Category Archives: Clive Palmer

Labor and Liberals will get double their public funding if ‘biased’ electoral rules are passed, Climate 200 says

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ALP denies reforms rushed into parliament are designed to target Simon Holmes à Court and Clive Palmer

Australia’s two major political parties will more than double their public funding at the 2028 federal election to reap a combined $140m under the government’s proposed changes to electoral laws, according to the organisation which funded successful teal independent candidates at the 2022 election.

Climate 200 has calculated the likely increase in the amount the Labor and Liberal parties could claim in public funding at the 2028 election, after the proposed new system is slated to take effect.

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Clive Palmer-scale political donations to be blocked under new electoral spending caps

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Candidates to receive $5 per vote from public funding, while parties and independents will receive $30,000 per MP and $15,000 per senator each

Donation and electoral spending caps could pass parliament as early as this fortnight, with Labor confident the Coalition will help it block campaigns of the size run by Clive Palmer at the national level and teal independents at the local level.

But the bill, to be introduced next week, could spark outrage from independents, emerging and minor parties, with plans to increase public funding of elections from $3.35 a vote to $5.

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New Zealand to be briefed on Aukus – as it happened

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This blog is now closed.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to ABC RN, and says news that the inflation rate has plunged to a two-year low of 4.1% is “welcoming, encouraging progress”.

… We know that people are still under pressure and we need to not be complacent about it. We need to continue to work as we have with our three point plan, having the surplus, making sure we deal with cost of living pressures without putting pressure on inflation, and dealing with … supply-chain issues as well.

With parliament resuming next week, this is a wake-up call that 2024 is the last chance for meaningful democratic reform ahead of the 2025 election …

Australians should go to the next election with strict political donation disclosure laws, truth in political advertising laws in force and information about who’s meeting ministers made public as a matter of course.

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Clive Palmer to launch million-dollar ad blitz for no vote in voice referendum

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United Australia party leader to especially target South Australia and Tasmania in reported $2m national campaign over fortnight up to 14 October poll

The campaign against the voice will be supported by millions of dollars from mining magnate Clive Palmer, who will reportedly launch an ad blitz against the referendum in the final fortnight.

Both the yes and no campaigns are preparing for a final sprint to the 14 October polling day, with major ad buys to target key states in the referendum.

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Former Asic head accuses government of failing him during ‘abusive advertising campaign’

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Former corporate watchdog chair James Shipton tells Senate inquiry of attacks on his character, competence and integrity

The former head of Australia’s corporate watchdog has described feeling suicidal after an “abusive advertising campaign” waged against him, accusing the government of failing to support him.

A Senate committee is examining the ability of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) to investigate allegations of corporate misconduct and to undertake enforcement action.

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Clive Palmer’s company plans to sue Australia in fresh claim, budget papers reveal

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Exclusive: Palmer’s Zeph Investments could receive compensation if successful in second and potential third dispute beyond existing $296bn case

Clive Palmer’s company Zeph Investments has given notice it intends to sue Australia in a fresh case in addition to the existing $296bn investor-state claim, with a potential third claim in the works.

The two new prospective investor-state claims are revealed in budget papers, released on Tuesday, as contingent liabilities that could cost the budget bottom line.

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Clive Palmer’s coal company seeks to overturn ruling that Queensland mine will harm future generations

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Waratah Coal lodges application to overturn recommendation that lease and approvals be refused

A company owned by Clive Palmer is seeking to overturn a landmark ruling that found its plans to dig Australia’s largest thermal coalmine in central Queensland would infringe upon the human rights of future generations and exacerbate the climate crisis.

The coalition that first brought the case court – led by young First Nations women and environmentalists – is vowing to defend last month’s ruling, which they describe as “the most significant decision on climate change and human rights in Australia”.

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Clive Palmer fails in supreme court bid to stop criminal charges proceeding

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Mining magnate and his company Palmer Leisure Coolum were charged by commonwealth director of public prosecutions for alleged takeover law breaches

Mining magnate Clive Palmer has failed in a supreme court bid to stop criminal charges proceeding against him.

Palmer lost the latest round in his legal fight against the corporate watchdog and regulator after being hit with charges on two fronts.

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‘Completely laughable’: claims that a mine will create ‘more jobs per hectare’ than the Great Barrier Reef derided

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Clive Palmer’s Central Queensland Coal suggested proposed coalmine is a ‘greater economic powerhouse’

Claims that Clive Palmer’s proposed Central Queensland coalmine would help the Great Barrier Reef – and would generate “more jobs per hectare” – have been derided as “completely laughable” by an environmentalist, economist and First Nations people.

Earlier this month environment minister Tanya Plibersek said she intended to block the coalmine due to its “unacceptable impacts” on the reef world heritage area, which is 10km from the two proposed open cut mines.

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Clive Palmer ordered to pay part of Mark McGowan’s legal costs after defamation battle

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Billionaire’s costs will not similarly be paid by WA premier, as judge finds ‘asymmetry of responsibility’ for ‘long and costly’ case

Clive Palmer has been ordered to pay part of Mark McGowan’s legal costs while the Western Australian premier will pay none of the billionaire’s, despite the federal court finding they both defamed each other.

On Thursday, Justice Michael Lee found there was an “asymmetry of responsibility” for the “long and costly” hearing of the case, because Palmer launched proceedings but only McGowan “was willing to draw back” by offering to drop the case in December 2021.

