news, latest-news

Former federal politician Clive Palmer has accused senior members of the Australian government of plotting his downfall over his refusal to sell land on the Gold Coast to a church. The extraordinary claims are contained in Supreme Court documents lodged as part of a civil claim brought by the Queensland mining magnate and his company Palmer Leisure Coolum. The Supreme Court case came after Mr Palmer and PLC were charged by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission over an unfulfilled 2012 proposal to buy shares of another company that owned properties at his Sunshine Coast resort. Mr Palmer was the federal member for the seat of Fairfax from 2013 to 2016 and previously controlled three Senate votes. In the court documents, Mr Palmer alleged the Australian government had pursued a "co-ordinated, targeted campaign" against him since late July 2015. Mr Palmer cited his opposition to NBN policies in 2014 and establishing a Senate inquiry into the Newman LNP government in Queensland, alleging members of the federal Coalition government said they would "get even" with him for the inquiry. He claimed the Palmer United Party's preferences at the 2015 Queensland election helped sweep the Palaszczuk Labor government to power, defeating the one-term LNP Newman government. His statement of claim alleged member for Fadden Stuart Robert repeatedly asked Mr Palmer to sell a piece of land on the Gold Coast during late 2013 and early 2014 to a church of which Mr Robert was a member, and which was part of the same church network of which current Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a member. Mr Robert, now the Assistant Treasurer, allegedly asked Mr Palmer to sell the land for $1, despite it being valued at $6 million. "C Palmer repeatedly declined those requests and Mr Robert expressed his dissatisfaction at C Palmer declining those requests and on numerous occasions said words to the effect to C Palmer that it was not in C Palmer's interests not to agree to the requests," the document reads. A boxing glove was allegedly delivered in a box from Mr Robert's Gold Coast electoral office to Mr Palmer's office, "clearly evincing a threat" if Mr Palmer did not agree to the sale. It was alleged Mr Robert told a solicitor "we [the federal government] will destroy Clive Palmer with the full power of the state". Another solicitor alleged Mr Robert said there was a "whiteboard in Canberra", on which members of the Australian Government were formulating "ways they could get Mr Palmer". Mr Palmer alleged it was in the interests of LNP members for him to be convicted of an offence punishable by jail for one year or longer, as he would be disqualified from seeking election at the upcoming federal election. A spokesman for Mr Robert said: "The claims are ridiculous and Minister Robert doesn't believe they warrant a response." Mr Palmer is seeking orders for, among other things, the permanent stay of criminal proceedings before the Brisbane Magistrates Court. However, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions senior executive lawyer Tim Begbie has argued the ASIC case against Mr Palmer and PLC could be adequately dealt with as part of the Magistrates Court proceedings, and the case in the Supreme Court should be stayed because it was an abuse of process. Last month, Mr Begbie described claims one could infer improper behaviour in the proceedings as "flimsy and far-flung". Mr Palmer has announced his revamped United Australia Party will run candidates in all 151 lower house seats at the upcoming federal election, while he will contest the Townsville seat of Herbert, the site of his shuttered refinery. The colourful politician has vowed to bombard Australians with advertisements and unsolicited text messages before the poll. Mr Palmer was in the news recently after US band Twisted Sister threatened legal action over claims he ripped off their 1980s hit We're Not Gonna Take It in political advertisements, and he has also launched a retro-style arcade game app.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/237fadd5-8a38-4a5f-822e-84fe63e71881/r0_296_4323_2738_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg