China’s BRI deal not top of agenda, says Daniel Andrews

Daniel Andrews has described concerns about Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative deal with Beijing as ‘not exactly the most ­important issue of the day’.

Yu Qian, Premier Daniel Andrews and Guo Degang on a tour of the Forbidden City. Picture: Jiang Dong / China Daily

Daniel Andrews has described concerns about Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative deal with Beijing as “not exactly the most ­important issue of the day” and confirmed he did not take up several offers for high-level briefings from national security and intelligence chiefs.

After missing a July 31 briefing to national cabinet leaders on Chinese interference and general concerns about the BRI, the Victorian Premier said he had not followed up subsequent offers from the country’s intelligence and security heads because he was busy dealing with the state’s COVID-19 crisis.

He claimed Scott Morrison had been “quite understanding” about what was on his plate.

“There was a briefing for ­national cabinet which I had a conversation with the Prime Minister about many other things and the conversation included just at the end that he was quite understanding of the fact that I had a bit on at that time,” Mr Andrews said. “We then arranged to have a one-hour briefing. I haven’t had a chance to do that yet but I will. Nothing more or less than that.”

Protesters voice their concerns over Victoria’s increased financial links with China and its communist regime outside Daniel Andrews’ electoral office at Noble Park. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Asked if he had received a letter setting out Mr Morrison’s concerns with Victoria’s BRI deal in June, Mr Andrews said: “His views have been well known and well understood to me. It’s not ­exactly the most important issue of the day from my point of view.”

Mr Andrews also cast doubt over whether conversations with Mr Morrison over the weekend would involve talks about China and the BRI.

“I doubt very much whether these issues will be things we’ll talk about. Because from my point of view, and if I can say, I think the vast majority of Victorians would want me to be focused on the things we’ve been talking about today,” he said.

“It’s not that these other matters are unimportant.”

The Prime Minister on Friday talked down problems in his relationship with Mr Andrews but ­refused to back down on his government’s efforts to protect Australia’s national interests.

“We’re both very professional leaders. We work together on so many different issues. There’ll be some we disagree on. There are many we do agree on,” Mr Morrison said.

“There’s a lot to do and we’ll get on with our jobs.”

On Thursday the federal government announced it would ­introduce legislation into parliament next week cracking down on agreements entered into by Australian governments and universities with foreign powers which work against the country’s interests.

Mr Morrison said it was his job to “look after Australia’s foreign interests”, which included ensuring governments across the country were not “going off in some other direction that undercuts us”.

“That’s my job and it’s state premiers’ jobs to continue to focus on the challenges they have with their pandemic,” he said.

Daniel Andrews alongside Mike Yang at the Great Wall of China in 2018.

Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles refused to criticise Mr Andrews over the Victorian government’s decision to sign up to Xi Jinping’s BRI last year. “I’m not about to criticise ­Daniel Andrews — he can run his government as he sees fit. If Labor were in power federally we would not be doing a BRI agreement with China,” Mr Marles told Nine.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said Labor would examine the government’s foreign powers legislation next week before ­declaring its support.

“We want to have a look at what’s being proposed here,” he said. “I would make this point: the way in which Australia makes its way in the world is a matter for the commonwealth … and the expertise around that lies in the ­Department of Foreign Affairs.”