Clive Palmer pledges to support Israel Folau ‘100pc’

Clive Palmer has pledged his vast personal wealth towards Israel Folau’s free speech battle to ensure the dual-code international is not hindered in his bid to return to rugby league.

Israel Folau and Clive Palmer talk to media about the dual international’s return to rugby league with Palmer’s old club, the Southport Tigers. Picture: Getty Images

Billionaire Clive Palmer has pledged his vast personal wealth towards Israel Folau’s free speech battle, promising he will spend “every waking moment” to ensure the dual-code international is not hindered in his bid to return to rugby league.

The pair made an unusual partnership behind a lectern in a rented function room at Hilton Hotel in Brisbane as Mr Palmer announced his resources company Mineralogy would be sponsoring Folau’s comeback.

The starting point for that comeback will be for the Southport Tigers A Grade side against the Burleigh Bears on the Gold Coast next Saturday.

Folau will line up next to two of his brothers, who play in the team, and run in the same backline that Mr Palmer once played in as a winger.

The businessman has retained his links to the club as patron and major sponsor and said the club and its members supported the latest hire.

The former NRL player and Wallaby most recently played for the Catalans Dragons in the European Super League but has been sidelined from Australian sport since 2019 when he posted a screenshot of a meme on Instagram, warning: “Drunks, Homosexuals, Adulterers, Liars, Fornicators, Thieves, Atheists, Idolaters HELL AWAITS YOU. REPENT! ONLY JESUS SAVES”.

Folau was paid out a rumoured $4.5m by Rugby Australia in a settlement after he launched legal action claiming he had been dismissed unfairly, but has since been maligned by professional teams in Australia.

Asked on Friday about his thoughts on homosexuality, he said he had no regrets in life and stood by the Bible.

“Every word that’s written in that book, I stand by that and that’s all I’ll say about that,” he said.

Mr Palmer would not reveal how much Folau would be paid to play for the Tigers, but the real support would come from the seemingly endless pit of money pledged in any legal defence, if it is needed.

“I’ll be very surprised if he’s not registered and I would certainly support him 100 per cent with all the funds, all the resources, all the skill that I possess to ensure that he is treated fairly like all Australians. Make no mistake about that,” Mr Palmer said.

“My commitment to Israel Folau, to make sure he can play football again, is rock solid.

“I would pledge every cent, every dollar and every waking moment of my time to ensure he takes the field again.

“If people what to challenge him illegally, if they want to say things about him which are not right, watch out.”

Folau thanked “Jesus Christ”, and Mr Palmer, for the opportunity and said he was happy to play alongside his brothers for now, but he was open to a return to the NRL.