Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says PUP Senator Jacquie Lambie can't talk like she's at the corner pub now she's in politics. Courtesy Channel Nine/The TODAY Show

Joyce tells Lambie: 'This is not the corner pub'

COLOURFUL former Labor leader Mark Latham has lept to the defence of Clive Palmer following his controversial appearance on Q&A.

Clive Palmer slammed his former Chinese business partners on Q&A on Monday night causing outrage in international newspapers.

Despite Mr Palmer releasing an almost-apology for his live television tirade, Mr Latham today came to the controversial polictician’s defence.

The former Labor leader said Australians had a “pack mentality” and attacked politicians too much for having an opinion.

“If Clive Palmer had a ding dong battle and there is some former dispute with this Chinese partner he is allowed to call them mongrels and bastards,’’ Mr Latham said on 3AW.

He also said the matter should not be relevant to diplomatic policy

Despite backing the head of the Palmer United Party, Mr Latham took a swipe at Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie.

“On the Chinese invasion she is factually wrong.’’

“I don’t think there is any evidence the Chinese pose a military threat to Australia.’’

Mr Latham’s comments come after Palmer hung up during a radio interview when pressed on his Senator Jacqui Lambie’s comments about a possible Chinese invasion of Australia.

Questions from ABC Perth host Geoff Hutchison proved too much for the PUP leader, who ended their heated interview this morning.

“I’d like you to comment on your own Senator’s remarks please,” Mr Palmer was asked.

“You might like me to do that but I’ll do what I want to,” he replied, instead wanting to talk about Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s rebuke of his outburst.

“How about you being accountable for comments made by your Senator,” the host went on.

“I’m accountable to my comments as a citizen of this country and she’s a citizen of Australia too,” he responded.

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

When asked why he didn’t wish to discuss Senator Lambie’s remarks, Mr Palmer replied “because I don’t have to, goodbye,” before ending the call.

Earlier in the interview the Palmer United Party leader refused to back down from his rant on Q and A on Monday night.

MONGRELS: Clive Palmer goes on rant against China on Q & A

“There’s no doubt that the Chinese government shoots thousands of people every year and suppresses political discussion,” he said.

“I’ll stand up for Australia against China any day.”

Earlier government frontbencher Barnaby Joyce said Senator Lambie’s tough talk on China could be amusing after 15 beers but was dangerous when said on national television.

The Palmer United Party Senator yesterday took her leader Clive Palmer’s China outburst to a whole new level, warning Australia needs to do more to prepare for a Chinese communist invasion.

The Agriculture Minister this morning argued her remarks show a naivety — and the newly elected representative needs to realise the importance of her position.

“I think the Australian people and the people of Tasmania should contact Senator Lambie and say look you’ve really got to be careful what you say now Senator Lambie, you are a Senator of Tasmania,” Mr Joyce said on Channel Nine’s Today Show.

“You are one of 76 people who represent our nation and no longer can you just talk like you might at half past seven at the corner pub.

“This is not the corner pub, this is our nation.

“These things sound amusing when they’re said after 15 beers but they’re very, very dangerous if you want to say them on national television.”

Yesterday Senator Lambie warned the “price of liberty is eternal vigilance”.

“If anybody thinks that we should have a national security and defence policy, which ignores the threat of a Chinese Communist invasion — you’re delusional and got rocks in your head,” she said in a statement.

“Both Labor and the Liberals/Nationals have failed to build an Australian military that is able to defend us — and stop our grandchildren from becoming slaves to an aggressive, anti-democratic, totalitarian foreign power.”

Later Mr Abbott went further arguing Mr Palmer’s “random outburst” was “over the top, shrill and wrong”.

“It’s deeply regrettable that Mr Palmer launched his attack on China the other night,” he told 4BC Radio.

The Prime Minister said it seemed to be “an expression of a personal business issue” rather than on a considered national policy.

“I think the Chinese appreciate Australia enough to understand that Mr Palmer just speaks for himself on an issue like this and he certainly isn’t speaking for Australia.”

Mr Abbott said Senator Lambie is also “entitled to speak for herself”.

“We all want a strong and effective defence, but nevertheless China is our friend not our enemy.”

When asked whether the PUP leader and his Senator should “shut up”, the PM said all politicians should be constructive when they open their mouths.

“We need a very strong relationship with China. Luckily we have one,” he added, noting negotiations on a free-trade agreement are “accelerating”.

“If we can pull that off that will be very, very good for Australia.”

Palmer sprays Chinese on QandA Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer has launched a tirade against the Chinese state-owned company CITIC Pacific, calling them 'bastards' and 'mongrels'. Courtesy ABC/QandA

The PUP Senator later told 2GB Radio Australia needed to look into missiles and a missile defence system, while doubling the size and amount spent on defence.

Tony Abbott this morning criticised Mr Palmer for what he described as “destructive” comments.

“Really it’s very hard to understand why someone who wants to be influential in our nation’s life would be so simplistic and counterproductive,” the Prime Minister told ABC Radio.

When asked whether there are similarities between the likes of Senator Lambie and Pauline Hanson, Mr Abbott said both were “populist outbreaks on the right of politics” and in the end “pretty counterproductive in our national life”.

Former Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he doesn’t think the Australian government should go as far as to apologise for Mr Palmer, but he hopes the PUP leader rethinks his comments.

“My instincts would be to stop short of an apology because an apology assumes we’ve got some control over what this unusual figure in Australian politics can do or say,” Mr Carr told ABC Radio.

“I’d like Clive Palmer to himself reflect on his comments and to clear the air by retracting those of them that are fantastically offensive,” the now Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney said.

“I think he’s got to think seriously about the long term stake, the long term interests, that every Australian household has got in a robust and viable relationship with China.”