Clive Palmer said he is pressing forward with defamation action against the Queensland Premier as soon as possible, but he is not seeking to personally benefit from any damages awarded to him.

Mr Palmer said he has instructed his lawyers to file a defamation writ against Campbell Newman over comments the Premier made on Sunday, where he accused Mr Palmer of attempting to “buy votes and buy people”.

Mr Newman also questioned whether Mr Palmer offered inducements to three Northern Territory Country Liberal Party MPs to “jump ship” to the Palmer United Party.

“It is very disappointing to see people who can't win a political argument, who can't do one thing for the benefit of the people who live in this state resort to innuendo and personal attacks when they are really lacking in any moral courage at all to bring this state forward,” Mr Palmer said at a press conference on the Gold Coast on Monday.