A lease held by a Chinese company on the Port of Darwin won't be cancelled after a federal government review found it "not necessary".
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The review, carried out by the Department of Prime Minister Cabinet, found there were "robust" regulatory systems in place to manage any risks to critical infrastructure and that monitoring mechanisms were sufficient.
"As a result, it was not necessary to vary or cancel the lease," the department said in a statement on Friday.
"Australians can have confidence that their safety will not be compromised, while ensuring that Australia remains a competitive destination for foreign investment.
"The review considered the findings and outcomes of these previous assessments as well as considering whether risk management and mitigation arrangements are sufficient to protect Australia's national security interests relating to the port."
The government has accepted the findings, as expected.
Chinese company Landbridge signed a 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in the Northern Territory in 2015 for more than $500 million.
The lease attracted controversy amid fears it could be a national security risk.
Landbridge said the review's outcome showed there was "no basis" for security concerns.
"Landbridge is hopeful that the outcome of this review, which is consistent with the findings of the reviews conducted in both 2015 and 2021, will now bring this matter to a close," it said.
The current review was set up by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after last year's federal election.
A previous defence review, conducted under the former Liberal government and handed to then-defence minister Peter Dutton, found there were no national security grounds to overturn the lease.
Australian Associated Press
