Foreign ownershipWell, a salutary lesson for those who talk glowingly about Chinese “investment” in AustraliaI see mining magnate Clive Palmer has accused the Chinese owners of a Pilbara iron ore project and nearby port in Western Australia of running the port “like they were in China”Mr Palmer’s company, Minerology, owns the right to operate the port - Cape PrestonBut it is owned by Chinese company, Citic PacificAnd according to Mr Palmer, Citic wants “a situation where they control it and decide who comes and goes”“We want to use it, Australasian Resources wants to use it” he said“Citic doesn’t want them to because it doesn’t want to have any competition”The matter has now gone to the Federal Court to determine Minerology’s rights to use the portClive Palmer also accused Citic of lobbying the Western Australian Government “to be exempted from Australian law”“They were hoping the Government would pass a new law so that they could operate here under Chinese laws” he saidIs this a blueprint for how China will run Australian agricultural assets it either has bought or wants to buy?Can we afford to allow China to own our land or our infrastructure?China wants a free trade agreement with Australia to allow its State-owned enterprises to invest up to $1 billion here without requiring Foreign Investment Review Board approvalThe answer to that suggestion should be no

The Alan Jones Breakfast show: Highlights

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