Beijing plotting takeover via Pilbara airstrip, says Clive Palmer

Clive Palmer claims the Chinese Communist Party may be plotting a takeover of Australia through an airstrip in the Pilbara.

Clive Palmer believes China could be planning a takeover of Australia. Picture: AAP

Clive Palmer has claimed in a national television advertising blitz that the Chinese Communist Party may be plotting a “clandestine takeover of Australia” through a little-known airstrip in the Pilbara capable of taking military aircraft. He did not mention in the ad, which aired last night, that the two retired military men making most of the claims were his nephew and former chief of staff.

The United Australia Party took its election campaign to another level with the two-minute advertisement that appeared on the Nine Network in all cities during the peak viewing period around 7.30pm.

The ad’s “announcement” might have been too outlandish for many voters.

The leader of the UAP’s Senate team for Western Australia, James McDonald, accused the state government of supporting the “takeover of Australia” by allowing Chinese company CITIC to build an airstrip in the Pilbara and to control a deep-water port at nearby Cape Preston.

Sources said last night the airstrip was opened in July 2017 and appears to be a standard aerodrome for fly-in, fly-out workers at CITIC’s Sino Iron mine.

Mr Palmer’s private firm Mineralogy is at war with CITIC on several fronts.

In the ad, Martin Brewster, a retired squadron leader in the Royal Australian Air Force, said Australia could not repel military aircraft if they were to land at the airstrip from carriers off shore.

Mr Brewster is Mr Palmer’s nephew and was an executive of Queensland Nickel before it collapsed in 2016.

Also quoted was a former commander in the Royal Australian Navy, Phil Collins, who is Mr Palmer’s former chief of staff.