Scott Morrison would pull plug on Darwin port – if needed

Scott Morrison says he has not been given the green light from defence and intelligence agencies to overturn the lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge.

The Port of Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

Scott Morrison says he has not been given the green light from defence and intelligence agencies to overturn the lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge, after making nat­ional security a frontline issue in the federal election campaign.

The Prime Minister is hitching his re-election strategy to the ­Coalition’s record on national ­security, while accusing Anthony Albanese of being “weak” and China’s preferred candidate.

The tactic has drawn sharp warnings from spy chiefs, including ASIO director-general Mike Burgess and former ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson, who warned politicising national security was divisive and would work to Beijing’s advantage.

Speaking just outside Darwin, the Opposition Leader responded by promoting his national security credentials and arguing that he had “opposed the sale of the Port of Darwin to a company that was connected with the government of China”.

Mr Albanese also said he was part of the Labor government that “put the US marines here, that upgraded our defence relationship with the US”, when Julia Gillard was prime minister.

He also said Labor had ­opposed an extradition treaty with China “that this government tried to ram through”.

Explaining why the government had not taken action over the Port of Darwin, Mr Morrison said he “would not hesitate” to do so if given the go-ahead by ­ defence and intelligence agencies. He conceded they had not provided advice to justify such an ­intervention at this point.

“If we receive advice from our defence and intelligence agencies that that is what is necessary to do to protect Australia’s national ­interest, I would not hesitate. I would not hesitate to do that, but that is not something that has been advised,” he said.

The Australian revealed in December that a Defence review had found there were no national security grounds sufficient to ­recommend a government intervention to overturn the controversial 99-year lease. Mr Morrison said on Friday the ­review process was ongoing.

He also argued the lease of the Port of Darwin in 2015 was not a decision of the federal government and that it had been supported by Mr Richardson, who was then defence secretary.

Mr Morrison continued his ­attack on Labor on national­ security on Friday, saying Mr Albanese was the “most left-wing-leaning Labor leader that we have seen since Gough Whitlam”.

“My reputation on this is on the record. Everything from stopping the boats, standing up to ­coercion, funding defence forces, backing our intelligence services … I think there’s a clear choice.”

The Prime Minister, who was also in the NT on Friday, announced $282m to bolster Australia’s defence capabilities in the Territory and establish a maintenance centre to support naval shipbuilding. He said the funds would support hundreds of jobs.

“The Northern Territory is a key strategic area for defence and it is the guardian of Australia’s northern approaches. These investments are recognition of the key role the Northern Territory provides for defence and Australia,” Mr Morrison said.