MP wants Xenophon on foreign agent list

The chair of the parliamentary intelligence and security committee wants former senator Nick Xenophon listed as a foreign agent.

Mr Xenophon, who founded the Centre Alliance, quit federal politics in 2017 for a failed tilt at office in South Australia and is now legal counsel for Chinese-government linked telco Huawei.

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie told parliament on Monday the former senator's new job means he should be listed on the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme.

The scheme is aimed at stamping out foreign espionage in Australia.

"Nick Xenophon is now effectively pursuing the strategic aims of a large Chinese (company) with clear links to the Chinese government," Mr Hastie said.

"Why is he going through Australia trying to influence our public policy process and he's yet to sign up to the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme.

"I call on Mr Xenophon and his associates to register and do so in the national interests so we have full transparency about his dealings with Huawei."

Australia recently banned Huawei from being involved in the rollout of the nation's new 5G network amidst national security concerns.

In December, Mr Xenophon said he would join legal counsel for the telco in Australia, seeing them as "underdogs".

He is seeking to overturn the government's ban on Huawei, saying the company was "fed up" with the treatment by the government.

Around the same time Labor shot down claims Mr Xenophon didn't need to be on the register.

Shadow foreign minister Penny Wong told The Advertiser in December Mr Xenophon "made himself sound like a lobbyist".

Mr Hastie said on Monday there was the old Mr Xenophon and the new one, pointing to comments the ex-senator made critical of the Chinese government's treatment of Tibetans.