Tollner Defends Darwin Port Lease, Urges Focus on Glyde Point

0:00On this March 3rd in Sydney, here's what is making headlines. Former Northern Territory Treasurer Dave Toner has strongly defended the 99-year lease of Darwin Port to Chinese-owned land bridge back in. 2015. He insists he would make the same call today, calling the federal government's plan to buy it back a huge waste of taxpayer money that could run into. Billions. Toner was part of the team that signed the deal for $506 million. The port lease has sparked major debate over national security in recent years. Two reviews and a parliamentary inquiry found no public evidence of threats, and Toner says land bridge has managed it well. He slammed both Prime Minister Anthony Abanese and former opposition leader Peter Dundin for promising to end the lease as political stunts. Toner points out the world looked different in 2015, with strong trade ties to China and federal approval for the deal at the time. Native Prime Ministers have since criticized it, but he argues Darwin Port is just a small

1:01commercial hub not suited for big military ops. Instead of fighting over the existing port, Toner urges focus on glide point north of Darwin. That coastal area has plenty of space, roads, rail and pipelines ready for a new defense facility shared with allies like the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Tim Cain welcomed the buyback plan during a Darwin visit, and Northern Territory leaders are pushing for quick clarity amid. Uncertainty hurting local jobs. No timeline yet for negotiations to bring the lease back under Australian control. Support for this DNN episode comes from our sponsor. What is cooler than cool, a pillow that plays your sound, S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com.