❓ Dr. Nahan questions the Premier about awarding a contract to Huawei, alleging intentional avoidance of cabinet processes and raising national security concerns. The Premier defends the decision, citing advice from the Department of Home Affairs and highlighting Huawei's widespread use in Australia.
AnsweredQoN 506Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT
CONTRACTS — HUAWEI
506. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Premier confirm that he intentionally avoided essential cabinet processes
in awarding this contract to avoid accountability for the decision, which has
significant national security issues for Australia?
CONTRACTS — HUAWEI
506. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Can
the Premier confirm that he intentionally avoided essential cabinet processes
in awarding this contract to avoid accountability for the decision, which has
significant national security issues for Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I just explained all of that to the
Leader of the Opposition. We got advice from the Department of Home Affairs. A senior
officer from that department gave us advice.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We got written
advice on these matters that indicated that there was nothing there. Just so
the Leader of the Opposition understands, I am no defender of Huawei. I barely
know the company, but I understand that it provides all sorts of services
across Australia, including a range of infrastructure for Optus and Vodafone
and services for Sydney trains and a range of universities and major companies around
Australia. New South Wales Ambulance relies upon it to provide communications
technology. Does the Leader of the Opposition seriously think that there is a major
security issue with the PTA headquarters talking to train drivers on the rail
network in Western Australia? Does he seriously think that that is a major
security issue and that somehow people in China are going to be sitting there
listening to the discussions between the driver on the Joondalup line and the
controller in the headquarters of the Public Transport Authority in Perth? Is
that his issue—that that is a security issue? We sought advice on three
separate occasions about this and that advice was provided to us by the federal
government. What is more, the company has an Australian partner, UGL Pty Ltd. I
can hear members opposite whispering over there, as they do when they think
they are onto something. If the PTA had not issued the tender to the successful
tenderer based upon rumour and innuendo when it received advice from the
commonwealth security agencies that it was okay, that would have been
inappropriate and the Leader of the Opposition would have complained about that
decision in here.
Leader of the Opposition. We got advice from the Department of Home Affairs. A senior
officer from that department gave us advice.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We got written
advice on these matters that indicated that there was nothing there. Just so
the Leader of the Opposition understands, I am no defender of Huawei. I barely
know the company, but I understand that it provides all sorts of services
across Australia, including a range of infrastructure for Optus and Vodafone
and services for Sydney trains and a range of universities and major companies around
Australia. New South Wales Ambulance relies upon it to provide communications
technology. Does the Leader of the Opposition seriously think that there is a major
security issue with the PTA headquarters talking to train drivers on the rail
network in Western Australia? Does he seriously think that that is a major
security issue and that somehow people in China are going to be sitting there
listening to the discussions between the driver on the Joondalup line and the
controller in the headquarters of the Public Transport Authority in Perth? Is
that his issue—that that is a security issue? We sought advice on three
separate occasions about this and that advice was provided to us by the federal
government. What is more, the company has an Australian partner, UGL Pty Ltd. I
can hear members opposite whispering over there, as they do when they think
they are onto something. If the PTA had not issued the tender to the successful
tenderer based upon rumour and innuendo when it received advice from the
commonwealth security agencies that it was okay, that would have been
inappropriate and the Leader of the Opposition would have complained about that
decision in here.
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