❓ Mrs. Harvey questions the Premier about the extent and timing of ASIO's advice regarding the Huawei Metronet contract, accusing him of misleading the house. The Premier defends the government's actions, citing multiple sources of advice.
AnsweredQoN 64Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS —
HUAWEI
64. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
statement in the house last week regarding the Huawei Metronet contract, and I quote
—
There was a proper tender process and
ASIO advice � and no concerns were expressed.
I also refer to today's
article by the hardworking Fairfax journalist Nathan Hondros.
(1) Can the
Premier confirm the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation expressed no
concerns because it did not actually provide any direct advice to him or his
government other than a general security briefing early in the procurement process, and well before Huawei was awarded the
$206 million Metronet project?
(2) Will the
Premier explain why he continues to mislead the house over the nature of the
project, ASIO's advice and when he became aware of the issues regarding
the Huawei contract?
HUAWEI
64. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
statement in the house last week regarding the Huawei Metronet contract, and I quote
—
There was a proper tender process and
ASIO advice � and no concerns were expressed.
I also refer to today's
article by the hardworking Fairfax journalist Nathan Hondros.
(1) Can the
Premier confirm the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation expressed no
concerns because it did not actually provide any direct advice to him or his
government other than a general security briefing early in the procurement process, and well before Huawei was awarded the
$206 million Metronet project?
(2) Will the
Premier explain why he continues to mislead the house over the nature of the
project, ASIO's advice and when he became aware of the issues regarding
the Huawei contract?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
advice that the journalist received from ASIO was as follows. There were three
points, not one; only one point appeared in his story. The three points were
these. Firstly, ASIO provides briefings on a range of intelligence matters to
the Prime Minister and other ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, state
government representatives, and officials. Secondly, in this instance ASIO
provided a general security briefing early in the procurement process to the WA
government. Thirdly, ASIO has also provided advice to government via the
Critical Infrastructure Centre in the Department of Home Affairs. As is
longstanding practice, ASIO will not comment further on the advice provided to
government. In other words, the advice the journalist received indicated that
there were a range of sources of advice to government and a range of occasions
on which government received that advice. There was written advice to
government, there was verbal advice to government, and there was also the
advice to the Public Transport Authority.
advice that the journalist received from ASIO was as follows. There were three
points, not one; only one point appeared in his story. The three points were
these. Firstly, ASIO provides briefings on a range of intelligence matters to
the Prime Minister and other ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, state
government representatives, and officials. Secondly, in this instance ASIO
provided a general security briefing early in the procurement process to the WA
government. Thirdly, ASIO has also provided advice to government via the
Critical Infrastructure Centre in the Department of Home Affairs. As is
longstanding practice, ASIO will not comment further on the advice provided to
government. In other words, the advice the journalist received indicated that
there were a range of sources of advice to government and a range of occasions
on which government received that advice. There was written advice to
government, there was verbal advice to government, and there was also the
advice to the Public Transport Authority.
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