quietly ceased his controversial consultancy with Landbridge. Landbridge signed . In this role Mr Robb negotiated Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Japan and China, as well as the 12 country Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore. The Landbridge Group was awarded a 99-year lease over the Port of Darwin last year in a $506 million deal with the Northern Territory Government that sparked concerns at the highest levels of the Australian Defence Force. Andrew Robb says said "Canberra had every right to reassess the port lease in light of changing strategic circumstances. "We had our deputy prime minister last year stand up in front of a Channel 9 TV camera and say, 'I want all Australians to know that ISIS is not our security threat, China is our security threat'; this is irresponsible," Mr Robb said. "I was approached two months after I finished in parliament and certainly about four or five months after I'd finished in cabinet and the [Landbridge] chairman said to me, 'would you consider coming and doing some work for me?' Democracy under siege from the rising forces of plutocracy. Mr James said Mr Robb's comments seemed to be made to advance the position of the Chinese business interests he served. The federal government is considering scrapping a 99-year lease of Darwins port to a Chinese company, the latest point of tension in an increasingly chilly relationship between Canberra and Beijing. Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng, former prime minister Tony Abbott and then trade minister Andrew Robb at the signing of the China-Australia free trade agreement in June 2015. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen. Senior Lecturer, Business Law, Charles Darwin University. "Working for Landbridge Group was a wonderful and pleasing thing, and that he wanted to jointly write a wonderful new chapter together with Landbridge," the statement added. The irony is that while at a political level our relationship is facing some difficulties, at a commercial level our relationship has never been better. We have always worked closely with our contacts and jealously guard their identities. The was not without its controversy - even before Australia-China relations soured, as Andrew Robb, a former minister for trade, took an $880,000 consultancy position with the Chinese group immediately following his exit from politics in 2016. The bid for the port was examined and approved by the Foreign Investments Review Board, the Defence Department and ASIO. It ended with the city being decimated 77 short years ago. The Chinese company that upset the defence establishment by buying the Port of Darwin is looking for oil and gas acquisitions in Northern Australia to boost trade through the commercial port. Robb argued that a formal citizenship test would be a clear incentive for aspiring citizens to have basic English language skills and understanding of their community. Despite pleas by non-political heads of our spy organisations, the government is today insisting on carrying on like they give a fuck about our national security. Mr Katter's opposition to the Port of Darwin sale - "It involves the use of soft-power networks, influence over politicians on all sorts of levels, from local levels right up to the top.". The former trade minister Andrew Robb has been appointed a high-level economic consultant with the Chinese company that operates Darwin port. The operator of Darwin Port is struggling to pay down debt and is reliant on a letter of support from its Chinese owner. Then US president Barack Obama expressed concern about the lack of consultation. Though privately owned, like many Chinese companies it has strong ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Dont pay so you can read it. In March, Mr Robb and Mr Ye travelled together to Sydney from China, where both attended a business and trade forum hosted by the Australian government, as part of Premier Li Keqiang's visit. Additionally, he conducted 85 investment roundtables with 28 countries. Enter your email address and Crikey will send a Verification Code. He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative . The arrangement, uncovered by a Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation, involves monthly payments of $73,000 (including GST) to Mr Robb starting on July 1, 2016. [14], Robb is a board member of the Kidman cattle enterprise and the Network Ten television station. Mr Robb has confirmed that he has left Landbridge for the time being because, "at this stage, Landbridge has no other projects relevant for me to assist". Chinese President Xi Jinping and then prime minister Tony Abbott witness the signing of the declaration of intent on the Australia/China Free Trade Agreement at Parliament House in Canberra. [5], Robb resigned in 1997 (he was replaced by Lynton Crosby) and became a business consultant based in Sydney. [4] He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative Committee, an advisory body that President Xi Jinping has directed to "uphold the CPC [Chinese Communist Party] leadership without wavering". Nobody in the emerging liberal trading bloc is going to be upset by it. And all of it is being done under the guise of economic development at a time of economic turbulence for those countries, Dr Garrick said, which sounds familiar to Darwin, where the NT Government is currently going through a fiscal crisis and severe economic downturn. But theres an election coming up and weve dropped the ball on some many issues because weve played politics instead of just doing our jobs, so we need to pretend that well be speaking Mandarin in 12 months if people dont vote for us.. But the deal put Darwin directly in the crossfire between US and Chinese interests. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop defended Mr Robb's decision, telling the ABC he should be allowed to have a post-Parliament career. Australia was the first Western country to break through the metaphorical Great Wall of China in terms of free trade, creating a trading environment no Western G20 economy has ever enjoyed. Port Darwin - Wikipedia . The combined filings show Landbridge borrowed at least $870 million in the months leading up to its Darwin Port acquisition from the high yield market and local bond market. Mr Ye publicly announced on September 2 last year that Mr Robb had been appointed as a "high-level economic consultant". Mr Robb, the architect of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, began consulting to Ye Cheng the day before the July 2 federal election in 2016, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Copyright 2023 Private Media Pty Ltd. Publishers of Crikey. A Landbridge Group company statement obtained by the ABC said Mr Robb was appointed to the role by chairman Ye Cheng at an "auspicious" ceremony two months ago. Liberal Andrew Robb took $880k China job as soon as he left Parliament From left, now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Landbridge chief Ye Cheng and then trade minister Andrew Robb at a northern development conference in 2015. revealed his fee, and that he had joined the company straight after quitting parliament, has been blocked from entering Australia and has had his permanent residency