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Labor Senator Penny Wong says the Labor Party “raised concerns” over the 99-year Port Darwin lease when it was first awarded by the Northern Territory government to Chinese company Landbridge.

The Opposition is demanding an explanation over the Chinese ownership of the critical Port of Darwin which was signed over under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2015.

Defence analysists have recently become increasingly concerned about the $500 million deal - triggering a review on national security grounds by the Department of Defence.

Ms Wong said, “the government might have announced a review now, but in fact voted against Labor amendments in the Senate which called on the government to in fact do this review”.

“There is a legitimate question about whether this lease was in the national interest,” she told Sky News.

“At the time we raised concerns. We also, as the Opposition, pressed for critical infrastructure to have proper arrangements, proper checks and balances on foreign ownership.”