Turnbull Urges Caution Over Breaking Darwin Port Lease

[Black Orchid]

Malcolm Turnbull has warned Australia could open a Pandora's box of problems if it terminates a Chinese company's 99-year lease of Darwin's port.

The former prime minister urged the Morrison government to tread carefully on a decision about state-owned Landbridge's agreement.

"We've got to be very careful to be seen as a trusted, reliable partner," Mr Turnbull told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

"Going back in time and trying to break a lease - and that would not be legally straightforward - it could open up a whole Pandora's box of problems that probably could be best avoided."

The government is weighing up the national security implications of a Chinese company leasing the Port of Darwin.

Earlier in the month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would wait for a Defence review into the arrangement before making a decision.

Mr Turnbull said the advice from Defence, ASIO and other national security agencies while he was prime minister recommended not interfering with the lease.

"There are other assets in Australia, I would have to say, held by Chinese state-owned companies, particularly in the electricity sector, which are arguably more sensitive than the Darwin port lease," he said.

"Undoing deals that have been done is something you want to think very carefully about."

Australia-China relations are at their lowest point in decades after a series of deep rifts over diplomacy, trade and security issues.

https://www.denipt.com.au/national/2021 ... port-lease

Of course that irrelevant fool Turnbull would be against breaking the lease. He's bought and paid for by the Chinese. Hopefully ScoMo actuallly is looking into breaking the deal. He dashed Comrade Dan's plans with the Chinese and this needs to be next.

[Black Orchid]

More troops, warplanes and naval vessels are likely for the Top End under the new alliance with the US and UK, but experts say the controversial lease of the Darwin Port could complicate any future military expansion.

Heralded as the most significant shift in Australia's defence direction in decades, the centrepiece of the trilateral security partnership, dubbed "AUKUS", is a plan to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

But Defence Minister Peter Dutton has also flagged a major enhancement in Australia's military cooperation with the US, which currently deploys about 2,500 marines to the Top End each dry season.

While the federal government says the deeper ties will result in a safer Indo-Pacific region, some analysts believe this week's developments were specifically designed to counter China's assertiveness.

In that context, John Coyne from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the 99-year lease of the Darwin Port to Landbridge could prove an impediment to the allies' military expansion plans.

"The Defence Minister has made it clear what we're talking about here is a high-end war fighting presence in northern Australia and some of the US' most highly-classified capabilities," Dr Coyne said.

"And, put simply, unloading those in the Port of Darwin off ships will be incredibly difficult when the Port of Darwin is owned by a Chinese company."

Full story ... https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... ar-AAOz34F

[Bobby]

You can't have Chinese spies running a military port.

[Outlaw Yogi]

I think Oz needs to be very careful about taking advice from a serial saboteur.
Turnbull got into politics with the express purpose of privatising Oz's water supplies (rivers & aquifers), and it's a good thing the Nats got in his way.
Everything Turncoat has signed us upto .. pumped hydro, French subs ... has been or is a dud.

As for breaching the lease agreement? .. Well I think it'd only be a problem if we were dealing with a nation that plays by the rules, and nazi China cheats at everything.

[Valkie]

He was obviously on the take from the Chinese and French.

Every politician is on the take from someone.

[Neferti]

If I never see or hear Turncoat again I will be more than happy.