Clive Palmer’s WA border challenge could cost taxpayers

The Morrison Government’s decision to support Clive Palmer’s legal fight against WA could come at a heavy cost to taxpayers.

Taxpayers will continue to remain in the dark over the cost of the Commonwealth’s intervention in Clive Palmer’s WA border challenge.

The Commonwealth stepped in to support the mining magnate after the West Australian government rejected his border exemption application in May.

Mr Palmer is arguing the decision to refuse his exemption was unconstitutional and made on political grounds.

It later withdrew from the High Court challenge launched by Mr Palmer but the government could still be asked to pay for some the state’s fees.

A Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday heard Attorney-General Christian Porter had claimed immunity when asked to provide the legal costs because the matter was ongoing.

Clive Palmer says WA’s hard border is unconstitutional. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“There is actually still a legal dispute about costs orders likely to be made against the Commonwealth,” deputy secretary Iain Anderson said.

“Disclosure of the Commonwealth’s own costs would prejudice the position in negotiations in paying other parties costs.”

He refused to answer if the court dealings had cost anything less than millions of dollars.

“We will have a figure when the costs in the Palmer litigation have been dealt with,” Mr Anderson said.

The Attorney-General’s Department has also been involved in two matters related to a Queensland border challenge.

“But those matters were discontinued by the plaintiffs,” Mr Anderson said.

He said it was impossible to disaggregate the costs for the individual matters because all three border issues were dealt with together.