That potential is a long way off. Mr Robb also took a shot at former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce for his role in the deteriorating relationship with China. Andrew Robb did not breach code of conduct by taking $880k - ABC Katter says tear up Darwin Port lease to China now - Cairns News Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. An Australian Border Force Cape-class patrol boat docked at the Darwin port. The Turnbull Government has declined to say when it became aware of the appointment. Mr Robb, who quit as a minister in Malcolm Turnbull's government before the last election, previously denied working on behalf of Beijing, and defended his contract with Landbridge, saying he was not doing business in Australia, so could not be captured by the new scheme. But the director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Peter Jennings, said the port deal might benefit Beijing's long-term strategic interests, and not necessarily those of Australia. Mr Ye placed Mr Robb on his payroll 10 weeks later. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Then trade minister Andrew Robb is congratulated after he concluded the second reading debate on the China - Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2015.Credit: Andrew Meares. The Defence Department and ASIO have vetted and cleared Landbridge's acquisition of the port. And they have picked this bloke, the Leader of the Opposition, as their candidate.. Can the Darwin Port's 99-year lease to China be reversed? The late 2015 deal with Landbridge shocked the country and led to the most-asked question in the Curious series history, about why the NT decided to lease the port to a foreign company and how they got away with it. The arrangement, uncovered by a Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation, involves monthly payments of $73,000 (including GST) to Mr Robb starting on July 1, 2016. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. he said. "We can't afford to be afraid of China, in the sense that when we need to speak up about issues that concern us, we have to be able to do that; otherwise if we run scared, we've already half lost.". Just as they have many other of Australias pushbacks against China. Mr Brumby announced in February he was quitting the Australian board of Huawei, the Chinese telco accused by security agencies of posing a security risk to western communications infrastructure. And all of it is being done under the guise of economic development at a time of economic turbulence for those countries, Dr Garrick said, which sounds familiar to Darwin, where the NT Government is currently going through a fiscal crisis and severe economic downturn. He added that defences raised by NT Government politicians and public servants about being able to take the port back in the case of rising tensions didn't address the strategic risk now, or the consequences of that later. To cancel the lease, you'd have to pay an enormous amount of compensation to the lease holder," he said. Noely on Twitter: "RT @TwoEyeHead: Govt to spend $3.8billion Darwin Port lease to Chinese company Landbridge should be - ABC The Landbridge statement from September 2 said "the process of internationalisation of the Landbridge Group and the results achieved had greatly impressed him (Mr Robb)". Fairfax Media and Four Corners are not suggesting that Mr Robb has breached his obligations as an ex-minister. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. He was Honorary Finance Director for the NSW Division of the Liberal Party and a member of the NSW State Executive. Chinese influence compromises the integrity of our politics, Soft power goes hard: China's economic interest in the Pacific comes with strings attached, The risks of a new Cold War between the US and China are real: here's why. They must also ensure their personal conduct upholds the reputation of Parliament. "Australia-China political relations had "turned to custard" and . Though privately owned, like many Chinese companies it has strong ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Good sources are critical to good journalism. Enter your email address and Crikey will send a Verification Code. But others may have learnt valuable lessons too. Robb became deputy director of the Liberal Party before being appointed chief of staff to Andrew Peacock, then Leader of the Opposition, in 1989. Landbridge, a . He served as Minister for Trade and Investment (20132016) in the Abbott and Turnbull governments, and also briefly as Minister for Vocational and Further Education in the Howard government in 2007. Andrew Robb, Martin Ferguson, Peter Reith and Stephen Conroy are among the former ministers who swiftly took jobs as lobbyists Thu 27 Jun 2019 14.00 EDT Last modified on Thu 27 Jun 2019 21.35 EDT In 2004, he was comfortably elected to the safe Liberal seat of Goldstein in Melbourne and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs on 27 January 2006. While the federal government now seeks to shore up its interests in the Pacific with cash for infrastructure, similar commitments to investing in local infrastructure are essential. [5], Robb resigned in 1997 (he was replaced by Lynton Crosby) and became a business consultant based in Sydney. "I