Darwin port lease ‘security risk’, says 90% of Australians

A SECRET US State Department poll has revealed nearly 90 per cent of Australians ­believe the Giles Government’s decision to lease the Darwin Port to a Chinese-owned company is a risk to national security

Port of Darwin

A SECRET US State Department poll has revealed nearly 90 per cent of Australians ­believe the Giles Government’s decision to lease the Darwin Port to a Chinese-owned company is a risk to national security.

The internal poll, revealed by The Australian yesterday, shows 43 per cent of those polled said the 99-year lease to Chinese-owned Landbridge carried “a lot of risk” with another 46 per cent feeling it carried “some risk”.

Only 11 per cent of Australians thought there was no risk involved.

The poll was used by a bureau of the US Government that aims to “harness intelligence to serve US diplomacy”, according to its website. Their report also showed concern over Landbridge’s “reported ties” to the People’s Liberation Army – something the company has denied.

Yesterday, the head of an independent national security watchdog said Chief Minister Adam Giles was way over his head in international affairs.

“The poll indicates the common sense of the Australian people in saying the long term risks outweigh any short term benefits, particularly when it’s been done for selfish political reasons,” said Neil James, executive director of the Australia Defence Association.

“The way (the NT Government) did (this) would seem to indicate they were too stupid to know what they were doing or they knew what they were doing and they don’t care.”

Mr Giles said on ABC national radio yesterday that the American intelligence community polling Australians “doesn’t surprise me but it doesn’t bother me either”.

“We’ve got a very good investment partner with ... Landbridge,” he said. “From my point of view, what (the Port deal) does is present a good investment opportunity and allows more money to come into supply chain infrastructure in the Top End that the (NT) Government, as a small government, wouldn’t be able to afford.” Mr Giles added no security concerns were ever raised with him from the US or Australian defence forces about the $506 million lease.

Territory Labor said yesterday the US is clearly concerned with the Port deal.

“(The poll) indicates a mistrust of the Government currently in the NT,” said deputy Labor leader Lynne Walker. “The CLP Government have been intent on their own agenda around selling public assets like TIO, like the Port. They went through this basically as part of a quick cash grab.”

The State Department commissioned two polls last month with more than 1000 respondents each.