Huawei predicts almost all Australia jobs to go

Huawei slashed its R&D investment in Australia by AUD100 million ($71.9 million) and reduced its workforce by more than 1,000 since the government banned it from bidding on 5G network contracts due to national security concerns, Reuters reported.

In a statement sent to Reuters, Huawei’s chief corporate affairs officer for Australia Jeremy Mitchell said the government’s decision in 2018 to block it from participating in the country’s 5G rollout had cost it “1,000 high-tech and high-wage jobs”, as the vendor lowered headcount to less than 200.

He said further reductions in staff numbers were likely.

The Chinese company announced it will halt its sponsorship of an Australian rugby league team a year early in late September, after nine years of support.

Mitchell told The Australian Financial Review the nation had a lot to lose from any cyber war.

Huawei warned of a risk to jobs and investment from the ban in December 2019, a month after cautioning Australia it risked falling behind in 5G.