Ex-CLP members join PUP: Queensland Premier Campbell Newman demands to know if inducements offered to MLAs

Updated

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has demanded to know if Clive Palmer offered "inducements" and "cash" to three former Northern Territory CLP members, who will join the Palmer United Party.

Mr Palmer has confirmed Larisa Lee, Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu and Alison Anderson will join the party after they quit the CLP earlier this month and moved to the NT crossbench.

Speaking in Brisbane on Sunday morning, Mr Newman accused Mr Palmer of trying to buy governments around the country.

"This is a guy who tried to buy a government, my government," Mr Newman said.

"We said, 'we are not for sale'. As a result, he has gone on a rampage around Australia, trying to buy other people and buy people's votes.

"I ask what inducements were offered to these three MPs?

"What cash? What jobs? What financial support for elections? What offers were made for them to jump ship?"

But Mr Palmer told the ABC's Insiders program the three NT MLAs approached his party.

"I haven't funded anything in the Northern Territory," he said.

"These people decided that they wanted to join us because of what we said.

"It doesn't matter how much money you spend, if you've got a bad message, no-one wants to support it. If you've got a good message they do.

"They were concerned about what was happening, the racial vilification of people up there by the NT Government, they wanted to have some support and protection."

Mr Palmer says Ms Anderson will become the party's parliamentary leader.

"That government's falling apart and it's not really got a good future," he said.

Mr Newman also took aim at Mr Palmer's Queensland Nickel company, which was under fire over the release of toxic waste from its tailings dams at a refinery near Townsville earlier this year.

"I call on Mr Palmer today to do one thing: stop spending money on election campaigning around Australia when you don't seem to have the money to fulfil your environmental obligations in Townsville and your obligations to 1,000 men and women who rely on jobs at the nickel refinery," he said.

"What about the hundreds of people who lost their job at the Palmer resort? Again, he spends money on election advertising while that resort, which was once an iconic Queensland destination, is falling apart and is a sad, sick joke."

No financial incentive to join PUP: Anderson

Ms Anderson arrived at Alice Springs in Mr Palmer's jet on Sunday afternoon and says she was not paid to join the Palmer United Party.

She said the move is about having a third choice for voters in the Northern Territory.

"I think that it's a third force in the Northern Territory that gives an alternative party to people of the Northern Territory," she said.

"We've always put up with Labor and we've always put up with the Country Liberals and I've been in both Heckle and Jeckle and it's making sure that there's a third party giving people a lot more choices."

Ms Anderson confirmed that she made the first contact with Mr Palmer.

"It is about unity of the NT and engaging in another party that comes forward to the NT and Clive Palmer is certainly welcome in the NT," she said.

"We want his wealth of knowledge."

But Opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen has questioned the politics of Ms Anderson.

"At least one of those MPs has joined the Labor Party, the Country Liberal Party and now apparently the Palmer United Party," he said.

"She is doing a Billy Hughes and moving around the political spectrum ... it's clear the Chief Minister has lost control."

The Country Liberals Government retained its majority earlier this month, with Nathan Barrett winning the by-election in the seat of Blain - the seat vacated by former chief minister Terry Mills who was ousted from the leadership by Adam Giles last year.

During the Blain by-election campaign, Mr Giles had offered the three MLAs the chance to come back to the Country Liberals.

Shortly after the election, he withdrew that olive branch to all but Mr Kurrupuwu.

Mr Giles echoed the Queensland Premier's comments.

"Clive can try and throw his money around as much as he wants but I can tell you the members of the CLP are not for sale," he told Sky News.

Topics: minor-parties, political-parties, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, nt, qld

First posted