‘Revenge plot’ suit clouds preference deal

A lawsuit by Clive Palmer against the PM overshadows talk of a preference deal between the Coalition and United Australia Party.

Clive Palmer arriving at the AEC’s declaration of Queensland senate nominations in Brisbane yesterday. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Talk of a preference deal between the Coalition and the United Australia Party comes only a week after Queensland Senate candidate Clive Palmer filed a lengthy affidavit claiming a government conspiracy was behind court ­action against him.

The mining magnate, who tops the UAP’s Senate candidate list, is facing multiple proceedings in the courts, including a criminal charge that could see him disqualified from parliament, if elected, and convicted.

In the latest affidavit, filed in the Supreme Court last week, Mr Palmer accuses Scott Morrison, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, ministers Michaelia Cash and Stuart Robert and the Liberal ­National Party of conspiring to damage his reputation for political purposes.

The court documents seek to dismiss the court proceedings launched by the liquidators of Queensland Nickel, which collapsed in 2016 owing more than $200 million to creditors and costing about 800 people their jobs.

Mr Palmer says the government’s appointment of the special purpose liquidator, ostensibly to claw back about $70m of taxpayer money paid to former QNI employees under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme, was part of a revenge plot against him for acting out against the Coalition and to hurt his chances at the May 18 election.

If he is elected as a senator, Mr Palmer could miss about nine weeks of work as the Supreme Court case is set down for 45 days from July 15.

The special purpose liquidators have also accused QNI of insolvent trading and Mr Palmer of acting as a shadow director of the company.

Mr Palmer said the SPLs’ claims had “attracted publicity and public opinion which has been adverse to (him) and his political standing”.

He said it was in the interest of the LNP to create a perception that “there exists a possibility that (Mr Palmer) will be charged and convicted of an offence relating to the liquidation of QNI punishable by imprisonment for one year or longer … thereby reducing the number of primary votes given to the (United Australia Party) and potentially increasing the number of primary votes and preferences given to the (Coalition)”.

Mr Palmer is also facing criminal charges in the Brisbane Magistrates Court after the Australian Securities & Investments Commission accused him of breaching takeover law.

ASIC alleged that in 2012, Mr Palmer facilitated his company Palmer Leisure Coolum’s breach of the Corporations Act by publicly announcing a takeover bid of the villa timeshare scheme The Presidents Club at his Sunshine Coast resort, but failed to follow through on the bid within the prescribed two-month period.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $11,000.

If convicted, Mr Palmer could face expulsion from the parliament under section 44 of the Constitution, which disqualifies a person convicted of “any offence punishable under the law of the commonwealth or of a state by ­imprisonment for one year or longer”.

The matter is scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial hearing on June 28.

The Australian revealed last week that Mr Palmer’s promised outstanding redundancy payments to sacked QNI workers had been put off until after the election.

Mr Palmer, speaking outside the Senate ballot draw in Brisbane yesterday, said he had already paid the entitlements (worth about $7m) to a trust fund and the money would be paid out as promised.