Fifteen Australian politicians, including the deputy prime minister, have called for action from the federal government on the Port of Newcastle (PON), which is partially leased to China Merchants, a Chinese state-owned enterprise. In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg seen by The Australian, Senator Eric Abetz of Tasmania expressed concern that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be given a geopolitical advantage by proposed changes to the National Access Regime (NAR). The NAR governs the operation and investment into critical infrastructure around Australia. Signed by a contingent of Coalition politicians, the letter raised issues around the PON, including that 50 percent of the 91-year lease is owned by a company backed by CCP, with Abetz also saying that it operates in a monopolistic way which needs urgent assessment. The PON handles approximately 40 percent of Australia’s export volume of coal every year—4,400 ship movements and 164 …