Academics, politicians, lawyers, national security experts, viewers of Millionaire Hot Seat, the New York Times, even the former president of United States Barack Obama have all asked — how the hell was the sun-soaked NT Government allowed to lease off one of Australia's most important strategic assets to the Chinese without proper federal oversight?
Here's how. For years, the NT had lobbied the Commonwealth to invest millions in developing the rinky-dink Darwin Port that was only turning over a few million dollars annually in cattle, mining and gas interests.
Successive governments believed the port held the cure to the NT's economic maladies and that if it could be expanded and maintained, it would surely be a secret weapon in the NT's economic resurgence — and the rest of the nation's by extension — as Australia's "gateway to Asia".
But for years, the Federal Governmentdidn't see its potential — or at least not enough to invest in it.
In 2012, the Country Liberal Party — long viewed by itself as the "natural ruling party of the Territory" — was brought back to power after 11 years in the wilderness, and while no gauge of public opinion was taken, decided all public assets were up for grabs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-12/why-did-northern-territory-sell-darwin-port-to-china-what-risk/10755720
