Mining magnate Clive Palmer taking WA government to High Court over Covid-19 ‘vaccine passport’

Billionaire Clive Palmer is taking the WA govt to the High Court again, this time over its ‘vaccine passport’ he claims discriminates against NSW.

Billionaire Clive Palmer is launching a fresh High Court challenge against the West Australian government – this time over its “vaccine passport”.

WA Premier Mark McGowan announced last week exempt travellers from NSW would be required to show proof they had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and returned a negative PCR test 72 hours before arrival.

But Mr Palmer claims the move, which will come into effect on Tuesday, is in breach of section 117 of the Australian Constitution and discriminates against the people of NSW.

Clive Palmer claims the WA government decision is unconstitutional. Picture: Jono Searle / Getty Images

The mining magnate said he would begin a High Court challenge against Mr McGowan and the WA government.

“By restricting free movement of Australian citizens within Australia and creating an island-within-an-island, the WA Covid-19 eradication strategy is unconstitutional,” Mr Palmer said in a statement on Monday.

“We are seeing data from millions of people in the UK and Israel that shows conclusively in regards to the Delta variant that the vaccines do close to, or absolutely nothing, to stopping Covid infection.

“The vaccines do nothing to stop the spread of Covid-19 given that the infection rate in vaccinated and unvaccinated people is close to identical.

“I have briefed a team of solicitors and will be commencing proceedings within the next 14 days.”

Mr McGowan said the people of WA must be “sick and tired of this” and urged Mr Palmer to stop his legal challenge.

“Another day and another legal challenge from Mr Palmer,” the Premier said.

“Just like our border controls last year, the measures we have put in place are there to protect West Australians.

“The Delta variant is running rampant right across the country and I’ll do everything I can to keep WA safe.”

WA has the toughest border rules in the nation. Picture: Matt Jelonek / Getty Images

The Queensland government has announced it too will introduce a similar measure for NSW travellers.

From Friday, essential workers needing to cross the Queensland border must have at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

“We are extremely concerned about the possibility of this virus coming into Queensland, so we will take every precaution we possibly can,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

It comes as NSW recorded a further 478 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday night.

Mr Palmer previously lost a challenge to WA’s hard border in the High Court.

Originally published as Mining magnate Clive Palmer taking WA government to High Court over Covid-19 ‘vaccine passport’