❓ Ms. Collins asks the Premier about the government's response to Clive Palmer's legal action against Australia. The Premier condemns Palmer's actions as greedy and treacherous, vowing to fight the claim.
AnsweredQoN 237Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CLIVE PALMER — LEGAL ACTION
237. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Premier:
On
behalf of the member for Southern River, I welcome the student executive of
Caladenia Primary School in the gallery.
I refer to the reports today that
Clive Palmer has commenced legal proceedings against Australia. Can the Premier
advise the house of this government's response to this action?
237. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Premier:
On
behalf of the member for Southern River, I welcome the student executive of
Caladenia Primary School in the gallery.
I refer to the reports today that
Clive Palmer has commenced legal proceedings against Australia. Can the Premier
advise the house of this government's response to this action?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question.
Today we have seen the most
deplorable act of greed in Australian history. One of the richest people in
Australia, Clive Palmer, now wants more
money, and he is suing his country to get it. Imagine already having billions
of dollars and making $1 million to $2 million a day from a Chinese
company in Western Australia without lifting a finger, but being so rapacious
that you turn around and sue your own country for $300 billion. That is $300 000
million. That is about $11 500 for every
Australian man, woman and child—pure greed. Clive Palmer is the
greediest man in Australian history. This man once proclaimed he loved
Australia, but he now claims to be a Singaporean businessman—I kid you
not—in order to sue Australia. It is treacherous and traitorous conduct
on a scale this country has not seen before.
I remind the house why he is doing
it. It involves the Balmoral South project in the Pilbara. It was approved with
conditions by the then Liberal–National government 12 years ago. But Mr
Palmer did not want to adhere to those conditions, so he decided not to proceed
with the project but instead took Western Australia to arbitration to seek $30 billion
in compensation. He decided he wanted to make his money through suing the Western
Australian government. My government intervened in 2020. We passed laws that
stopped him from potentially bankrupting Western Australia. Then Mr Palmer took
us to the High Court, which unanimously ruled against him. But now, desperately
and disgracefully, he has registered his company overseas. He is doing this
with the sole aim of suing his own country. Mr Palmer's ''Singaporean
company'' has filed a notice of arbitration seeking damages under
international trade law. He is apparently claiming breaches of the ASEAN–Australia–New
Zealand free trade agreement because his company is now Singaporean.
At what point do we say enough is
enough? He has exhausted all his legal avenues in Australia but cannot accept the result. It is greed. It is treachery. He is a quisling.
He wants to rip $300 billion from Australian schools, hospitals , aged
care, housing, Medicare and the NDIS—from every Australian. Mr Palmer
has now cemented himself in Australian history as the most appalling and
selfish person our country has ever seen. We will support the commonwealth all
the way in fighting this claim and never give in to Clive Palmer. Nearly all
the way along this road, whilst we have fought Clive Palmer in this Parliament,
we also had to fight the Liberals and Nationals, which took his side and, as we
see today, that has not changed.
question.
Today we have seen the most
deplorable act of greed in Australian history. One of the richest people in
Australia, Clive Palmer, now wants more
money, and he is suing his country to get it. Imagine already having billions
of dollars and making $1 million to $2 million a day from a Chinese
company in Western Australia without lifting a finger, but being so rapacious
that you turn around and sue your own country for $300 billion. That is $300 000
million. That is about $11 500 for every
Australian man, woman and child—pure greed. Clive Palmer is the
greediest man in Australian history. This man once proclaimed he loved
Australia, but he now claims to be a Singaporean businessman—I kid you
not—in order to sue Australia. It is treacherous and traitorous conduct
on a scale this country has not seen before.
I remind the house why he is doing
it. It involves the Balmoral South project in the Pilbara. It was approved with
conditions by the then Liberal–National government 12 years ago. But Mr
Palmer did not want to adhere to those conditions, so he decided not to proceed
with the project but instead took Western Australia to arbitration to seek $30 billion
in compensation. He decided he wanted to make his money through suing the Western
Australian government. My government intervened in 2020. We passed laws that
stopped him from potentially bankrupting Western Australia. Then Mr Palmer took
us to the High Court, which unanimously ruled against him. But now, desperately
and disgracefully, he has registered his company overseas. He is doing this
with the sole aim of suing his own country. Mr Palmer's ''Singaporean
company'' has filed a notice of arbitration seeking damages under
international trade law. He is apparently claiming breaches of the ASEAN–Australia–New
Zealand free trade agreement because his company is now Singaporean.
At what point do we say enough is
enough? He has exhausted all his legal avenues in Australia but cannot accept the result. It is greed. It is treachery. He is a quisling.
He wants to rip $300 billion from Australian schools, hospitals , aged
care, housing, Medicare and the NDIS—from every Australian. Mr Palmer
has now cemented himself in Australian history as the most appalling and
selfish person our country has ever seen. We will support the commonwealth all
the way in fighting this claim and never give in to Clive Palmer. Nearly all
the way along this road, whilst we have fought Clive Palmer in this Parliament,
we also had to fight the Liberals and Nationals, which took his side and, as we
see today, that has not changed.
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