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Clive Palmer has accused Premier Mark McGowan of refusing him entry to Western Australia on political grounds.

During COVID-19 restrictions, approximately 21,000 people have been allowed to enter WA, while 68 people including Mr Palmer have been refused.

“They are refusing me entry into WA purely because of political reasons,’’ Mr Palmer said.

Mr Palmer is the chairman of Mineralogy, which is the beneficiary of a WA state agreement and Government Act, while being responsible for $10 billion worth of investment in the Pilbara.

“Mineralogy receives more than $400 million per annum in royalties from my iron ore project in WA,’’ Mr Palmer said.

Mr Palmer has a full floor office in Perth’s Exchange Plaza, a home in Perth and is a member of the South Perth Yacht Club.

“I have strong links with WA.  I have lived in the state for more than 10 years and camped at the Pilbara.

“Pursuing the WA border re-opening isn’t about me, it’s about the people of WA.”

Mr Palmer said closing the borders was a breach of the Australian constitution.

“We need the people of WA to be able to plan for the future. Jobs and certainty are vitally important to rebuild the WA economy post COVID-19.

“We need to bring the Premier to account. Australia must come together as a country and not be divided.

“My purpose of needing to be in Perth was to reinvest my earnings from WA back into the state.

“The McGowan government wants to restrict economic growth at a time when it is most needed.

“I should have been granted entry to WA as one of the 21,000 who were allowed to do so. If I was from Beijing I’m sure I would have been allowed in,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Australians must stick together.

“The Premier will be running scared when this matter goes to the High Court later this month.’’

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Fresh from victory in the Queensland Supreme Court, Clive Palmer today called on government to limit liquidators and administrators’ fees to give more Australians greater access to justice.
“I was fortunate to be in a position to successfully defend myself, but the same should be true for all Australians,’’ Mr Palmer said.
“I call upon the government to urgently consider setting a scale on the fees liquidators may charge.
“It’s time that we have limits on liquidators’ and administrators’ fees.

“The schedule of fees should be clearly known at the start of any liquidation proceeding. What appears to be the case at the moment, is the fee is whatever is left in the pot, without shareholders or creditors receiving a dollar.

“At present Liquidators are regarded as officers of the court. They have greater advantage above others, and only act to enrich their own pockets with hard-earned taxpayers money and with little or no regard to creditors,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“At the same time they are destroying businesses that could have been saved and stopping much-needed capital flowing through the economy.
“I am calling on the government to launch an enquiry into the liquidation sector so we can move towards a more equitable system for all,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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Clive Palmer announced today he had filed a High Court writ challenging the constitutional legitimacy of the Queensland Government’s border closure.

“The Queensland economy must keep growing and moving forward especially during the COVID-19 downturn. Opening the border to domestic trade and travel is crucial for the survival of the state economy and for the whole of Australia.

“The people need to get back to work. Tourism is hurting badly and we must act fast before livelihoods are broken beyond repair.

“Australia’s deputy chief medical officer and leading expert on infectious diseases, Professor Paul Kelly, says it’s safe to open the domestic borders yet Annastacia Palaszczuk thinks she knows better. Queenslanders need certainty,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“The Premier is using fearmongering on borders to try and strengthen her appeal, but Queenslanders can see through it.

“As Franklin Roosevelt said in 1933 …the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

“I strongly believe the Queensland Premier will come to her senses and back down on the border closures before our matter is heard in early July.

“If this is the outcome, then it’s been worthwhile

“I have a strong desire to see Queenslanders back on their feet. It is my moral obligation to help,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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A pending High Court challenge had caused a stunning backflip on border closures by the Queensland Premier, Clive Palmer said in Brisbane today.

“The Queensland Premier has now said that instead of September, she will be looking at reopening the state borders to the rest of Australia in July,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“I welcome this necessary move but it’s only happening because of the legal proceedings I have undertaken as a result of the damages she and her government have caused to hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders.”

The comments come as Mr Palmer’s High Court challenge moves towards a full bench hearing.

At a directions hearing conducted before Her Honour Chief Justice Kiefel on Thursday, Her Honour indicated that if the parties were able to ready the matter for hearing, the Court was available to hear the matter in early July 2020.

Her Honour made directions for the parties to exchange further documents and for a further directions hearing on 10 June 2020 to check progress on the matter at which time it is expected that any orders setting the matter down for hearing would be made.

“The Premier knows her goose is cooked and will make her announcement about the borders re-opening just before the High Court hearing.

“The Premier is controlled by unions. She has seen what they have done to Jackie Trad and she is worried the same may happen to her, so she bows to their every demand while the Queensland economy and way of life suffers.

“This Queensland Government is run by faceless unionists,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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The leader of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has urged One Nation senator Pauline Hanson to stop with the shallow words over Queensland borders.

“I have lodged a fully funded action with the High Court challenging both the WA and Queensland border closures as unconstitutional.

“This matter will cost in the order of $1 million, a far cry from the $17,000 Pauline Hanson has scraped together through crowdfunding,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Our challenge does not need her support, which is only confusing the issue and wasting the court’s time.”

The comments come as Mr Palmer’s High Court challenge moves towards a full bench hearing.

At a directions hearing conducted before Her Honour Chief Justice Kiefel on Thursday, Her Honour indicated that if the parties were able to ready the matter for hearing, the Court was available to hear the matter in early July 2020.

Her Honour made directions for the parties to exchange further documents and for a further directions hearing on 10 June 2020 to check progress on the matter at which time it is expected that any orders setting the matter down for hearing would be made.

