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Mr Ye frames much of his business activity, including the acquisition of the Port of Darwin lease, in terms of advancing Beijing's ambitious global trade and infrastructure project "One Belt, One Road". 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. Three months later, Mr Robb was on Landbridge's payroll.Credit: Landbridge. Landbridge Australia, a subsidiary of Shandong Landbridge, won the 99-year lease with its bid of A$506 million in November 2015. Democracy under siege from the rising forces of plutocracy. Robb, one of nine children, was born to Frank and Marie Robb, on a dairy farm in Epping which lies 18 kilometres (11mi) north of Melbourne. Soft power goes hard: China's economic interest in the Pacific comes with strings attached. President Xi subsequently established an integration committee to oversee civilian and military investment in technology. In some cases the tone hasnt taken account of the sensitivities on the Chinese side, said Robb. Port in a storm: the Darwin lease made sense only a few years ago. Were working to restore it. What about Andrew Robb? 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. Can the Darwin Port's 99-year lease to China be reversed? The ABC reported it had obtained and translated a . Dont pay so you can read it. Any attempt by Landbridge to use the port as security to borrow money from a Chinese bank would trigger renegotiation of the lease. But company records reveal that Andrew Robb Pty Ltd . Landbridge Australia reported a loss of A$31 million for the 2017 financial year, with its total borrowings rising to A$463 million. Mr Cheng's company, Landbridge Group, was embroiled in controversy when it was awarded a 99-year lease over the port of Darwin. 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. Of course it's not our fault. Mr Robb joins former foreignminister Bob Carr and former Victorian premier John Brumby in leaving lucrative roles with companies or, in Mr Carrs case, a think tank, founded by businessmen with strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party. quietly ceased his controversial consultancy with Landbridge. In Australia it gave influential Liberal Party figure and former trade minister Andrew Robb an $880,000 job just months after he retired from parliament. Dr Garrick said China wouldn't be able to call in debts and assume control of any infrastructure in Darwin, but it was still a model that seemed to be being applied on Australia's northern shore. While the leasing of Port of Darwin to Chinese firm Landbridge by the Northern Territory government in 2015 raised national security fears at the time, . "Andrew has said he's aware of the ministerial code of conduct and he'll abide by it," she said. The details of the consultancy have never been disclosed by Mr Ye or Mr Robb. Scott Morrison's Role In Selling Darwin Port To China Christopher Pyne and the revolving door of MPs turned lobbyists Ms McKenzie was chief of staff to Andrew Robb when he was the Liberal government's trade, investment and tourism minister. At the time the new owner, billionaire Ye Cheng, claimed the Darwin port deal was our involvement in One Belt, One Road. 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. Liberal Andrew Robb takes $880k China job as soon as he finishes in This is what you need to know, Canberra grassland earless dragon headed for extinction as ACT government updates list of threatened species, Buses, ferries proposed as Hobart stadium transport fix, Live: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo remembered for 'wicked sense of humour'. Chinese-owned company Landbridge has a 99-year lease over the Darwin Port. Mr Ye's interest in the winery is via his brother, Gang Ye. Darwins port is under Chinese control, while thousands of US marines are based in the city, as part of the US Pacific pivot seen by many as an effort to contain Chinas influence in the region. Dr Garrick said it was interesting to observe China's recent engagement in poor Pacific Island nations over the past few years, where the Asian economic superpower has developed a type of "blueprint" for strategic positioning. [10], Robb is a republican;[11] he is against abortion except where the health and state of the mother are in serious threat.[12]. Andrew Robb, federal minister for trade and investment said . Pay so everyone can. The most drastic would involve the government forcing Landbridge, owned by . Late last year, the ForeignInfluence Transparency Scheme became active with the launch of a public register for people who seek to influence the Australian political process on behalf of foreign interests. But others may have learnt valuable lessons too. Port of Darwin lease: don't hold your breath! - MORNING MAIL Charles Darwin University academic John Garrick has been researching China's international strategic actions, and said the Commonwealth Government doesn't really have a leg to stand on if they want to take the lease of the port back now. Our focus is investigations into big business, particularly multinational tax avoidance, banking and the energy sector. The operator of Darwin Port is struggling to pay down debt and is reliant on a letter of support from its Chinese owner. Every contribution, however big or small, keeps the lights on for this cowboy operation. Andrew John Robb AO (born 20 August 1951) is an Australian former politician. "We love yuz all!" Mr Ye is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015 . 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. Just as they have many other of Australias pushbacks against China. . 