why the agreement being secret is such a problem,” he said.
“This has all the hallmarks of someone who just wants to proceed with the project they’ve been preparing for some time and hasn’t understood the need to reassess.”
A government spokeswoman said there was no update on the road map at this time.
“This agreement is about creating opportunities for Victorian businesses and local jobs – opportunities that will be more important than ever as we rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.
Deputy federal Labor leader Richard Marles said he would not give the Andrews Government advice, but that his view was the Belt and Road initiative should be managed on “a case-by-case basis” instead.
“We do need to be proceeding with some caution in terms of how we approach this,” he said.
“But there may be particular projects that stack up and so Chinese investment makes sense.”
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton slammed Victoria for signing up to China’s “belt and road” trade initiative in defiance of federal government security advice, saying it was an example of China spreading undue influence overseas.
Mr Dutton told 2GB on Thursday that belt and road “is a propaganda initiative from China”.
“Victoria needs to explain why it is the only state in the country that has entered into this agreement.
Victorian Shadow Attorney-General Edward O’Donohue also called for the Belt and Road agreement to be put on hold until it was independently reviewed.
He said China’s lack of transparency during the COVID-19 crisis meant Victorians had “every right to remain sceptical about the secretive Belt and Road Initiative agreement with Beijing the Premier signed Victoria up to”.
It came as federal Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon criticised Prime Minister Scott Morrison for pursuing an independent investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.
“We were always going to have an inquiry … We didn’t need to be out there in front, offending the Chinese,” he said.
“If we hadn’t done that, we might not be having some of the diplomatic relationship troubles that we’re having at the moment.”
Liberal MP Tim Wilson questioned how calling for the probe was “offensive to the Chinese”.
“It’s a bit rich coming from a bloke who took undeclared, undisclosed trips to China paid for by Chinese interests,” he said.
In 2009, Mr Fitzgibbon — the defence minister at the time — apologised for failing to declare two trips sponsored by businesswoman Helen Liu, who was at the centre of a security row.
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