cancelled, continues to advocate for Australia to back the policy. For some, it's the exercise of debt and debt collection.". In relation to the Ministerial Standards, Scott Ryan, the Minister Assisting the Cabinet Secretary, reiterated the rules for former frontbenchers. Andrew Robb takes role with Chinese company that operates Darwin port Chinese sell-out Andrew Robb land banks his millions David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacifics leading geo-politics and economics portal. Darwin is now on the front line in managing tensions between Australias most important strategic ally and partner and its major trading partner. Then trade minister Andrew Robb is congratulated after he concluded the second reading debate on the China - Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2015. controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. If the deal falls over, the government will need to seek new equity partners. [23], As of 2020, Robb serves as a director on the board of Mind Medicine Australia,[24] a not-for-profit organisation which promotes the introduction of psychedelic treatments for mental illnesses. While the centre of US-Chinese tensions is the South China Sea where China has militarised reefs in disputed waters Darwin is important because it is the southern flank of US operations in the Pacific. Robb then left politics and took up a lucrative 'consultancy' gig with Landbridge less than 12 months later, making who knows how much from helping actual jeopardise our national security. Two years after clinching a historic free trade deal with Beijing, former trade minister Andrew Robb has become a "high-level economic consultant" with the Chinese company that now operates Darwin Port. "We can't afford to be afraid of China, in the sense that when we need to speak up about issues that concern us, we have to be able to do that; otherwise if we run scared, we've already half lost.". Fake news. A Chinese company that owns a 99-year lease on Darwin port has warned that its treatment at the hands of the Australian government risks scaring away investors from other countries. Landbridge head Ye Cheng, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then trade envoy Andrew Robb in Beijing in April 2016. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); With access to over 4 million readers per month, and often more, we provide opportunities to add value to different brands across the country who are interested. Nine years of serving you has come to an end! I remember when liberals sold off the Port of Darwin to China just so minister Andrew Robb, who authorised the sell off, could get a post politics grift. Former trade minister Liberal MP Andrew Robb accepted an $880,000-a-year salary with Chinese billionaire Ye Chengs Landbridge Group immediately after quitting parliament. 'A seriously dumb idea': Why did the NT lease Darwin's port to China? Chinese President Xi Jinping and then prime minister Tony Abbott witness the signing of the declaration of intent on the Australia/China Free Trade Agreement at Parliament House in Canberra.Credit: Kym Smith, Mr Robb did not answer specific questions about his dealings with Landbridge, but said in a statement: "I can confirm that I fully understand my responsibilities as a former member of cabinet, and I can also confirm that I have, at all times, acted in accordance with those responsibilities.". The ethics code for departing ministers bans them for a period of 18 months from lobbying or advocating to the government or public service on any matters they previously dealt with as a minister. There has been some tweaking of rules about political parties accepting foreign donations. "Just before Landbridge had an opportunity to formally present my report to Chinese authorities, they were advised not to bother because the relationship between the Australian and Chinese governments 'had become so toxic' that the report would be binned.". But it will not share any profit that Landbridge may eventually make. As the federal trade minister, Mr Robb did publicly support the Darwin Port deal, calling it a "powerful sign" of a commercial partnership between China and Australia through a free trade agreement he had helped establish. Ye Cheng, of Landbridge, and then trade minister Andrew Robb in 2015. Credit: Glenn Campbell. In April 2016, less than three months before his consultancy agreement began, Mr Robb visited China with an Australian delegation in his capacity as Australia's trade envoy. The Port of Darwin lease made sense a few years ago. No longer - Crikey The Defence Department and ASIO have vetted and cleared Landbridge's acquisition of the port. Former trade and investment minister Andrew Robb has taken up an advisory position with the Chinese company behind the controversial 99-year lease of the Darwin port, raising concerns about . Landbridge confirmed Mr Robbs departure. Landbridge Australia, a subsidiary of Shandong Landbridge, won the 99-year lease with its bid of A$506 million in November 2015. The Landbridge group had been granted a 99-year lease on Port Darwin in 2015 during Robb's time as trade minister. Ultimately, he said the move was all about soft power and influence. Robb was also a board member of community organisations including the Garvan Medical Research Foundation and the 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' organisation. "That's what made it worse, a local government in the NT made such a silly decision that risked the freedom and strategic security of Australians over the next hundred years or when China democratises.". (Supplied: . Mr Ye frames much of his business activity, including the acquisition of the Port of Darwin lease, in terms of advancing Beijing's ambitious global trade and infrastructure project "One Belt, One Road". Mr Robb is currently Chairman of The Robb Group (wealth management, corporate and investment advisory company), the AgriFood Data Exchange, CDMA and CLARA Energy; a Board Member of the Kidman cattle enterprise, Mind Medicine Australia, and strategic advisor to Seafarms Ltd as well as a range of national and international businesses. Opportunities exist across website, brand awareness, podcasts, social media content, and video campaigns. "It's probably too late to do anything. Robb, one of nine children, was born to Frank and Marie Robb, on a dairy farm in Epping which lies 18 kilometres (11mi) north of Melbourne. "He has no credibility now, he left Parliament and went to work for Chinese interests," he said. Mr Robb, who quit as a minister in Malcolm Turnbull's government before the last election, previously denied working on behalf of Beijing, and defended his contract with Landbridge, saying he was not doing business in Australia, so could not be captured by the new scheme. Robb announced his retirement from politics on 10 February 2016. Andrew Robb did not breach code of conduct by taking $880k - ABC Andrew Robb The new register is designed to ensure that, if a person is advocating on behalf of a foreign power, it is declared. Chinas strategy is very long-term. While the federal government now seeks to shore up its interests in the Pacific with cash for infrastructure, similar commitments to investing in local infrastructure are essential.