Mr Palmer said it was clear that WA Premier Mark McGowan and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk needed to act immediately to open up their respective state borders to restore jobs and economic confidence.

“Both Labor premiers need to act swiftly and decisively to ensure a successful future beyond COVID-19 by opening their borders to trade and travel from other Australian states.

“The WA and Queensland economies must keep growing and moving forward especially during the COVID-19 downturn. This is crucial for the survival of the domestic economy and for the whole of Australia,’’ he said.

“Pauline Hanson needs the High Court to hear the matter before it and not divert attention to herself for political gain,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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Clive Palmer has announced Queensland would now be included along with WA in the High Court challenge over domestic border closures in this afternoon’s directions hearing in Brisbane.

“Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Government will be included in my instructions regarding the High Court challenge this afternoon,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“I am duty bound to show solidarity towards and do whatever is in my power to help those who are now unemployed and have businesses that have been adversely affected.

“At this historical time there are thousands of Australians in need of rest and recovery.

“Queensland is at the top of the holiday wish list in Australia and it is an injustice that the borders are not open.

“There are over 30,000 people unemployed on the Gold Coast alone. We are seeing devastation across the state as a result of economic downturn,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Opening the borders in Queensland will provide the boost needed to return jobs and prosperity to this state.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk is discriminating against her own people by locking away the fruits of Queensland such as the Great Barrier Reef and other treasures from interstate visitors.

“History tells us he who stops to ponder the past, loses sight of the future.

“Queensland cannot wait any longer, we need action now.

“This is why my lawyers have been instructed to include Queensland in the High Court challenge this afternoon,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“It is a matter of national importance that the borders be open.”

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Clive Palmer confirmed today a directions hearing was scheduled for 2.15pm today (Thurs, May 28)  in Brisbane regarding his High Court challenge over the domestic border closure in Western Australia.

It follows the filing of documents with the High Court on Monday, challenging the WA Government’s closure of its state border to trade and travel movements as unconstitutional.

Mr Palmer’s legal team will comprise the former solicitor general for Queensland, Peter Dunning QC; Sydney commercial barrister Richard Scheelings; Perth barrister Peter Ward and Queensland solicitor Jonathan Shaw.

Mr Palmer said the purpose of the hearing was to obtain directions so that relevant documents and submissions are filed by June 26 so that the matter can be heard by the full court of the HCA as soon as practicable after that date.

“There is no time to waste in getting people back to work and building prosperity for the state,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Closing down the border is not only an act of stupidity by WA Premier Mark McGowan, but I believe that it is against the Australian constitution and I am confident the High Court will see it that way as well.”

“The WA Premier needs to act now to ensure a successful future beyond COVID-19 by opening his borders to allow trade and travel from Australian states into WA,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“The WA economy must keep growing and moving forward especially during the COVID-19 downturn. This is crucial for the survival of the domestic economy and for the whole of Australia.

“It is a matter of national importance that the borders be open.”

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The leader of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has blasted One Nation senator Pauline Hanson for her ‘Claytons” High Court challenge to Queensland’s border closures.

Mr Palmer himself this week lodged documents with the High Court, declaring the similar border closure of Western Australia as unconstitutional which he will be viewing as a test case for pursuing similar action in Queensland.

“My intentions are very clear when it comes to fighting these closures and doing what I can to rebuild jobs and prosperity in Queensland,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Actions speak louder than words.

“Senator Hanson is crowd funding her campaign and will be lucky to raise enough to pay a QC for one hour.

“She is on a generous $200,000-plus salary per year, on top of numerous other incentives. She should do it offer her own bat.

“Queenslanders deserve better than this meaningless publicity stunt,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk must act in the best interests of her state and backflip on border closures, Clive Palmer said today.

The leader of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party said Ms Palaszczuk was running faster than a Melbourne Cup favourite as more and more Queenslanders called for an opening of borders to allow the flow of trade and travel from other Australian states.

This week Mr Palmer lodged documents with the High Court, declaring the similar border closure of Western Australia as unconstitutional and said he would be viewing this as a test case for pursuing similar action in Queensland.

“By maintaining a lock down and closed borders, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has condemned nearly a million Queenslanders to financial ruin, unemployment, stress and family break-up,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“There is no time to waste with the winter school holiday break on our doorstep, where an influx of southern visitors could be the saviour for so many Queensland businesses on the brink of closing their doors forever.

“Queenslanders need certainty. Australia’s deputy chief medical officer and leading expert on infectious diseases, Professor Paul Kelly, says it’s safe to open the domestic borders yet Annastacia Palaszczuk thinks she knows better.

“There are no health issues that justify the continued destruction of Queensland. The Premier needs to respond in the best interests of her fellow Queenslanders by reopening the borders immediately,’’ Mr Palmer said.

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Clive Palmer announced today he would be lodging documents with the High Court on Monday, declaring the border closure of Western Australia is unconstitutional.

“There is no time to waste in getting people back to work and building prosperity for the state,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“Closing down the border is not only an act of stupidity by WA Premier Mark McGowan, but it is against the Australian constitution and I am confident the High Court will see it that way as well.”

“The WA Premier needs to act now to ensure a successful future beyond COVID-19 by opening his borders to allow trade and travel from Australian states into WA,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“The WA economy must keep growing and moving forward especially during the COVID-19 downturn. This is crucial for the survival of the domestic economy and for the whole of Australia.

“It is a matter of national importance that the borders be open.”

Mr Palmer said he was hopeful of a directions hearing from the High Court by the end of the week.

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