Huawei infiltrates Australia despite Chinese espionage fears

CONTROVERSIAL Chinese tech giant Huawei is attracting new private and government contracts despite worldwide warnings about espionage and national security risks, a News Corp investigation can reveal.

The company, which Britain banned from its 5G mobile phone networks this week, is rolling out mobile phone towers across six states and territories, branching out into Australian solar farms.

It continues to win work from private enterprise and state government — a move critics warned could be risky in the current security environment.

And, although its profits have fallen since bans on its involvement in 5G, the Chinese firm still generated more than $650 million in Australia last year.

Huawei has come under increased scrutiny in Australia over the past decade after being banned from supplying equipment to the National Broadband Network in 2012 and, along with other Chinese firms, forbidden from playing a part in Australia’s 5G mobile networks by then acting Home Affairs Minister Scott Morrison in 2018.

But Australian Strategic Policy Institute cyber security expert Fergus Hanson said there were more risks Australia had yet to address in allowing Chinese companies to handle sensitive information and infrastructure as their national laws demanded assistance with “state intelligence work”.

Mr Hanson told News Corp Australia that 5G was “just the tip of the iceberg”.

“There are lots of technologies being developed or that have been developed where this same issue will come up,” he said.

“Should Australian government departments or companies be storing their data in the Chinese cloud? Unless you’re talking about the most benign data, that would be crazy.”

Mr Hanson said clamps on Chinese firms handling sensitive data like medical records and intellectual property, as well as acquiring Australian firms, should also be considered.