was approached two months after I finished in parliament and certainly about four or five months after I'd finished in cabinet and the [Landbridge] chairman said to me, 'would you consider coming and doing some work for me?' Any attempt by Landbridge to use the port as security to borrow money from a Chinese bank would trigger renegotiation of the lease. Australia's warm relationship with China has developed frostbite in the five short years since the deal was signed. In this capacity Robb worked with the next Leader of the Liberal Party, John Hewson, in the unsuccessful 1993 federal election campaign. Of course it's not our fault. In a ballot of Liberal caucus members, Julie Bishop prevailed with 44 votes, ahead of Robb who won 25 votes and Christopher Pyne with 18 votes. Foreign investment: Joyce says Robb has questions to answer on Many of these grants were disproportionally awarded to marginal seats, with limited oversight and even less accountability. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacifics leading geo-politics and economics portal. Mr Ye is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. Ashley Manicaros: Build a Landbridge and get over the leasing of Darwin All above board, maybe, but does it really pass the pub test? But the fear of angering China has weighed heavily on Australian-elected officials, with the greatest fear coming in the form of economic sanctions. Pay so everyone can. Ministerial business that just happens to coincide with a grand final or a concert; electorate business that must be conducted in prime tourist locations, or at the same time as party fundraisers. Soft power goes hard: China's economic interest in the Pacific comes with strings attached. Were working to restore it. Mr James said Mr Robb's comments seemed to be made to advance the position of the Chinese business interests he served. Dont pay so you can read it. Followed categories will be added to My News. Oh, that was like 7 years ago, said Dutton about Former Trade Minister Andrew Robbs advocacy to give Chinese company Landbridge a 99-year lease to the Port of Darwin. Senior Lecturer, Business Law, Charles Darwin University. And just last week, Landbridge (a private company, despite links to the Chinese Government) started official construction on a new $200 million luxury hotel on the Darwin waterfront. The Crikey comment section is members-only content. He was an agricultural economist with the Victorian Department of Agriculture and a tutor in economics at La Trobe University before being an economist for the National Farmers' Federation, and later executive director of both the National Farmers' Federation and the Cattle Council of Australia. There are endless opportunities in Northern Australia; the trick is to have government truly engaged as a partner in attracting the critical investment dollars. He's got a global strategy for his company and he wants me to help him outside of Australia more than he wants me to help him inside Australia.". Port in a storm: the Darwin lease made sense only a few years ago. Two years after clinching a historic free trade deal with Beijing, former trade minister Andrew Robb has become a "high-level economic consultant" with the Chinese company that now operates Darwin Port. Andrew Robb joins Chinese company with control of Darwin Port, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news, MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo dies at age of 46. Robb then left politics and took up a lucrative 'consultancy' gig with Landbridge less than 12 months later, making who knows how much from helping actual jeopardise our national security. Robb was also a board member of community organisations including the Garvan Medical Research Foundation and the 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' organisation. "Working for Landbridge Group was a wonderful and pleasing thing, and that he wanted to jointly write a wonderful new chapter together with Landbridge," the statement added. The port has operated in a number of locations, including Stokes Hill Wharf, Cullen Bay and East Arm Wharf. Read more: Landbridge Australia, a subsidiary of Shandong Landbridge, won the 99-year lease with its bid of A$506 million in November 2015. Port Darwin: reverse Andrew Robb's greedy blunder - MORNING MAIL document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); With access to over 4 million readers per month, and often more, we provide opportunities to add value to different brands across the country who are interested. [8] The then leader of the Liberal Party, former Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, announced that Robb would be Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs in the new Coalition Shadow Cabinet. Former LNP Trade Minister Andrew Robb profited enormously from the port deal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, MHR has warned the federal Government to tear up the Port of Darwin lease with its Chinese owners, arguing that a "review" will achieve nothing but waste time. News National Former PM Rudd urges review of lease of Darwin Port to China company. