Port of Darwin: Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton both pledge to return port to Australian hands

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Government has been sounding out potential buyers to return the Chinese-operated Port of Darwin to Australian hands.

The sale of Darwin Port to Beijing-controlled company Landbridge Group under a previous Coalition Government in 2015 was viewed by many, including Washington, as a strategic mistake.

Landbridge at the time was awarded a 99-year lease by the Northern Territory’s Country Liberal Party Government.

Mr Albanese on Friday said the Government was looking for a private buyer — particularly through superannuation funds — to operate the facility, which is strategically positioned as Australia’s nearest port to Asia.

The surprise comments pre-empted an announcement by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that was due on Saturday confirming the Coalition would return the port to an Australian Government-approved operator if it wins the May 3 election.

Asked whether a re-elected Labor government would buy back the Port of Darwin from Landbridge, Mr Albanese said the Government would “enter into negotiations to do that”.

“That is what we’ve been doing informally through potential buyers up to this point already, and if it reaches a point where the Commonwealth needs to directly intervene then we’d be prepared to do that,” he told ABC Radio Darwin.

Mr Albanese said the Government was trying to locate a private buyer “particularly through superannuation funds”, who he said had sounded out Landbridge as well.

“We want it to be in Australian hands; we prefer that it be through superannuation funds or some other vehicle that doesn’t mean direct taxpayers,” he said.

“But we’re prepare to go down the road of taxpayer direct involvement as well.”

The Coalition has vowed to appoint a specialist commercial adviser to work with the Northern Territory Government and Federal officials to provide advice on potential new operators of the Port.

“In the current geopolitical environment, it is vital that this piece of critical infrastructure, which is directly opposite to the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, is operated by a trusted, Commonwealth approved entity,” a joint statement by Mr Dutton, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor and Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie said.

“A Dutton Coalition Government would not permit the lease of the Port to any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by a foreign government, including any state-owned enterprise or sovereign wealth fund.”

If a private lease cannot be secured within six months of the process commencing, the Coalition will “as a last resort” acquire the lease interest using the Commonwealth’s compulsory acquisition powers.

“Under this course of action, the Australian Government would compensate Landbridge Group,” the statement said.

“The Albanese Labor Government has continued to create uncertainty regarding this important national asset, tip-toeing around the issue while refusing to take concrete action.

“Only a Coalition Government will end the uncertainty regarding the Port of Darwin once and for all.”