Turnbull’s correspondence with Clive Palmer ‘to stay secret’

Malcolm Turnbull’s office is refusing to release five secret letters the PM exchanged with Clive Palmer.

Malcolm Turnbull’s office is refusing to release five secret letters he exchanged with Clive Palmer ­before and after the $300 million collapse of the resources tycoon’s Townsville refinery business.

A Freedom of Information ­request lodged by The Australian for correspondence between the two revealed the existence of the five letters — three from Mr Palmer between September and February and two from Mr Turnbull, apparently in response.

Office of the Prime Minister staffer Alistair Campbell has ­refused access to the correspondence, which he said could “unreasonably affect (Mr Palmer’s business and professional affairs) adversely”, as the former MP had gone to ground.

“Numerous attempts were made, in accordance with section 27A of the FOI Act, to consult Mr Palmer in relation to the request for access to the documents,” Mr Campbell wrote to The Australian.

“Despite these attempts to contact Mr Palmer, I have not been able to obtain his views on the possible disclosure of personal information contained in the ­letters.”

Mr Palmer first wrote to Mr Turnbull on September 15 last year, when Queensland Nickel was struggling to pay creditors and seeking finance from the major banks. Mr Turnbull wrote back on October 13. Mr Palmer told the Federal Court recently that he’d met the Prime Minister in his Sydney office on October 9, alleging Mr Turnbull had promised to lobby the big four banks on Queensland Nickel’s behalf.

However, Mr Palmer claimed under oath that Mr Turnbull had then deliberately turned the banks against him because he wanted to destroy the Palmer United Party.

The next missive was sent by Mr Palmer to Mr Turnbull in ­November, and returned by the Prime Minister in December.

Queensland Nickel was placed into voluntary administration on January 18, three days after the first 237 workers were sacked from the refinery.

Finally, Mr Palmer wrote to Mr Turnbull in February — less than a week after the Prime Minister slammed Mr Palmer’s “shocking” management of the company.

The prime ministerial denial of access to the documents comes as a scheduled Federal Court showdown between top silk Walter ­Sofronoff QC and Mr Palmer was delayed. Mr Sofronoff was due to represent liquidators FTI Consulting at a Federal Court public examination into the Queensland Nickel collapse at the end of this month. However, those hearings have been put off until after the High Court hears Mr Palmer’s ­application in November to permanently stay the interrogation.