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Clive Palmer’s massive advertising spend fails to translate into election success for United Australia party

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UAP vote increases slightly to around 4.7% but was exceeded by the One Nation vote

Clive Palmer’s mammoth campaign spend of close to $100m has failed to deliver his party results, with its primary vote failing to reach 5% across the country.

In both regional and metropolitan areas, the United Australia vote increased slightly to about 4.7%, and was strongest in Queensland where it polled close to 6%.

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United Australia Party may have more backing than polls suggest, with voters too embarrassed to voice support, analysis shows

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Hour-long TV ads on commercial networks aired before media blackout as part of fringe party’s projected $70m 2022 federal election campaign spend

Clive Palmer’s United Australia party is burning through its projected $70m election advertising spend, including hour-long television commercials, as a data analyst warns the fringe party could have more backing than polls predict, with some voters embarrassed to voice their support.

At 9.45pm on Wednesday – hours before the blackout for election ads on broadcast media came into effect – Channel 10 ran an hour-long UAP ad which marketing analysts believe cost up to $600k but would have been discounted due to the mammoth ad spend by the party.

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How Clive Palmer’s deep pockets are building a yellow, slick road straight through One Nation’s heartland

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Analysis: UAP has bought every available billboard space, and has signs on dusty dirt roads in the middle of nowhere

Take a wrong turn on the back roads through central Queensland, about 40km from Banana (population 354), and the road turns to gravel. A few clicks further on, over a couple of cattle grids, there’s a bright yellow United Australia party sign – but not another driver to see it for miles.

This particular spot is close to smack bang in the middle of the 133,000 sq km electorate of Flynn.

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Clive Palmer’s campaign pledge to cap home loan rates ‘utterly irresponsible’, experts say

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United Australia party plan to combat rising rates an ‘just an attention grabber’ and not genuine policy, critics say

Clive Palmer’s centrepiece campaign pledge to cap homeowners’ interest rates for five years has been dismissed by economists as “radical”, “crazy” and “utterly irresponsible” even though it will probably appeal to some gullible voters.

According to the United Australia party’s website, the mining billionaire’s “economic plan for freedom and prosperity” pledges to set a maximum 3% interest rate for all home loans to head off a looming mass default as lending rates start to rise.

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Clive Palmer’s proposed open-cut mine could have ‘far-reaching impact’ on Great Barrier Reef, study finds

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Study finds tidal currents could introduce pollution from coalmine into seagrass meadows and dugong sanctuary in marine park

Billionaire Clive Palmer’s proposal to build an open-cut coalmine 10km from the coast of the Great Barrier Reef would have a “far-reaching impact” on the world heritage area, say scientists, whose modelling shows concentrated pollution from the mine could reach sensitive marine ecosystems within weeks.

The Queensland government last year deemed the Central Queensland coal proposal by a subsidiary company of Palmer’s flagship entity, Mineralogy, “not suitable” and said it posed “a number of unacceptable risks” due to its location, the prospect of polluted water discharge and a lack of effective mitigation measures.

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George Christensen changes the dynamic for an already intense Senate race in Queensland

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Analysis: Plenty of high-profile candidates are chasing rightwing votes, but only one will likely get a Senate seat

Campbell Newman’s face is hard to miss. The most conspicuous figure in Queensland politics in a generation – the Liberal National party’s only state premier in more than 25 years – is, as the billboards say, back.

The message to commuters who recognise his mug is simple: “New party, same man.”

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WA premier described Clive Palmer as ‘the worst Australian who’s not in jail’ in text messages

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Mark McGowan also thanked media mogul Kerry Stokes for ‘marvellous front pages’ attacking Palmer in 2020, court hears in defamation case

The Western Australia premier, Mark McGowan, privately described mining billionaire Clive Palmer as “the worst Australian who’s not in jail” in text messages revealed in court during their defamation trial.

The premier was grilled on Wednesday about his personal communications regarding Palmer while being cross-examined in the federal court in Sydney.

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TGA demands Craig Kelly’s party stop distributing ‘seriously misleading’ Covid information

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Federal MP says allegations made by medicines regulator are defamatory and will be ‘vigorously defended’

Australia’s medicines regulator has issued a public statement saying its lawyers have written to United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly alleging the party has breached copyright and demanding it stop distributing “incomplete extracts” of adverse event reports relating to Covid vaccines which the TGA believes could be “seriously misleading”.

Since Kelly joined Clive Palmer’s UAP in late August, two unsolicited text messages have been sent to members of the public, the first telling people not to trust the major parties and the second linking to a UAP website hosting Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) vaccination reports that detail adverse reactions.

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‘Wake up and smell the coffee’: LNP members demand urgent talks after Queensland election disaster

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Liberal National party now only holds four seats in Brisbane – and struggled in regional areas

Queensland Liberal National party members have begun agitating for an urgent post-election state council meeting to bring to a head internecine conflicts between the party’s membership, its office bearers and its state leader.

As counting continues in a number of close seats, the LNP’s numbers are likely to go backwards in the next parliament. In her concession speech on election night, Deb Frecklington said she intended to remain as the state leader.

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Clive Palmer charged with fraud and corporate misconduct offences

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Mining magnate allegedly diverted funds to the benefit of his Palmer United party in the weeks before the 2013 election

Mining magnate Clive Palmer has been charged with fraud and corporate misconduct offences that carry lengthy prison sentences over the alleged diversion of at least $10m to the benefit of his Palmer United party in the weeks before the 2013 election.

Palmer denied the allegations, telling Guardian Australia the charges were “nonsense” and rehashed matters over which a court had already ruled in his favour.

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