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. In cases like Sri Lanka, China offered loans to build infrastructure. Darwin already has no less than six sister city arrangements, including with the Chinese city of Haikou. The $506 million the Northern Territory Government was paid for a 99-year lease of the Darwin Port by Chinese company Landbridge is long gone, but Australians' feelings of unease remain. Glenn Campbell. 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. Port in a storm: the Darwin lease made sense only a few years ago. "We've got an authoritarian government in a foreign country attempting to influence the Australian political debate, not just by improper means but in an improper fashion. The company knows how to cultivate political connections. Many Curious Darwin readers asked how Mr Robb was involved in the port deal. Yes, in breaking through we have got a little bloodied, but our efforts were not in vain, and they must not be in vain. Good sources are critical to good journalism. Mr Robb is one of several senior former Australian politicians who have been hired by or who hold roles funded by businesses or businessmen closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party. Redirecting funding to pet hobbies; offering jobs to the boys without a proper tender process; secretly bankrolling candidates in elections; taking up private sector jobs in apparent breach of parliaments code of ethics, the list goes on. Nobody in the emerging liberal trading bloc is going to be upset by it. "In short, we just don't know what might happen over the next 30 years, let alone the next 96, and the port has already been handed away," Mr James said. Now not so much. The Turnbull Government has declined to say when it became aware of the appointment. 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.". All above board, maybe, but does it really pass the pub test? Though privately owned, like many Chinese companies it has strong ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. To connect a sign in method the email must match the one on your Crikey account. 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. Contact us on: support@crikey.com.au or call the hotline: +61 (03) 8623 9900. Quite the reverse. Andrew Robb says said "Canberra had every right to reassess the port lease in light of changing strategic circumstances. Mr Robb's job with Landbridge commenced on July 1, 2016, according to a Four Corners Fairfax Media 2017 joint investigation. He described the situation as "reviewable," suggesting he may beginworking for the company again in future. "There's not enough evidence for them to do that, other than the sense that this is a dumb move, and why would you do this when the money is already gone and 96 years on the lease to go?" Mr Carr recently announced he was stepping down as director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, which was founded by controversial billionaire political donor Huang Xiangmo. "We're the victim here, it's about time Andrew Robb and other Chinese apologists stop victim-blaming.". 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)". 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. [5], Robb resigned in 1997 (he was replaced by Lynton Crosby) and became a business consultant based in Sydney. And I mean, know that you mention it, you can kind of see why we arent that keen on a Federal ICAC, he laughed. Darwin Port owner Landbridge seeks $500m loan from China Former Trade Minister Andrew Robb joins Landbridge Group It would leave our ability to operate in doubt. 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. Cash Because it's for sale! Mr Ye publicly announced on September 2 last year that Mr Robb had been appointed as a "high-level economic consultant". A companydocument revealed that Mr Robbs consulting contract was so vague and ill-defined he would be paid even if he did nothing. Many of these grants were disproportionally awarded to marginal seats, with limited oversight and even less accountability. (Supplied: . But the deal put Darwin directly in the crossfire between US and Chinese interests. Mr Robb said he was not doing business in Australia so could not be captured by the new scheme. In relation to the Ministerial Standards, Scott Ryan, the Minister Assisting the Cabinet Secretary, reiterated the rules for former frontbenchers. Now not so much. We are guided by a deceptively simple, old idea: tell the truth and shame the devil. Following a front-bench re-shuffle in March 2010, Robb was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction, a post previously held by Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce, and chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee. 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. 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. 2021 The Betoota Advocate | Site by Twisted Pear Concepts |, Support independent rural journalism, support Betoota, Everyday Bloke Sledges Rivals By Referencing 1962 Psychological Thriller Starring Frank Sinatra, Ageing Millennial Still Holding Hope For The Skins Style House Party She Didnt Get In High School, WA Acting Like Nobodys Seen A Swan Before, Medical Student Makes It Through Entire Conversation Without Explaining How Long Shes Gonna Be At Uni Haha, Vocal Anti-Plastic Campaigner Probably Gonna Stick To The Bottled Water In Bali, South Australia Makes Tourism Play To Bring 2028 Solar Eclipse To Adelaide, Scientists Reveal First Images Of New Omicron Sub-Variant, Tasmanian Family Living In Caravan Stoked Government Is Dropping Hundreds Of Millions On A Stadium, Plus One On Wedding Table Full Of People She Doesnt Know Really Ploughing Through The Wines, Bondi Rental Agency Under Fire For Asking Applicants To Upload Photographic Evidence Of Their Clear Skin, Precocious Little Shit Reckons This Isnt Real Carbonara, Wests Tigers Are Going To Win The 2023 NRL Grand Final.