Clive Palmer under fire for not turning up to economics committee hearings

Updated

Clive Palmer is under fire again, this time for failing to turn up to any hearings of the Standing Committee on Economics, which he is required to attend because he is a member.

Mr Palmer was the only one of the 10-member panel who failed to show up at Wednesday's hearing despite it being held in Brisbane, in his home state.

The two supplementary members, Andrew Leigh and Tony Smith, managed to attend.

Mr Palmer's no-show comes as the mining magnate tries to fend off criticism of comments he made earlier this week labelling the Chinese government "bastards" and "mongrels" that "shoot their own people".

The Fairfax MP's attack was condemned by the Government and Opposition and raised the ire of Chinese state-owned tabloid the Global Times, which called for Beijing to impose sanctions on Mr Palmer and his business interests.

The economics committee is considered one of the pre-eminent parliamentary committees, with oversight of the Reserve Bank and the banking regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

The committee is also holding a high-profile inquiry into foreign investment in residential real estate.

On Wednesday the committee, chaired by Kelly O'Dwyer, was grilling the governor of the Reserve Bank, Glenn Stevens, on the outlook of the economy, including the effects of the budget impasse.

Mr Palmer failed to appear at any of the other seven public hearings the committee had previously held, which included a review into the banking regulator.

His failure to show up at any of those hearings led one person close to the committee to believe he was no longer on it.

The ABC understands some committee members are angered by Mr Palmer's disregard for his responsibilities.

One said: "It is unprecedented that someone doesn't show."

A spokesman for Mr Palmer said he did not know why the leader of the Palmer United Party had not attended the hearings, but said Mr Palmer was "busy fighting for Australians and that is more important".

Mr Palmer was named as a member of the Standing Committee on Economics in December last year.

At the time he was reported as saying he wanted to use the position to achieve "something for Australia", adding that his expertise in business would benefit the committee.

Mr Palmer has a history of no-shows at committee hearings.

In July this year he failed to appear before a hearing on last year's federal election despite demanding an opportunity to give evidence.

Topics: federal-government, government-and-politics, regulation, business-economics-and-finance, australia

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