Clive Palmer rails at Campbell Newman vote-buying claim

CLIVE Palmer is threatening to sue Campbell Newman for defamation over his allegations that he was buying votes.

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CLIVE Palmer is threatening to sue Campbell Newman for defamation over his allegations that he tried to buy the Queensland government and was buying votes around the country.

The businessman and federal MP yesterday said the Queensland Premier, who was unavailable for comment, would likely use taxpayers funds to defend himself over his Sunday attack, sparked by the defection of three Northern Territory Country Liberal MPs to the Palmer United Party.

Mr Palmer, federal MP for the Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax, dismissed allegations he had lured the three MPs with money and said he wanted to put Mr Newman on the stand so the Premier “could demonstrate the truth’’ of the allegations.

He said Mr Newman, whose government faces a 10 per cent swing against it according to Newspoll, had launched the ­attack because he feared the PUP at the next election.

“And the Premier of course will use your money, taxpayers’ money, to defend himself in this case where it is a wholly personal affair,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“It is very disappointing to see people who can’t win a political argument, who can’t do one thing for the benefit of the people who live in this state, resort to innuendo and personal attacks when they are really lacking in any moral courage at all to bring this state forward.”

On Sunday, Mr Newman ­accused Mr Palmer — a longtime Liberal-National Party donor in Queensland who fell out with Mr Newman — of perverting the political process by “buying” support.

“This is a guy who tried to buy a government, my government, and we said ‘go away, we’re not for sale’,” Mr Newman said.

“As a result, he’s gone on a rampage around Australia, trying to buy other people and buy people’s votes.

“We’re seeing that in the NT today. I ask: what inducements were offered to these three MPs … for them to jump ship?”

The three MPs, Alison Anderson, Francis Xavier Kurrupuwu and Larisa Lee, flew to Mr Palmer’s Coolum resort on Saturday before confirming they would join the PUP.

Ms Anderson has dismissed Mr Newman’s claims.

The three indigenous MPs quit the NT’s ruling CLP early this month as a result of a rift between Ms Anderson and Chief Minister Adam Giles.

, with Mr Palmer claiming they had been racially vilified by some in the party.

“It’s very disappointing that you find people not giving people credit for their own independent judgment,” Mr Palmer said.

Mr Palmer said If Mr Palmer was successful he said he’d donate the damages awarded to public servants who lost their jobs under the Newman govenment.