Clive Palmer on collision course with anti-Adani convoy in Clermont

Clermont pro-Adani supporters are preparing for mining tsar Clive Palmer to campaign with them ahead of anti-Adani protesters who arrive in the town this weekend.

CLERMONT pro-Adani supporters are preparing for mining tsar Clive Palmer to campaign with them ahead of anti-Adani protesters who arrive in the town this weekend.

Mr Palmer, who is believed to have printed or almost finalised printing his how-to-vote cards, is believed to have told pro-Adani supporters he will attend their counter-protest.

Mr Palmer’s appearance in Clermont will be his first public electioneering since striking a preference deal with the LNP.

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A spokesman for Mr Palmer said he was not heading out “at this stage”, however, it is understood pro-Adani supporters have been told he will attend.

United Australia Party leader Clive Palmer has told anti-Adani supporters he will attend their counter-protest in Clermont. Picture: Shae Beplate

The Courier-Mail revealed on Thursday that the LNP broke away from national negotiations Wednesday and implemented its own two-month deal-in the making with Clive Palmer. Friday is the last business day before pre-poll opens on Monday so political parties want their cards printed and delivered across the state.

Under the deal, Mr Palmer will now almost certainly be returned to the Senate after Acting LNP president David Hutchinson agreed in principle to lock in Mr Palmer as number 2 on the LNP’s Senate and House of Representatives how-to-vote cards.

But controversial Senator Fraser Anning is likely to booted, with him to be placed last, below One Nation.

Conservationist and former Greens leader Bob Brown is seen during a Stop Adani rally in Brisbane, Monday, April 22. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

It is understood the crucial talks between Mr Hutchinson and Mr Palmer started directly after The Courier-Mail published a YouGov Galaxy poll in February that revealed Scott Morrison had lost support in Queensland and wrote that “a cashed-up Clive Palmer (could be) kingmaker on election night”.

It is likely Mr Palmer will preference the LNP second on his how-to-vote cards.

It could gives the LNP a shot in the arm to pick up Herbert in North Queensland, help Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, who faced a barrage of candidates preferencing against him in 2016, plus preference flows in marginal seats of Forde, Petrie and Dickson.

It is understood Mr Hutchinson wanted to preference Mr Palmer because he is pro-jobs and pro-coal.

On the Senate how-to-vote card, the LNP was working towards putting Katter’s Australian Party at number 3 and Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives party number 4.

Highly-placed sources said the LNP told Mathias Cormann, who is the Government’s minister-in-residence during the election campaign and working on preferences, would do their own deal because of the unique circumstances of three Queensland-based vanity parties.

Senator Hanson will go behind Labor in Liberal held seats but the Nationals may not follow.

Originally published as Clive Palmer on collision course with anti-Adani convoy in Clermont