Politics

Clive Palmer: ‘China is trying to rape our economy’

Jun 19, 2018

Clive Palmer recently announced his return to politics. Source: Getty.

It has been just one day since Clive Palmer announced he would be making a return to politics, but the 64-year-old leader of the United Australia Party is already ruffling plenty of feathers after he accused China of “trying to rape our country”.

Palmer unveiled his new United Australia Party (UAP) during a press conference on Monday, following weeks of speculation after a bizarre series of “Make Australia Great” billboards bearing his face began popping up across the country.

But just 24 hours after that news broke, he has found himself making headlines again with The Australian reporting that Mr Palmer blamed the Chinese government for a cash shortfall which led to the closure of his defunct Townsville nickel plant. The refinery closed its doors in 2016 leaving 900 staff out of work and huge outstanding debts.

Speaking on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday, Palmer described himself as a”good boss” and said the administrators of his business are to blame for his former employees not being paid.

He told host Virginia LaTrioli: “Why we didn’t have enough cash to do more is because the Chinese government weren’t paying us. They were trying to rape our country and our economy.”

Palmer’s mining company, Queensland Nickel, was handed over to liquidators in 2016 after the business racked up millions of dollars worth of debt. However the former Fairfax representative revealed earlier this month that he has plans to reopen the failed Yabulu Nickel Refinery.

"I was in parliament before Donald Trump was standing."

Clive Palmer suggests the US President copied his policies and that he may have inspired the #MAGA mantra pic.twitter.com/yBxJBdQ7u9

— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) June 18, 2018

The former politician also made some bold claims about Donald Trump during the TV interview, admitting that he offered advice to the US President before he ran for office.

He said: “I was in parliament before Donald Trump was standing and the policies that I have adopted over here in our campaigning he did in the United States and there was contact between his campaign and ours earlier.”

Mr Palmer’s comments on China came on the same day that Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye was present at an Australia China Business Council networking event, held at parliament, where he delivered a speech addressing concerns about Chinese investment in Australia.

Reporting from the event, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the ambassador said the Chinese government would “not threaten anyone, attempt to overturn the current international system or seek spheres of influence. China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries let alone carry out infiltration of other countries.”

Announcing his own return to politics on Monday, Mr Palmer also confirmed the news that One Nation defector Brian Burston, who quit Pauline Hanson’s party last week, had agreed to join his party.

He said: “Senator Burston has shown a great amount of foresight to stand up for the people who elected him, to aim for their aspirations. I look forward to a long and happy relationship with him.”