❓ Debate over potential foreign investment in a port, specifically concerning links to foreign military forces and the role of the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
AnsweredQoN 152Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD — ASSET
SALES
152. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. The
Treasurer said, ''we are not going to waste people's time''
— that is the quote just now. Is the connection to a foreign military
force going to be a negative consideration in the sale of the port?
SALES
152. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. The
Treasurer said, ''we are not going to waste people's time''
— that is the quote just now. Is the connection to a foreign military
force going to be a negative consideration in the sale of the port?
AnswerView source ↗
It is not for me to call. It is the
Foreign Investment Review Board and the commonwealth Treasurer's call
on which foreign investors invest here. They would probably say no, but I am
not going to be pre-emptive, and I do not know what the member means by
connections to foreign investors. For instance, what would happen if Austal Ltd
submitted a bid? It is a major contractor to the US Navy. Would we prevent
that? Is that what the member is saying?
Mr
W.J. Johnston : That is not what I asked.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No, you did. You said a foreign company with close contacts
with foreign military forces. That is Austal ships. It is an Australian
company, and its largest contract is with the US Navy. Would I ban it? Again,
with Austal ships —
Point of Order
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Clearly, the
Treasurer was not listening to my question. I did not ask about Australian
companies with links to foreign military forces; I asked about foreign
companies with links to foreign military forces. If the Treasurer could please
perhaps address the question.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. I think
you have just about answered, Treasurer.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I am surprised that the member does not know about our defence
industries. Austal ships is building United States ships in Mississippi, in a joint
venture. The joint venture is registered in the US.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I am not going into who has done company
searches on which companies. Let the Treasurer answer.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I am not going to go into xenophobic nonsense like this. I am
not going to stop Austal ships from bidding. I am going to leave it up to the
commonwealth Treasurer and the FIRB to protect the interests of the nation. If
they say do not sell, it will not be sold to that party. That is it.
Foreign Investment Review Board and the commonwealth Treasurer's call
on which foreign investors invest here. They would probably say no, but I am
not going to be pre-emptive, and I do not know what the member means by
connections to foreign investors. For instance, what would happen if Austal Ltd
submitted a bid? It is a major contractor to the US Navy. Would we prevent
that? Is that what the member is saying?
Mr
W.J. Johnston : That is not what I asked.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No, you did. You said a foreign company with close contacts
with foreign military forces. That is Austal ships. It is an Australian
company, and its largest contract is with the US Navy. Would I ban it? Again,
with Austal ships —
Point of Order
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Clearly, the
Treasurer was not listening to my question. I did not ask about Australian
companies with links to foreign military forces; I asked about foreign
companies with links to foreign military forces. If the Treasurer could please
perhaps address the question.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. I think
you have just about answered, Treasurer.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I am surprised that the member does not know about our defence
industries. Austal ships is building United States ships in Mississippi, in a joint
venture. The joint venture is registered in the US.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I am not going into who has done company
searches on which companies. Let the Treasurer answer.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I am not going to go into xenophobic nonsense like this. I am
not going to stop Austal ships from bidding. I am going to leave it up to the
commonwealth Treasurer and the FIRB to protect the interests of the nation. If
they say do not sell, it will not be sold to that party. That is it.
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