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Until his recent retirement from politics, Andrew Robb was Australia's Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism. A companydocument revealed that Mr Robbs consulting contract was so vague and ill-defined he would be paid even if he did nothing. But theres an election coming up and weve dropped the ball on some many issues because weve played politics instead of just doing our jobs, so we need to pretend that well be speaking Mandarin in 12 months if people dont vote for us.. Opportunities exist across website, brand awareness, podcasts, social media content, and video campaigns. Mr Robb resigned as trade minister in February, before leaving Parliament at this year's election. If Landbridge was to default, it would lose its money. Mr Robb, the architect of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, began consulting to Ye Cheng the day before the July 2 federal election in 2016, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. / -12.4708; 130.8483. Andrew Robb joins Chinese company with control of Darwin Port Chinese influence compromises the integrity of our politics. "That model of developing other sites around the waterfront is part of the model that has been used in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Djibouti and other places," he said. The combined filings show Landbridge borrowed at least $870 million in the months leading up to its Darwin Port acquisition from the high yield market and local bond market. [18] It was reported that Robb had accepted the $73,000 per month position before leaving Parliament. The delegation was lobbied by Rizhao Communist Party deputy secretary Liu Xingtai to support the trade park as part of a "Two Countries, Two Parks" proposal. "Debate and transparency and honesty about things is not bad. Darwin port's sale is a blueprint for China's future economic expansion The former trade minister Andrew Robb has been appointed a high-level economic consultant with the Chinese company that operates Darwin port. Foreign and strategic policy has effectively been left to the local level. Ms McKenzie was chief of staff to Andrew Robb when he was the Liberal government's trade, investment and tourism minister. "We love yuz all!" Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. and I said, 'well, I'd love to but I've been a minister in a cabinet, in a related area, I can't do any work for you in Australia and I can't do it for 18 months'," he said. more. Mr Ye's interest in the winery is via his brother, Gang Ye. Landbridge head Ye Cheng, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then trade envoy Andrew Robb in Beijing in April 2016. Former ministers are banned from lobbying the Australian Government for 18 months, meaning Mr Robb would have to wait another year before he can advocate for the Landbridge Group on trade matters. Robb and Hewson fell out over these events. Darwin port deal is a nice little earner. Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge after leaving federal parliament. As with other Chinese port acquisitions, such as in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Greece and Djibouti, Landbridge is interested in acquiring and developing not only Darwins port facilities but nearby waterfront property. He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative Committee, an advisory body that President Xi Jinping has directed to "uphold the CPC [Chinese Communist Party] leadership without wavering". READ MORE ABOUT BLACK DOG DAZE, CLICK HERE. In December 2017, then Attorney-General George Brandis suggested that Mr Robb would have to sign up to the new register. Here's what they think of a Voice to Parliament, Soccer spectator accused of punching out teeth of referee in 'outrageous attack' refused bail, How Australia was left with only one deployable submarine, The late 2015 deal with Landbridge shocked the country and led to the most-asked question in the Curious series history, about why the NT decided to lease the port to a foreign company and how they got away with it, You can submit your questions on any topic at all, or vote on our next investigation, former United States president Barack Obama, who said he would have liked a heads up on the deal before it happened, Landbridge (a private company, despite links to the Chinese Government) started official construction on a new $200 million luxury hotel on the Darwin waterfront, Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge, about a "toxic" relationship between Australia and China that he blamed on former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Australia's intelligence agencies, Everybody in the NT remembers the last time Darwin was caught in the middle of a conflict between the Americans and a rising Asian empire. And I mean, know that you mention it, you can kind of see why we arent that keen on a Federal ICAC, he laughed. Mr Robb continues to advocate for Australia to back the policy although has previously insisted this is unconnected to his Landbridge consultancy. A Critical Infrastructure Centre has been created to give extra national security advice. Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James agreed. and back in 2016, when former trade minister Andrew Robb was enjoying his $880,000 a year consulting contract with Landbridge, . Nine years of serving you has come to an end! He was succeeded by Steven Ciobo as Minister of Trade and Investment on 18 February 2016. The details of the consultancy have never been disclosed by Mr Ye or Mr Robb. "Just before Landbridge had an opportunity to formally present my report to Chinese authorities, they were advised not to bother because the relationship between the Australian and Chinese governments 'had become so toxic' that the report would be binned.". In this role Mr Robb negotiated Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Japan and China, as well as the 12 country Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore. The operator of Darwin Port is struggling to pay down debt and is reliant on a letter of support from its Chinese owner. Police investigating gangland shooting allegedly uncover separate murder plot, Pioneering Australian musician and The Dingoes frontman Broderick Smith dies aged 75, 'I don't buy that one bit': Next AFL CEO denies claims of a boys' club after promotion from general counsel, How Heather Mitchell survived a 'testosterone, cocaine and alcohol-fuelled' workplace, Hundreds of 'completely underfunded' Coalition-era infrastructure projects on the chopping block, The public will be asked to pledge allegiance to King Charles III. The former trade minister Andrew Robb did not talk to Malcolm Turnbull before taking on his role as an economic consultant with the Chinese company that operates the Darwin port. Former trade and investment minister Andrew Robb has taken up an advisory position with the Chinese company behind the controversial 99-year lease of the Darwin port, raising concerns about . Then US president Barack Obama expressed concern about the lack of consultation. Glenn Campbell. Former Trade Minister Andrew Robb joins Landbridge Group By all accounts, he wasn't involved with Landbridge in late 2015 when the deal went through, and the federal cabinet was not aware of the deal until hours before then-chief minister Adam Giles announced it publicly in November 2015. News State NT News Andrew Robb joins Chinese company with control of Darwin Port 3:40am, Oct 31, 2016 Updated: 3:48am, Oct 31 Andrew Robb joins Chinese company with control of Darwin Port Thank you for your very kind wishes! We recognise that their sovereignty has never been ceded. While the centre of US-Chinese tensions is the South China Sea where China has militarised reefs in disputed waters Darwin is important because it is the southern flank of US operations in the Pacific. After embarrassing themselves by mangling some weird Relgious Discrimination Bill that even hardcore Christians werent that keen on, the Government is trying to convince the nation that we will be a Chinese-controlled territory if a Labor government is voted in at the next election. has employed former trade minister Andrew Robb as a consultant, paying . Mr Huang has been blocked from entering Australia and has had his permanent residency cancelled by the Department of Home Affairs after advice from ASIO that he may engage in foreigninterference activities on behalf of the Chinese government. Mr Katter's opposition to the Port of Darwin sale - In early 2019, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Robb had quietly ceased his controversial consultancy with Landbridge as the deadline loomed for lobbyists for overseas state interests to sign up to Australias new foreigninfluence register. It invites reflection on the wisdom, three years ago, of the Northern Territory government deciding to lease the Port of Darwin (now known as Darwin Port) to a Chinese company for 99 years and of the federal government going along with it. Shandong Landbridge has substantial and varied interests including port logistics and petrochemicals. The former trade minister Andrew Robb did not talk to Malcolm Turnbull before taking on his role as an economic consultant with the Chinese company that operates the Darwin port.. Landbridge signed a $506m agreement with the Northern Territory government in October last year for a 99-year lease of the port.. Robb's consultancy was reportedly announced by the Landbridge Group on 2 September . In a sign of panicked desperation, the federal government is today continuing with the whole nobody but us can keep us safe national security agenda. Back then it was criticised over national security implications, and drew a rebuke from former US president Barack Obama. Quite the reverse. [19][20] Landbridge Group is chaired by Ye Cheng, a billionaire with links to the Chinese Communist Party. The Landbridge group had been granted a 99-year lease on Port Darwin in 2015 during Robbs time as trade minister. To connect a sign in method the email must match the one on your Crikey account. [26] Robb disclosed that, since adolescence, he had suffered depression for several hours each day in the morning. Despite pleas by non-political heads of our spy organisations, the government is today insisting on carrying on like they give a fuck about our national security. Former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage said he was stunned that Australia had blind-sided its ally. And what role, if any, did Andrew Robb play? This involves potential future actions by China as tensions flare up in the South China Sea and how Australia