LNP slams Labor for ‘dirty deal’ with PUP to set up Queensland inquiry

CLIVE Palmer denies he’s pursuing a vendetta, as the LNP called Labor “despicable” for backing an inquiry into the Newman government.

Clive Palmer has succeeded in setting up an inquiry into the Newman government.

CLIVE Palmer says it’s pure coincidence a Senate inquiry into the Newman government will report back around the time Queensland voters head to the polls.

The Palmer United Party has persuaded Labor and the Greens to back the inquiry into Campbell Newman’s Liberal National Party government.

The LNP has branded the inquiry a vendetta and says Labor is “despicable” for having done a “dirty deal” with the PUP. Doubts have also been raised about the inquiry’s legality.

Mr Palmer denies it’s a conspiracy aimed at hurting the electoral fortunes of the party he once gave so much money to before a spectacular falling out.

The federal MP says the inquiry, to be chaired by PUP senator Glenn Lazarus, is about giving Queenslanders a forum to air their many grievances about the way Mr Newman and the LNP are running Queensland.

“Is it a witch hunt? No it’s not,” Mr Palmer said.

“It’s just a venue where people have the opportunity to voice their concerns. If Newman has nothing to hide then he shouldn’t be concerned.”

The six-month inquiry is due to report back on or before March 27, meaning the inquiry will run alongside the LNP’s campaign for re-election. The election is due in March and can’t be held any later than June.

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The inquiry has broad terms of reference, including looking at the Queensland government’s use of federal funds, as well as the administration of the courts and judicial system, which has been one of the most controversial aspects of the Newman government’s first term.

It will also have scope to look at development and environmental approvals, including for coal seam gas projects that were given the green light under the former Bligh Labor government.

Acting Premier Jeff Seeney says the probe is an extension of Mr Palmer’s personal vendetta against the LNP because it refused his requests for favours.

“It would appear that this inquiry is motivated by Clive Palmer’s quest for revenge because he didn’t get the sweetheart deal from me that he wanted; he didn’t get the sweetheart deal he felt he deserved because he’d been a political supporter,” Mr Seeney told ABC radio.

“We have nothing to hide.”

Mr Seeney attacked Labor over the deal.

“For them to do a dirty deal in the Senate that allows Clive Palmer to pursue his vendetta of revenge is despicable from the part of the Labor Party,” Mr Seeney told ABC radio.

“We’re talking about a politically-motivated stunt that’s seeking revenge for a business decision that Clive Palmer didn’t get to go his way.”

Earlier, Senator Lazarus said Queenslanders had been calling him, some crying down the phone, over concerns about how Newman government policies were affecting them personally.

“Lots of people are upset about the miscarriage of justice,” the PUP senator told the ABC.

Asked if he wanted to bring the LNP down, he said: “I just want to bring them to account. Whether or not that brings them down, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The Greens have defended their support for the probe, in return for PUP senators agreeing to help block plans to hand federal environmental approval powers for major projects to the states.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters says the probe “won’t be the play thing of any one party”, and she’d worked hard to ensure it could also look at the environmental record of Mr Palmer’s businesses in Queensland.

Labor frontbencher Stephen Conroy has said Labor supported the inquiry because it was looking at a “thoroughly corrupt bunch of individuals” in Queensland and their conduct behind the scenes.

“The conduct of the Campbell Newman government is something that deserves scrutiny,” he said.

Mr Seeney would not say if the government would mount a legal challenge against the inquiry.

Constitutional law expert Professor Anne Twomey has already raised doubts about its legality and has questioned whether it would be able to compel evidence from Queensland politicians and public servants, or compel the production of state documents.

“It may be that there’s enough evidence material around for them to inquire into this ... but if they want to discover things, evidence that they can’t otherwise get, by attempting to compel evidence, then that would certainly lead to a court challenge,” the University of Sydney academic told ABC Radio.

AAP