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ABC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Darwin's Chinese community calls for Labor, the Coalition to reconsider port lease plans
Members of Darwin's Chinese community are calling for the Australian government and opposition to reconsider their election promises to take back a Chinese firm's lease of the Darwin Port. The Northern Territory government leased the port to Chinese-owned company Landbridge for 99 years in 2015, but since then, the foreign ownership of the strategic asset has been the subject of Stay updated: Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on Landbridge is During this year's federal election campaign, Labor and the Coalition Shu Qin Li says members of Darwin's Chinese community are "disappointed" and "sad" about the major parties' plans to strip the port lease from Landbridge. ( ABC News: Tristan Hooft ) The Northern Territory president of the Australia-China Friendship Society, Shu Qin Li, a long-term resident of the NT, said she believed that move would do economic damage to investor confidence and the territory's economy. She said the pledges had come without any evident national security risk, and urged both parties to reconsider. Photo shows A truck drives out of the entrance of the Darwin Port on a sunny day. Darwin Port's lease to a Chinese-owned company has outlasted successive prime ministers. So why are the major parties talking about cancelling it now? "I think it's too political," she said. "[The NT] should try to focus and look after our own interests … I mean Darwin, we don't have any major projects, for many years. "Darwin Port is probably the one that's still alive … what else do we have? " For people living in the community here forever, like us, we do care, and we feel very disappointed, and very sad. " Ms Li said community groups such as the Australia-China Friendship Society would lose out on annual event funding from Landbridge if the company lost the port lease. She also said her views were widely held within Darwin's generations-old Chinese community. Members of Darwin's Chinese community say Landbridge supports cultural events in the city. ( Supplied: Chung Wah Society ) The ABC spoke to others in the NT's Chinese community, who asked not to be named for this article. One community member dubbed the federal promises as tapping into "old paranoia", while another said "all international investors should be treated the same and given a fair go". They questioned why the major parties had only made the promises during a federal election campaign, and without any apparent change to national security advice regarding Landbridge's lease. Landbridge has a 99-year lease of the Darwin Port. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) Defence expert says 'partisan politics' at play Multiple federal reviews have been undertaken on the Landbridge lease since it was awarded, without any announced risks to national security. Darwin-based defence expert Victor Abramowicz said it was "hard to see [the election pledges] as anything aside from partisan politicking on both sides". "The sale was made in 2015, governments of both stripes have been in power over the past decade, [and] none of them have moved to get rid of Chinese ownership of the port," Dr Abramowicz said. Victor Abramowicz says national security advice regarding Darwin Port has not changed. ( ABC News: Michael Donnelly ) "In fact, even the most recent government review in 2023, about 18 months ago, said "It's just very hard to believe anything has changed. "It's really just a bit of a delicate political environment." Read more about the federal election: Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 Dr Abramowicz said if the port lease had to be compulsorily acquired from Landbridge by the Commonwealth, it would likely be a huge sting to Australian taxpayers. "That'll be coming straight from the taxpayer's hip pocket, and for no apparent good national security reason," he said. Both Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese have pledged to bring the Darwin Port back "into Australian hands" this election campaign. ( Supplied ) Ms Li said she believed any move to strip the lease from Landbridge would jeopardise future private investment in the NT, which is already facing Photo shows ABC News Radio logo and the ABC Listen logo below it on a light blue background. Hear the latest election news as it happens on the Election Central Playlist. Only on the ABC listen app. "That will make it worse," she said. "Not only the business itself, but also the investor confidence. "It doesn't paint a very good picture." Dr Abramowicz said taking the lease back would likely make major foreign investors baulk at doing business on Australian shores. "It would seem to raise questions in terms of how safe Australia is as an investment destination, even if you are a company that comes in, pays a good price and does a good job," he said. Labor and the Coalition declined to comment. Loading Having trouble seeing this form? Try
ABC News
24-04-2025
- ABC News
Lawsuit claims teens forced to 'fight' for guards' 'entertainment' at Darwin's Don Dale detention centre
A former youth detainee who claims he was forced to "fight other children" for the guards' "entertainment" and spend hours cutting grass with scissors is suing the Northern Territory government for negligence, assault and false imprisonment. In a statement of claim filed with the NT Supreme Court, the man — who cannot be named for legal reasons — said he was detained at The man, now aged in his 30s, alleges he was repeatedly assaulted by guards while in custody, including having his head "slammed" against a door and his arms pushed behind his back "causing both shoulders to dislocate". "The plaintiff was required to perform gardening duties in the grounds of Don Dale … on more than five occasions the plaintiff was directed by [two guards] to use scissors to cut the grass by hand," the court documents read. The man claims he was made to cut the grass at the notorious facility using a pair of scissors as a form of "punishment". ( ABC News: Tristan Hooft ) "The plaintiff believes that the direction to cut grass with scissors may have been a punishment. "It is alleged that this constitutes physical abuse as the action was intended to inflict discomfort on the plaintiff." 'Racial vilification' The man also claims he was disrespected "on various occasions" by another guard who told him that "he was a worthless human, had no life, should be killed and that he will be in prison for 15 years". "On about five occasions in or about 2010 or 2011 youth workers told the plaintiff he should fight other children for their entertainment," the statement of claim reads. "On a further three to five occasions, when the plaintiff stated he could not go to school after receiving treatment for rheumatic fever, youth workers said they did not believe him and placed the plaintiff in the BMU [behavioural management unit] cells from 9am to 3.30pm without lawful authority." The NT government's defence says the former detainee was "using foul language towards staff", "back chatting" and "play fighting". ( ABC News: Tiffany Parker ) The man claims the guards' actions "constitute racial vilification" as they "could incite hatred, serious contempt, revulsion and/or severe ridicule of the plaintiff on the grounds that he was an Aboriginal child". He says the post-traumatic stress disorder he acquired from his time in Don Dale affected his education and employment prospects, and he is seeking more than a decade's lost earnings as a result. Government alleges teen was 'back chatting', 'play fighting' In its defence filed with the court, the NT government broadly denied the claims and refuted the specific allegations of mistreatment. Photo shows The exterior of the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, with barbed wire in the foreground. Four former detainees who were tear gassed in 2014 at Darwin's notorious Don Dale Youth Justice Centre have had their $1 million payout slashed. Instead, it said the detainee used "foul language" towards guards and back chatted after receiving directions. The defence alleges it was the plaintiff who assaulted other youth detainees and had "to be reminded on several occasions to cease play fighting", and claims he was placed in the BMU "in consequence of [his own] behaviour". "At all material times, officers were acting in good faith in the exercise or purported exercise of a power, or the performance or purported performance of a function, under the [Youth Justice Act]," it reads. The case is due to return to court on May 9 for an administrative hearing.
