The Landbridge group had been granted a 99-year lease on Port Darwin in 2015 during Robbs time as trade 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. Fake news. 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. Follow our live coverage. [14], Robb is a board member of the Kidman cattle enterprise and the Network Ten television station. Become a subscriber to get full access to the website, as well as our premium newsletters. 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. "There's a pattern it's like a blueprint. 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. [20][21] Robb's employment with Landbridge Group ended in 2018, which Robb attributed to an atmosphere increasingly critical of the Chinese government. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/andrew-robb-joins-chinese-company-with-control-of-darwin-port/7978648, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Jock Zonfrillo, celebrated chef and judge on MasterChef Australia, dies aged 46, MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo remembered for 'wicked sense of humour', Lauren Cranston jailed for eight years over one of Australia's biggest tax frauds, Tony Abbott mounts attack on Voice after a spat with parliamentary committee, 'They will forever know their dad was a hero': 1,000 mourners farewell slain NSW paramedic, Nurse driving home from shift among victims of triple-fatal crash involving allegedly stolen car, There are 11 First Nations MPs and senators. But the deal put Darwin directly in the crossfire between US and Chinese interests. (Supplied: . [26] Robb disclosed that, since adolescence, he had suffered depression for several hours each day in the morning. It is a far cry from the debt-trap colonialism China stands accused of using to gain leverage over other foreign governments, such as Sri Lanka and Nepal. 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. 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. Robb was also a board member of community organisations including the Garvan Medical Research Foundation and the 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' organisation. Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge after leaving federal parliament. Andrew John Robb AO (born 20 August 1951) is an Australian former politician. Former federal trade minister Andrew Robb took an annual $880,000 job with Landbridge after leaving federal parliament. Cash Because it's for sale! The company statement, translated for the ABC, also quotes board chairman Ye Cheng as saying that in order for Landbridge to achieve its global goals "it will be necessary to draw on experts such as Mr Andrew Robb who have global vision and global influence". In cases like Sri Lanka, China offered loans to build infrastructure. What about Andrew Robb? 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. When those loans come payable and the countries can't cover the debt, China assumes control of those infrastructure assets. Local government officials love signing such deals. As soon as he left politics, Robb was hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per year salary. . "The proposal has been fully recognised and highly affirmed by the Shandong Province Party Committee, the Provincial Government and the Department of Commerce," the Chinese government statement said. Thats open. [7] Robb also focused on dealing with settlement issues for refugees and the challenges of multi-faith relations in Australia. Thank you for your very kind wishes! And 96 years from now is long enough for a lot more to happen. 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. Australia's warm relationship with China has developed frostbite in the five short years since the deal was . [9] He was re-elected at the 2010 election and was appointed Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction and retained his position as chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee. 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. Read more: For all not investors not just Chinese. 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. It is backed by the Communist Party-controlled Rizhao City Government in partnership with Mr Ye. Andrew John Robb AO (born 20 August 1951) is an Australian former politician. Quite the reverse. You can submit your questions on any topic at all, or vote on our next investigation. Mr Ye plans to build a second trade park in Darwin. From left, now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Landbridge chief Ye Cheng and then trade minister Andrew Robb at a northern development conference in 2015. revealed his fee, and that he had joined the company straight after quitting parliament, has been blocked from entering Australia and has had his permanent residency cancelled, continues to advocate for Australia to back the policy. Another Robb entity is facing (in mid 2019) a wind-up motion from the Commissioner of Taxation over unpaid taxes. We are guided by a deceptively simple, old idea: tell the truth and shame the devil. For some, it's the exercise of debt and debt collection.". 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. 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 scheme was largely prompted due to concerns about undeclared Chinese government efforts to influence Australian institutions, but applies to any lobbyist or consultant working for a company or think tank controlled by a foreignnation and involved in influencing the political process. He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative . The upcoming federal election would be the time to have it, he added, but questions from the ABC to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office about the Darwin Port and Chinese influence went unanswered. Not much, according to defence experts and academics, but there's a few outstanding issues of interest with the whole saga. 