Scott Morrison lashes Daniel Andrews over China infrastructure deal

Scott Morrison has lashed out at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for signing a secret infrastructure deal with China.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is seen during a rail announcement at Dandenong Train station in Melbourne, Monday, November 5, 2018. (AAP Image/Valeriu Campan) NO ARCHIVING

Scott Morrison has lashed out at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for signing a secret infrastructure deal with China.

The Prime Minister said today that he was “surprised” that Victoria had decided to sign up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative without consulting the Commonwealth, and broke with his foreign minister and trade minister over the Commonwealth’s role in such deals.

“I was surprised that the Victorian government went into that arrangement without any discussions with the Commonwealth government at all,” Mr Morrison said.

“They’re the responsibilities of the Commonwealth government and I would have hoped that the Victorian government would have taken a more cooperative approach to that process.”

Mr Andrews has been under pressure to release his secret memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is at odds with his foreign minister and trade minister over the Victorian deal with China.

The deal, in which Victoria will become the first state or territory to sign on, has given the state a competitive advantage in exploiting the spending program believed to total $1.4 trillion.

The BRI refers to the routes linking China to the rest of the world, including Africa, Europe and Asia in one of history’s greatest construction strategies.

Mr Morrison’s comments contrast with those of Foreign Minister Marise Payne earlier today.

She said any deals with China were a “matter for the states and territories frankly” and denied the memorandum of understanding was a source of embarrassment.

“We encourage the states and territories to expand opportunities with China ... it’s a matter for the states and territories frankly,” she said.

“Any treaty level arrangements, of course, are made at the Commonwealth level.”

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham had also welcomed Victoria’s BRI deal with China but said he had not seen the details of the memorandum of understanding

“I haven’t discussed the content of it with Victoria but we have been, and are, positive for Australian engagement in BRI where those projects are sustainable projects that provide clear benefits for the recipients,” he told The Australian.

“If Victoria has seen opportunities to do so consistent with those terms, that’s something we welcome.”