Preference deal done, Palmer unleashes on Shorten

Clive Palmer has sealed a preference deal with the Coalition by attacking Bill Shorten.

United Australia Party leader Clive Palmer in Brisbane yesterday. Picture: AAP

Billionaire Clive Palmer has sealed a nationwide preference deal with the Coalition that could vault him into the Senate by attacking Bill Shorten as a liar and declaring him “not morally fit to be prime minister”.

How-to-vote cards confirm the Liberal and Nationals parties have swapped second preferences with Mr Palmer’s United Australia Party in most House of Representatives seats, and in the Senate, in a move that could prove decisive for the Coalition parties in key marginal electorates and deliver three to four Senate seats to UAP.

Labor and the Greens will preference each other ahead of the ­Coalition parties in every House of Representatives seat and in the Senate.

Hours after being described as a “least-worst” destination for ­Coalition preferences by Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham, Mr Palmer — who has been dogged by his refusal to cover workers’ entitlements at his collapsed nickel refinery in Townsville — fronted the media to attack Mr Shorten and accuse him of seeking a deal with UAP.

Mr Palmer said he had been ­approached several times by Labor senator Anthony Chisholm to discuss preferences but he decided against dealing with the ALP ­because “Bill Shorten was saying a lot of things about me which were untrue”. “Shorten’s repeated lies about preferences confirm my judgment he is not morally fit to be prime minister of Australia,” Mr Palmer said. “Shorten’s attack against the Liberal Party highlights the double standard which is a fatal flaw of his character.”

Senator Chisholm later issued a statement labelling Mr Palmer “chaotic and dishonest”, saying his communications with Mr Palmer in recent weeks were about undertaking “due diligence on what the Palmer party’s intentions were”.

“At no stage did I negotiate or offer Mr Palmer anything in ­regard to preferences. I was not authorised to offer anything and I didn’t,” he said. “Bill Shorten has made it clear that no arrangements with Mr Palmer could be entertained while Queensland Nickel workers remained out of pocket, and I agree with Mr Shorten’s principled position.”

Senator Chisholm said UAP’s deal with the Coalition could hand Mr Palmer “and his shambolic team” the balance of power in the Senate. As a result of the preference swap, Mr Palmer is expected to win a Senate seat, while UAP could also secure Senate seats in Western Australia and NSW. A South Australian seat is considered an outside chance for UAP.

Almost $67m of taxpayers’ money was paid to Queensland Nickel workers to partially cover redundancy packages following the company’s collapse in 2016.

Mr Palmer this week claimed to have paid the workers an outstanding $7m in entitlements, but the money will not flow until at least May 21 — after the federal election.

Scott Morrison batted away questions yesterday about whether the preference deal had been signed without an assurance that Mr Palmer would pay his workers and reimburse taxpayers. “He has put that money aside, as I understand, and the other matters are being pursued through the courts,” the Prime Minister said.