Court rejects Clive Palmer’s focus

AN attempt by Clive Palmer to change the focus of an upcoming civil trial was rejected in the Supreme Court in Brisbane yesterday.

AN attempt by Clive Palmer to change the focus of an upcoming civil trial in which he is accused of dishonesty over more than $12 million in Chinese funds was rejected in the Supreme Court in Brisbane yesterday.

Mr Palmer’s lawyers argued that the case raised “substantial factual issues” about the conduct of the Chinese government-owned overseas investment company, which has brought the proceedings against the Queensland resources tycoon.

Lawyers from Brisbane firm HopgoodGanim told the Chinese company’s lawyers, Allens, there had been an “absence of clean hands” on the Chinese side.

Mr Palmer’s lawyers said it was “likely that there will be a need for non-party disclosure, for example, in respect of your clients’ dealings with journalists”.

Mr Palmer’s legal team said there was “no real prospect of the trial on liability issues being ready to be heard next Wednesday, or being able to be finished in the three days set down”. Mr Palmer’s side sought to narrow the trial’s focus.

But Citic Pacific’s lawyers ­replied that it appeared these allegations were being made by Mr Palmer’s side “solely in an attempt to disturb the existing hearing dates and to delay the resolution of these proceedings generally”.

They said similar allegations were made by Mr Palmer’s side in earlier proceedings, but no evidence was provided.

Justice David Jackson QC, who has previously rejected a counterclaim by Mr Palmer, yesterday ruled that the civil trial would proceed as planned next week.

Mr Palmer withdrew more than $12m in Chinese funds in ­August and September last year from a bank account, which was set up to pay for the operations of a remote iron ore export port.

He spent most of the cash on bankrolling his Palmer United Party in the federal election. Mr Palmer strenuously denies any wrongdoing.