❓ Question regarding potential national security concerns and cabinet involvement in a government contract with Huawei for an emergency communication system. The Minister deflects, accusing the opposition of past conflicts of interest and improper procurement practices.
AnsweredQoN 575Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS —
HUAWEI
575. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the minister confirm that the network core of the Huawei project will have to
be replaced at additional cost to meet national security concerns regarding the
emergency communication system? Once again, will the minister explain why this
politically sensitive contract was not taken to cabinet?
The SPEAKER : It is a supplementary;
you get only one question. The first part, minister.
HUAWEI
575. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the minister confirm that the network core of the Huawei project will have to
be replaced at additional cost to meet national security concerns regarding the
emergency communication system? Once again, will the minister explain why this
politically sensitive contract was not taken to cabinet?
The SPEAKER : It is a supplementary;
you get only one question. The first part, minister.
AnswerView source ↗
As the Premier outlined last week,
we enter into hundreds of contracts. We do not sit around cabinet —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I remember
when the Leader of the Opposition took the Telstra contract to cabinet when he
had Telstra shares. I remember that. I remember the insurance issue with QBE
when QBE had been awarded a contract and the Leader of the Opposition had QBE
shares. I remember that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I do not know
how the previous government operated—well, we do know that, because it
blew $40 billion—but it sat around cabinet giving contracts to mates.
Is that what members did? They sat around saying, ''Look, in awarding
this contract, I'll give it to somebody else.'' Is that what
they would do? That is what they believe we should be doing. They believe we
should be awarding contracts then changing our decisions just because we know a
bloke. That is not how we do it. That is not how this government does it. We
have a proper procurement process.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
we enter into hundreds of contracts. We do not sit around cabinet —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I remember
when the Leader of the Opposition took the Telstra contract to cabinet when he
had Telstra shares. I remember that. I remember the insurance issue with QBE
when QBE had been awarded a contract and the Leader of the Opposition had QBE
shares. I remember that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I do not know
how the previous government operated—well, we do know that, because it
blew $40 billion—but it sat around cabinet giving contracts to mates.
Is that what members did? They sat around saying, ''Look, in awarding
this contract, I'll give it to somebody else.'' Is that what
they would do? That is what they believe we should be doing. They believe we
should be awarding contracts then changing our decisions just because we know a
bloke. That is not how we do it. That is not how this government does it. We
have a proper procurement process.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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