❓ Mr. Healy questions the Premier about the use of Huawei technology within the WA government. The Premier responds by revealing past use by several ministers from the previous Liberal-National government, highlighting the hypocrisy of the opposition's concerns.
AnsweredQoN 914Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS —
HUAWEI
914. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Premier:
I would first like to acknowledge
the fine students of Bletchley Park Primary School from my electorate who are
here today.
I refer to the commitment the
Premier made to this house yesterday to provide an update on the use of Huawei
technology within government. Can the Premier now advise the house whether he
is aware of any instances of Huawei technology being used by government and, in
particular, any ministers; and, if so, who were they and what technology did
they use?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
HUAWEI
914. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Premier:
I would first like to acknowledge
the fine students of Bletchley Park Primary School from my electorate who are
here today.
I refer to the commitment the
Premier made to this house yesterday to provide an update on the use of Huawei
technology within government. Can the Premier now advise the house whether he
is aware of any instances of Huawei technology being used by government and, in
particular, any ministers; and, if so, who were they and what technology did
they use?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
AnswerView source ↗
I did make a commitment yesterday to
examine this issue in light of the fact that the Leader of the Opposition
claimed that Rockingham train station, at which the government is not
establishing wi-fi, is somehow going to ensure that HMAS Stirling , about
10 kilometres away, will suddenly be compromised because that wi-fi, which we
are not putting in, will somehow transmit information to Beijing. That was the
argument by the Leader of the Opposition. I thought about that argument
overnight. I did indicate in my answer that we would have a look at who had used
Huawei technology in government. We have had a look.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Was there a national
security warning then?
Mr M. McGOWAN : No, no; the
member will be interested.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr M. McGOWAN : You will be interested, Mr Speaker.
Which ministers have used Huawei phones? Let me start. Mr Paul Miles used a Huawei
smartphone for government calls and emails, using a government-provided SIM
card, although I suspect that if the Chinese government was listening, it would
not have got much sense out of what Mr Miles was saying. There is more.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, you are on three.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There is more.
Mr Joe Francis used a Huawei smartphone for government calls and emails, using
a government-provided SIM. He was the Minister for Emergency Services; Veterans—and
a submariner to boot! Who knows what Joe was up to! Mr Barry House used a —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I am
getting interrupted; there is a little bit of sensitivity over there. Mr Barry House,
the President of the Legislative Council, for whom the member for Vasse worked,
used a Huawei wireless modem for government business. What was the member for
Vasse doing while this was happening? Was she some sort of agent? I will have
to refer her to ASIO! It then turns out that in July 2014, Mr Dean Nalder, the
then Minister for Finance, met with the CEO of Huawei Australia to discuss
strategic opportunities for the state government with Huawei. Mr Speaker! Oh my
goodness! We have a nest of spies on the other side! But hold on; there is
more. Members will love it. In April 2010, the previous Liberal–National
government signed a whole-of-government telecommunications contract. Through
this whole-of-government contract, Huawei mobile handsets and wireless modems
were made available through Telstra, Vodafone and Optus to government. Oh my goodness! Maybe before people come and throw
stones, they should check whether they are in a glass house.
examine this issue in light of the fact that the Leader of the Opposition
claimed that Rockingham train station, at which the government is not
establishing wi-fi, is somehow going to ensure that HMAS Stirling , about
10 kilometres away, will suddenly be compromised because that wi-fi, which we
are not putting in, will somehow transmit information to Beijing. That was the
argument by the Leader of the Opposition. I thought about that argument
overnight. I did indicate in my answer that we would have a look at who had used
Huawei technology in government. We have had a look.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : Was there a national
security warning then?
Mr M. McGOWAN : No, no; the
member will be interested.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr M. McGOWAN : You will be interested, Mr Speaker.
Which ministers have used Huawei phones? Let me start. Mr Paul Miles used a Huawei
smartphone for government calls and emails, using a government-provided SIM
card, although I suspect that if the Chinese government was listening, it would
not have got much sense out of what Mr Miles was saying. There is more.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, you are on three.
Mr M. McGOWAN : There is more.
Mr Joe Francis used a Huawei smartphone for government calls and emails, using
a government-provided SIM. He was the Minister for Emergency Services; Veterans—and
a submariner to boot! Who knows what Joe was up to! Mr Barry House used a —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, I am
getting interrupted; there is a little bit of sensitivity over there. Mr Barry House,
the President of the Legislative Council, for whom the member for Vasse worked,
used a Huawei wireless modem for government business. What was the member for
Vasse doing while this was happening? Was she some sort of agent? I will have
to refer her to ASIO! It then turns out that in July 2014, Mr Dean Nalder, the
then Minister for Finance, met with the CEO of Huawei Australia to discuss
strategic opportunities for the state government with Huawei. Mr Speaker! Oh my
goodness! We have a nest of spies on the other side! But hold on; there is
more. Members will love it. In April 2010, the previous Liberal–National
government signed a whole-of-government telecommunications contract. Through
this whole-of-government contract, Huawei mobile handsets and wireless modems
were made available through Telstra, Vodafone and Optus to government. Oh my goodness! Maybe before people come and throw
stones, they should check whether they are in a glass house.
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