Darwin Port lease in the spotlight at inquiry

THE controversial lease of Darwin’s port to Chinese-owned company Landbridge will soon be scrutinised by a parliamentary inquiry

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THE controversial 99-year lease of Darwin’s Port to Chinese-owned company Landbridge will be scrutinised by a parliamentary inquiry, as senators for both sides of politics call for the deal to examined under the Coalition’s new foreign veto power legislation.

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The NT News understands both Liberal and Labor senators plan to raise the issue next week when the senate’s foreign affairs and defence committee begins an inquiry into a bill that would give the Commonwealth the power to veto international agreements reached by states and territories with foreign governments.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has said the proposed laws would not capture commercial transactions such as the Darwin Port lease, but several members of her own government are now calling for that to change.

Chinese company Landbridge was sold a 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin for $506 million in 2015, under the watch of then CLP Chief Minister Adam Giles.

Liberal NSW senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said she believed the new proposed legislation would only have credibility if its starting point was taking back Darwin’s Port. CLP Senator Sam McMahon agreed, saying examining the lease to see if it’s in Australia’s best interest or not is the prudent thing to do.

Senator Sam McMahon said she was personally opposed to the Darwin Port lease.

Senator McMahon said she was personally opposed to the lease despite the fact that the NT Government signed off on the $506m deal with Landbridge under the CLP in 2015.

“I understand that there were reasons at the time that led to the NT Government agreeing to the terms of the lease, but no I am not personally supportive,” Senator McMahon said.

Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said she also believed the port’s lease should never have happened.

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“The bill has now been referred to committee, and it is right that inquiry scrutinises agreements between Australia and foreign investors, including the Darwin Port agreement,” she said.

“Foreign investment should always be determined in the national interest.”

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said while he didn’t support the sale of the Darwin Port in 2015, he has ruled out buying it back.