Clive Palmer says fourth Senator-elect set to join forces with PUP in voting bloc

Updated

Clive Palmer is poised to announce that his Palmer United Party will strike a deal with Australian Motoring Enthusiast Senator-elect Ricky Muir to claim the balance of power in the Senate.

Mr Muir is the surprise guest at Mr Palmer's press conference, which gets underway in Sydney at 10:00am AEDT.

The PUP is expected to have three members enter the Senate next year, and play a crucial role on the crossbench.

"Another senator-elect will join us and we'll vote together for what’s better for the people of Australia," Mr Palmer told the ABC’s Lateline program on Wednesday night, refusing to reveal the person's name but describing them as being "of strong character and moral conviction".

The mandatory recount in Palmer's seat of Fairfax is yet to be finalised, however it now appears likely PUP will hold one seat in the House of Representatives and three seats in the new Senate when it convenes in July 2014.

Just arrived in Syd for Clive Palmer's news conference with his new senate team and surprise guest Ricky Muir. See #abc730 tonight #auspol - Heather Ewart (@heatherewart730) October 10, 2013

Senators-elect Glenn Lazarus (Queensland), Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania) and Dio Wang (Western Australia), joined Mr Palmer in the Lateline studio, although they did not take part in the interview.

The PUP leader described their presence on the show as a demonstration of party unity.

Mr Palmer has previously said that along with securing the balance of power in the Senate, there is "no doubt" he will himself win the Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax.

PUP may delay legislation to gain resources

During the Lateline interview, Mr Palmer raised the prospect of using his party's balance of power in the Senate to demand more resources, delaying legislation until the PUP received "the same level of resources the Greens had in doing the same job".

"We've got to get enough resources to properly do the job," he said.

"You've got three Senators having to consider the whole weight of legislation from the House of Representatives."

He continued: "It's the volume of work, not about how many senators you've got, and of course if we don't get any resources you can well imagine it will take longer for the three people to do their job and maybe you'll only get one bill through a year."

Asked how persuasive he might be, knowing that he could delay or stop key pieces of legislation, he responded: "I think if I was prime minister, I would like to have a good relationship with myself."

Later in the interview, he said: "We wouldn't be nasty, Tony, we'd try to talk to them in a nice manner and see if we can convince them first. You can talk softly and carry a big stick, and the big stick could be, 'We won't let the legislation through unless you do this for us'."

Underestimate Clive Palmer at your peril

Clive Palmer, who made headlines for putting dinosaurs at his Coolum resort and rebuilding the Titanic, is a skilful media operator who politicians underestimate at their peril, observers say. Clive Palmer, who made headlines for putting dinosaurs at his Coolum resort and rebuilding the Titanic, is a skilful media operator who politicians underestimate at their peril, observers say. Australian Story reports

Adding that his team would "look at every proposal" put forward by Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government, he said: "I think you've got to be realistic. The reality of it is, if we don't approve any legislation from the Government it won't get through."

Asked if voters who supported the PUP might feel betrayed in the event his party force a double-dissolution election, he responded: "I don't think so. I think people want us to be honest and stand up for principle and it is more important we provide a proper representation. What's more important is the content of our character, not whether we get re-elected, and we do the right thing by the Australian people."

He added: "Our Senators are not professional politicians. They're members of the community. They want to do what's right for the community."

Economy, veterans affairs areas of concern

Asked whether he would use the PUP's previously stated areas of concern, including the mining tax and carbon pricing, as bargaining chips in passing the

Abbott Government's legislation, Mr Palmer said: "They're matters of principle, but you can't say how you'll vote on anything until you properly understand it and you've got a copy of the bill?

I think if I was prime minister, I would like to have a good relationship with myself. Clive Palmer

"I don't think we'd bargain things, I think we'd want to do what was best for the Australian people in the final analysis. The Senate is a House of review and should do what's best for people. Certainly, we're concerned very much about the economy, the urgent steps need to be taken to protect our standard of living."

Mr Palmer nominated the veterans' affairs and the economy as other major areas of concern for the PUP.

He also repeated his support for an end to quarterly taxation of small businesses.

"Over $70 billion a year is ripped out of our companies and small businesses before they make it," he said.

"They have to pay their tax quarterly in advance. If that $70 billion was left in the economy, they could stimulate the economy more, employ more people, and every time that $70 billion turned over the Government would get $7 billion more in revenue and GST in the hands of people."

'I won't be claiming any entitlements'

Mr Palmer also dismissed suggestions that his business and financial dealings posed a potential conflict of interest with any role in Government, saying they shouldn't prevent him participating in Government debates.

You can talk softly and carry a big stick, and the big stick could be, 'We won't let the legislation through unless you do this for us'. Clive Palmer

"My interest is separate as an individual," he said.

"I'll declare an interest I may have that may be compromised, but it is for an individual to examine their conscience and do what's best for the Australian people. You should participate in debates if you've got experience and something to contribute."

Asked whether he would accept $2.2 million in campaign funding returned to the PUP by the Australian Electoral Commission, Mr Palmer said he hadn't decided but that he would not be "claiming any entitlements" while in Parliament.

He said he was unsure how much he had spent on his campaign in the 2013 Federal Election, saying instead: "I don't know. My wife knows. Somewhere between $8 million and $12 million, I suppose."

Topics: federal-elections, federal-parliament, federal---state-issues, coolum-beach-4573, australia, qld

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