is positioned to respond as an American ally which had already been reprimanded by former United States president Barack Obama, who said he would have liked a heads up on the deal before it happened. In 1990, after Andrew Peacock's resignation after his election defeat, Robb was appointed federal director of the Liberal Party. Robb only left his position at Landbridge in 2019, shortly before a new foreign-interference law took effect. "In our situation, there was an upfront payment for 99 years and then the strategy unfolds," he said. Australia was the first Western country to break through the metaphorical Great Wall of China in terms of free trade, creating a trading environment no Western G20 economy has ever enjoyed. Mr Robb's consultancy with the leaseholder of the Darwin Port, Landbridge, was trumpeted by the Chinese-government aligned company in 2016, but became intensely controversial when an . Three months later, Mr Robb was on Landbridge's payroll. As a small, open economy international trade and foreign investment has been critical to providing jobs and prosperity by Australians since European settlement over 200 years ago. Robb was still Federal Director and campaign manager in 1996 when John Howard after he replaced Downer as leader in 1995, won the 1996 federal election campaign, which defeated the Keating government and brought the Liberals to power after 13 years in Opposition. Hearing senior Treasury staff describe the Northern Territory's budget as being in "dire straits" is the bureaucratic equivalent to saying, "we're stuffed". Military-civilian integration was among the goals China set in its 13th five-year plan for 2016-20. [13] He had carriage of final negotiations for the AustraliaKorea Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA), JapanAustralia Economic Partnership Agreement, ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership which have concluded by the federal government. From left, now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Landbridge chief Ye Cheng and then trade minister Andrew Robb at a northern development conference in 2015. Credit: Glenn Campbell. Billionaire Ye Cheng is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. A Darwinian survival story: Barnaby's northern port is more of a crazy The was not without its controversy - even before Australia-China relations soured, as Andrew Robb, a former minister for trade, took an $880,000 consultancy position with the Chinese group immediately following his exit from politics in 2016. In a November 2016 interview with the ABC, Mr Robb said that "most of what he [Mr Ye] wants me for is because of my knowledge of other countries and other governments. Infrastucture Australia advised privatisation. The company has previously denied its operations are influenced by the Communist Party and stated that Mr Robb was not engaged in political representation on its behalf in Australia. Please try again later. Liberal Andrew Robb takes $880k China job as soon as he finishes in [22], Robb is part owner of The Boathouse Group, which operates a number of Sydney restaurants and other venues. Barnaby Joyce has called on former trade minister Andrew Robb to answer questions on his role with Landbridge - leasee of the Darwin port - as former top US intelligence chief James Clapper . Mr Robb has confirmed that he has left Landbridge for the time being because, "at this stage, Landbridge has no other projects relevant for me to assist". Thank you for your very kind wishes! This story is part two in our look at the port as part of Curious Darwin, our story series where you ask us the questions, vote for your favourite, and we investigate. Please try again later. Andrew Robb joins Chinese company that controls Darwin Port - The New Daily Former PM Rudd urges review of lease of Darwin Port to China company . Nobody in the emerging liberal trading bloc is going to be upset by it. Robb then left politics and took up a lucrative consultancy gig with Landbridge less than 12 months later, making who knows how much from helping actual jeopardise our national security. He was educated at Dookie Agricultural College, Parade College and La Trobe University, and has qualifications in economics and agricultural science. The ethics code for departing ministers bans them for a period of 18 months from lobbying or advocating to the government or public service on any matters they previously dealt with as a minister. He added that former minister Andrew Robb also took on a lucrative consulting job with . Mr Robb's job with Landbridge commenced on July 1, 2016, according to a Four Corners Fairfax Media 2017 joint investigation. Darwin review could be final blow to Chinese investment in Australia It would leave our ability to operate in doubt. Andrew Robb's secret China contract: money for nothing But its immediate commercial risks are relatively contained. All levels of Australian government have encouraged it. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop defended Mr Robb's decision, telling the ABC he should be allowed to have a post-Parliament career. The deal to lease parts of the port followed successive federal governments refusing to fund necessary upgrading of the ports infrastructure to meet growing demand.