Clive Palmer tries to drag Palaszczuk into property developer fight

Clive Palmer is attempting to drag Annastacia Palaszczuk into his legal fight with the Electoral Commission to prove he is not a property developer.

Clive Palmer in Bundaberg.

Clive Palmer is trying to drag Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, her deputy Steven Miles and her current and former attorneys-general into his legal fight with the Electoral Commission to prove he is not a property developer.

The ECQ has applied to the Supreme Court to have a judge declare that Mr Palmer, via his company Palmer Leisure Australia, is a property developer, and therefore banned from making political donations in the state.

Mr Palmer’s United Australia Party ran 55 candidates at the October 31 state election, with its big-spending campaign funded by the resources billionaire and his network of corporate entities, including Palmer Leisure.

The ECQ’s application followed an investigation by The Australian revealing Mr Palmer personally, and Palmer Leisure, had submitted applications to the local council to build “major” property developments on the Gold Coast. The company is fighting a decision by the council to reject its application to build the Robina Transit Development Plan, comprising 1200 homes on the 75ha site.

Mr Palmer, who strenuously denies he is a property developer and insists his main business is mining, has indicated he will fight the ECQ’s action, applying to have Ms Palaszczuk, Mr Miles, former attorney-general now Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and new Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman hand over evidence related to the case.

He has issued “non-party disclosure” notices to produce documents to the four politicians, who can refuse on several grounds, including that the information is irrelevant or protected by privilege or that responding is expensive or inconvenient. If they object, a judge will decide whether to order them to comply with Mr Palmer’s demands.

The matter is listed for directions on February 1.

Despite denying he is a property developer, Mr Palmer and his company are actively appealing the Gold Coast council’s denial this year of two applications for large developments: the Robina proposal and a 76ha scheme at Merrimac called Greenheart Gardens Development Plan.

In Planning and Environment Court documents, Mr Palmer’s company argues that the council decision to refuse the Robina development is “erroneous, unreasonable and unlawful,” claiming the develop­ment would increase public transport patronage and actively promote people cycling and walking more.

The Robina plan would see 1100 dwellings constructed in a number of buildings on Mr Palmer’s golf course site, up to a maximum of eight storeys each.

Both of Mr Palmer’s proposals, if eventually approved, would see an extra 4100 dwellings built on the Gold Coast.