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 Landbridge Group was awarded a 99-year lease, ADF official raises red flag over Darwin port deal, 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. Billionaire Ye Cheng is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. In some cases the tone hasnt taken account of the sensitivities on the Chinese side, said Robb. Mr Robb's job with Landbridge commenced on July 1, 2016, according to a Four Corners Fairfax Media 2017 joint investigation. A Landbridge Group company statement obtained by the ABC said Mr Robb was appointed to the role by chairman Ye Cheng at an "auspicious" ceremony two months ago. Now, in a climate where national security concerns dominate the China relationship, the deal seems like a strange throwback to a simpler time a time when ministers like Andrew Robb and Josh Frydenberg could pose for photos with CCP-aligned Chinese billionaires, and when the relationship with our biggest trading partner was dominated by economic optimism. Three months later, Mr Robb was on Landbridge's payroll. It may have been pushed by . FORMER trade minister Andrew Robb has become a "high-level economic consultant" with Landbridge, the Chinese company that operates Darwin Port . He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016, representing the Liberal Party. To cancel the lease, you'd have to pay an enormous amount of compensation to the lease holder," he said. "Once the idiotic deal was done, we as a country are effectively over a barrel. The statement also said deputy secretary Liu had met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NT Chief Minister Adam Giles on April 14, 2016, and "proposed the co-operative model of Two Countries, Two Parks". Good sources are critical to good journalism. Opportunities exist across website, brand awareness, podcasts, social media content, and video campaigns. Democracy under siege from the rising forces of plutocracy. 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)". Balancing between powerful friends with competing interests may not prove easy. 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. During that time, she worked on Australia's trade deals with China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, as well as the Trans Pacific Partnership and future free trade agreements with Europe and Indonesia. We recognise that their sovereignty has never been ceded. Then US president Barack Obama expressed concern about the lack of consultation. has employed former trade minister Andrew Robb as a consultant, paying . "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. 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. 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. That was the day before the 2016 federal election, that Mr Robb had stated months earlier he would not be contesting. If the deal falls over, the government will need to seek new equity partners. 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. 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. To connect a sign in method the email must match the one on your Crikey account. "Debate and transparency and honesty about things is not bad. Following the Liberal Party's defeat at the 2007 federal election, Robb put himself forward as a candidate for Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. Howard had to be talked out of dumping Andrew in 1995 from his position as Federal director. The bid for the port was examined and approved by the Foreign Investments Review Board, the Defence Department and ASIO. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/can-darwin-port-99-year-lease-china-be-reversed-andrew-robb-role/10912478, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article. Mr Robb had announced months earlier he would not recontest his seat of Goldstein. Former Australian trade minister Andrew Robb walked straight out of Parliament last year and into an $880,000-a-year job with a billionaire closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party and its key trade policy. It would leave our ability to operate in doubt. 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. Of course it's not our fault. The port's acquisition sparked a major controversy after then US president Barack Obama complained he hadn't been forewarned. Infrastucture Australia advised privatisation. [1] In 2019, Robb left the position, shortly before a new foreign-interference law took effect.[2]. Dr Garrick said Australia needed to get over its fear and be aware of Chinese strategies, suggesting it was necessary to engage in a public debate about China's wielding of power and influence in Australia. As soon as he left politics, Robb was hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per year salary. Former trade minister Andrew Robb AO has told delegates at Red Meat that Asia and, in particular China, is where Australia must focus for future red meat export opportunities. He was succeeded by Steven Ciobo as Minister of Trade and Investment on 18 February 2016. The Port of Darwin's 99-year lease with Chinese company Landbridge has attracted criticism since 2015. Back then it was criticised over national security implications, and drew a rebuke from former US president Barack Obama. In that time Robb also sat on the boards of numerous Australian companies including Australia's largest consulting engineering company, Sinclair Knight Merz. All levels of Australian government have encouraged it. Port Darwin is the port in Darwin, Northern Territory, in northern Australia. Mr Robb said he was not doing business in Australia so could not be captured by the new scheme. Our focus is investigations into big business, particularly multinational tax avoidance, banking and the energy sector. However, ASIO boss Mike Burgess and former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson have both come out to say that there is no foreign interference within the Australian Labor Party, and sensationalist comments from the likes of Dutton and Morrison do more damage than actual foreign interference in our democracy. Follow our live coverage. Former trade minister Andrew Robb, who . In 2003, Robb was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to politics, agriculture and the community.