Clive Palmer WARNED by Government over Hitler car purchase

On Monday, February 28, Federal Labor Member for Perth, Patrick Gorman, issued a request to the Australian Government to stop Clive Palmer from importing Adolf Hitler’s bulletproof Mercedes Benz and yesterday, March 2, he announced that the Government had acted on the request.

Taking to Twitter to announce the news, Gorman posted his full letter of request, describing the car as an “obscene object” that should not be granted permission for importation into Australia regardless of Palmer’s billionaire status.

“On Monday, I asked the government to stop Clive Palmer importing Hitler’s car using the Customs Act.

“Today the Government has acted on my request.

“There is no reason for the importation of these obscene objects into Australia, billionaire or not.

“Read my full letter below.”

On Monday I asked the government to stop Clive Palmer importing Hitler’s car using the Customs Act.

Today the Government has acted on my request.

There is no reason for the importation of these obscene objects into Australia, billionaire or not.

Read my full letter below. pic.twitter.com/KyvTEbV2bq

— Patrick Gorman MP (@PatrickGormanMP) March 2, 2022

In his letter to Honourable Member for the Australian Labor Party, Karen Andrews, Gorman sought assurance from the Minister “that Mr Palmer has not breached Australia’s customs and sanctions requirements”, deeming the purchase as “inappropriate” given “the message it sends”.

Gorman also pointed out that Palmer’s business plans don’t always “come to fruition”, stating that Palmer’s plans to place Hitler’s memorabilia in a museum shouldn’t remove his or the Commonwealth’s legal obligations under the Custom Act 1901.

In a statement from the Minister, Andrews cracked down on Palmer’s plans to import Hitler’s car, stating the Governments no tolerance policy for Nazi glorification.

“If an individual contravenes our sanctions regime there will be serious consequences under Australian law. The bottom line is, no one gets a special deal and the rules apply to all,” she said.

“The government absolutely condemns any glorification of Nazi history and neo-Nazi extremist activity in Australia.”

Twitter users were quick to respond to Gorman’s post, with a number of users defending Palmer’s rights to the purchase and importation of the historically significant vehicle.

Whilst the car itself may offend you in some way it is undeniably of great historical importance in relation to WW2 and automotive history. In my opinion it is authoritarian and against the interests of historical accuracy, learning and research to ‘ban’ it.

— Joel Johnson (@JoelJohnson122) March 2, 2022

Why? This is a purchase of an item.

— Australian Right Winger ???????? (@AussieRWinger) March 2, 2022

Others celebrated the MP’s efforts, slamming Palmer’s purchase of the car as “offensive” and an unnecessary reminder of past historic suffering and tyranny.

I’ve been discussing this with a friend. Some countries have banned the sale of Nazi memorabilia, which this car surely qualifies as. Time for Australia to do the same. Palmer’s purchase of the vehicle is extremely offensive.

— Tracie Griffith (@ettsettery) March 2, 2022

So will you be requesting VW stop importing cars to Australia?

— Lavinder Singh (@LavinderSingh18) March 2, 2022

So will you be requesting VW stop importing cars to Australia?

— Lavinder Singh (@LavinderSingh18) March 2, 2022

Thank you I agree we dont need things like that. Life is tough enough out there. Apathy seems rampant … its not safe sometimes to be out there … racism, Covid, bullying, a huge divide between wealthy and poor. We are much better without a reminder of that history.

— KellyD (@kelly_daunt) March 2, 2022

The request comes as part of Palmer’s plans to collect a number of rare vintage cars for an automobile museum he is planning on the Gold Coast. The magnate purchased the infamous car after reportedly having negotiated for two years to secure the vehicle, eventually securing the deal and taking ownership of the car from an unknown Russian billionaire for a sum of over $200,000. The shady deal could have breached Australian sanctions and will be investigated by the Australian Government for its legality.

Palmer is also believed to have purchased a Rolls-Royce that once belonged to King Edward VIII, as reported by Courier Mail and in 2012, he announced ambitious plans to relaunch the Titanic II by 2016, a venture that has since suffered a series of financial setbacks which has left the project docked. The revised launch date of the project is scheduled for this year.