Port Darwin review linked to ongoing China tensions
Port Darwin has been linked with ongoing tensions between China and Australia. Find out what port operators think of the delay.
Business
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Pressure is growing on the Albanese government to release the latest review into Landbridge’s 99-year Darwin Port lease.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese established the review after winning the May 2022 federal election and 14 months later it still hasn’t been released nor has a date been set for its disclosure.
It was the second probe into the Landbridge lease, with a 2015 report commissioned by the then Morrison government concluding the lease deal did not threaten Australia’s national security.
In 2015, the then CLP NT government and Landbridge entered into a binding 99-year, $506m agreement to lease Darwin Port from the NT government.
The Territory government retained a 20-year stake in the facility, which was first opened in 1999.
Recent reports in The Australian suggest the government’s port review is getting in the way of improving strained relations between the federal and Chinese governments.
The issue is even seen to be blocking a planned icebreaking visit to China by Mr Albanese.
The PM’s office has confirmed the report is finalised.
Landbridge non-executive director,Terry O’Connor, said the Port’s operators would like the issue resolved as soon as possible.
Mr O’Connor said the uncertainty was impacting Landbridge and the port’s ability to plan for the future.
He said the impacts were felt across-the-board from securing finance to staff recruitment.
“It’s a question we always have to respond too,” Mr O’Connor said.
“As we’ve always said, we’d like some announcement to say the Port’s able to get on with the business of running a commercial facility.”
Mr O’Connor said Chinese ambassador to Australia Xia Qian toured Darwin Port during a visit in May and the Chinese government and Landbridge were both committed to the operation.
He said port management do not know what is actually being reported on and that the federal government has not engaged with the operators or Landbridge.
“The only communications we’ve had with the federal government is we offered our assistance to provide any advice we could and they thanked us and that was the last we heard,” he said.
“We don’t know what they’re reporting on. From our perspective we run a commercial operation and we’d just like the cloud removed so we can get on with our business.
“We’re here for the long term, we’re committed to working with the NT. We see the NT as a growth area in the future whether it’s minerals or agriculture and we see the Territory is going to grow.”
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles put the blame for the fiasco fairly on Adam Giles’ CLP government.
“Eight years later and the whole country is still having to deal with the mistakes of the chaotic CLP government,” Ms Fyles said.
“The port should have never been sold. We will continue to work with the federal government over its future.”
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