Government confirms Huawei NBN ban stands

The federal government will continue the ban on Chinese firm Huawei supplying networking equipment for the National Broadband Network (NBN), saying no decision has been made to change the existing policy introduced by Labor.

Attorney general, Senator George Brandis told CIO on Tuesday afternoon that the decision of the previous government not to permit Huawei to tender for the NBN was made on advice from national security agencies.

“That decision was supported by the then opposition after we received our briefings from those agencies. Since the election, the [Coalition] government has had further briefings from the national security agencies. No decision has been made by the new government to change the existing policy,” Senator Brandis said in a statement.

“As a matter of long-established practice, the government does not comment on advice from the national security agencies,” he added.

His comments follow Huawei’s denial on Tuesday morning that the government has made a decision to continue its ban.

In a statement issued to CIO, a Huawei spokesperson in Australia said: “Huawei understands no decisions have been made by the government regarding the NBN, pending outcomes of the strategic review.”

ABC News first reported the ban on Tuesday morning.

Related: Huawei seeks to counter security concerns. Related: Huawei: We want to be open and transparent.

Huawei was banned by the previous Labor government from participating in the NBN last year. In August, before the Coalition was elected, communications minister Malcolm Turnbull, promised to review the ban.