[6]. But the Darwin port deal differs in significant ways to other . If the courts decision does not stand, we will continue to face exposure to imperious government intervention in export markets, without any protection for those who do the right thing. 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. "It is the responsibility of all former ministers to adhere to the Statement of Ministerial Standards and not take personal advantage of information to which they have had access as a minister where that information is not generally available to the public," Senator Ryan said in a statement. In Australia it gave influential Liberal Party figure and former trade minister Andrew Robb an $880,000 job just months after he . Darwin port deal is a nice little earner. Were working to restore it. Soft power goes hard: China's economic interest in the Pacific comes with strings attached. Why did the NT lease Darwin Port to China? 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. The details of the consultancy have never been disclosed by Mr Ye or Mr Robb. Australias foreign investment review processes have been tightened. Chinese influence compromises the integrity of our politics. Robb and Hewson fell out over these events. It ended with the city being decimated 77 short years ago. 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. 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. Peter Dutton says circumstances were different in 2015. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. and back in 2016, when former trade minister Andrew Robb was enjoying his $880,000 a year consulting contract with Landbridge, . 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. 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. Landbridge head Ye Cheng, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then trade envoy Andrew Robb in Beijing in April 2016. 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". "Landbridge's commitment to the growth of the Port of Darwin will be a huge spur to the development of Australia's north, serving as a catalyst for the entry of major investment right across the port's upstream supply chain in agriculture, resources and energy and economic infrastructure," he told the Guardian in late 2015. Australia-China political relations had turned to custard and business ties could follow. And I mean, know that you mention it, you can kind of see why we arent that keen on a Federal ICAC, he laughed. Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine, Minister for Vocational and Further Education, hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per year salary, Learn how and when to remove this template message, JapanAustralia Economic Partnership Agreement, "Liberal Andrew Robb takes $880k China job as soon as he finishes in parliament", "Andrew Robb quits China-linked form before foreign interference law kicks in", "With memories of '93, the opposition readies the troops never to lose an unlosable election again", "ROBB: Andrew: Officer of the Order of Australia", "Liberals quietly go monarchist under Abbott", "Tony Abbott's cabinet and outer ministry", "Andrew Robb's secret China contract: money for nothing", "Andrew Robb unleashes over being targeted in foreign probe", "Robb joins Chinese company with control of Darwin Port", "Coalition defends Andrew Robb after revelation he started job while an MP", "ASIO warned politicians about taking cash from Huang Xiangmo, Chau Chak Wing", "China's 'invisible billionaire' the Port of Darwin's new owner", "Robb says work on a project in China was 'put in the bin' over toxic relations", "Investors keep The Boathouse Group afloat", "Coronavirus pandemic could trigger a spike in mental illness this organisation thinks psychedelic drugs will help", "Interview with Neil Mitchell, 3AW 693am: Andrew Robb MP - Federal Member for Goldstein", Andrew Robb profile on TheyVoteForYou.Org.Au, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_Robb&oldid=1151969229, Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia, Members of the Australian House of Representatives, Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Goldstein, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, BLP articles lacking sources from August 2007, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 10:13. 2:30pm, Apr 27 . Hearing senior Treasury staff describe the Northern Territory's budget as being in "dire straits" is the bureaucratic equivalent to saying, "we're stuffed". Mr Robb continues to advocate for Australia to back the policy although has previously insisted this is unconnected to his Landbridge consultancy. He added that former minister Andrew Robb also took on a lucrative consulting job with . Landbridge Australia, a subsidiary of Shandong Landbridge, won the 99-year lease with its bid of A$506 million in November 2015. temporary vendor permit, hand surgeon st vincent's private melbourne,
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