ASIO view needed on China deal: Foley

Labor leader Luke Foley says he does not have faith in the Foreign Investment Review Board to protect NSW electricity assets.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley

Labor leader Luke Foley says he does not have faith in the Foreign Investment Review Board. (AAP)

Labor leader Luke Foley says ASIO should be consulted before any deal with a foreign government to buy into the NSW electricity network.

Mr Foley has continued to attack the Baird government's plans to lease 49 per cent of poles and wires just 72 hours out from the NSW election.

The opposition leader also expressed a lack of faith in the Foreign Investment Review Board over the sale of electricity assets.

Treasurer Andrew Constance has said he met with representatives from a Chinese government-owned company with The China Daily reporting a meeting about the sale of the network.

"I don't think it's a smart thing to do to sell our electricity network to a foreign government," Mr Foley said in the marginal electorate of Swansea on the NSW Central Coast.

"Transgrid ... powers Parliament House. The distribution network goes to Holsworthy Army base, to the Richmond RAAF base, to our defence installations.

"Of course the security agencies (including ASIO, ASIS) will have some views on these matters."

Mr Foley said the FIRB had ticked off on the China State Grid Corp buying into the electricity network in other states.

But said his concern wasn't because the company was Chinese - just that it was not Australian.

"Transgrid sends power into Parliament House in Canberra ... And the thing about high voltage transmission lines is that you can transport data on high voltage lines," he said.

"So whoever owns the transmission business will have an extraordinary capacity into the future.

"I don't see the Foreign Investment Review Board as sufficient protection for the people of NSW."

He said reports Mr Baird had attended a function with the president of China State Grid Corporation meant he couldn't be trusted.

Mr Baird has denied the suggestion, made by federal Labor senator Sam Dastyari.

"I don't trust him," Mr Foley said of Mr Baird.

"He hasn't been open and up front with the people of this state about what he's been up to."

Mr Foley was speaking outside the Vales Point power station, which the NSW government failed to sell last year.

Swansea is a marginal Liberal seat held by 0.3 per cent, after the incumbent Garry Edwards was disendorsed after he was dragged into the ICAC developer donations inquiry.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world