Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said taxpayers cannot buy every plot of land in the Pacific that may be subject to Chinese interference while warning against encouraging real estate promoters to leverage geopolitical tensions in the region.
The prime minister’s response comes after retired Australian businessman Ian Gowrie-Smith appeared on Nine Entertainment’s A Current Affair program, saying he was keen to sell off 21 atolls under his ownership that form part of the Conflict Islands.
The area is part of Papua New Guinea just north of Australia and is located around 944 kilometres from the northern city of Cairns.
Gowrie-Smith is concerned about Beijing’s interests in the region and said for security reasons, he was willing to accept a low offer of around $36 million to keep it out of Chinese hands but noted he had yet to hear back from Foreign Minister Penny Wong—who he attempted to contact in June….