Billionaire Clive Palmer implied Premier Mark McGowan lied to West Australians about the Covid-19 pandemic and was willing to accept bribes from Chinese interests, a defamation trial has heard.
The mining magnate is suing Mr McGowan for defamation, while the premier is counter-suing Mr Palmer in the Federal Court in NSW.
On the second day of the trial, Mr Palmer remained on-board his luxury yacht as Mr McGowan’s lawyer Clarissa Amato argued that during one interview the Queenslander indicated the premier was sympathetic to China.
Mr Palmer said he had heard stories about “a lot of heads of state going up to China” with an offer of millions of dollars.
Ms Amato said Mr Palmer was implying the premier was “open to accepting multimillion-dollar bribes from Chinese interests”.
“The message that Mr Palmer is conveying is that the Chinese operate by getting whatever they want, however they want, and if that includes bribing a head of state to get access to resources, then that’s what they’ll do,” she said.
Ms Amato said there was also a suggestion that Mr McGowan would be open to a bribe because he was close to China.
“I don’t think Mr Palmer would come out and say Mr McGowan’s on the take … he’s going to stop just short,” she said.
But Mr Palmer’s lawyer Peter Gray said his client was only talking about the Chinese government, not the premier.
“The Chinese are about control,” Mr Gray told the court.
“The Chinese are the sort of people who will offer bribes — that’s being said.
“But the notion that Mr McGowan is open to accepting such a bribe is not said at all.”
Ms Amato further argued that during another interview Mr Palmer implied the Premier lied in 2020 when he stated he was acting on the advice of chief health officer Andy Robertson to keep the border closed.
Mr Palmer questioned whether the premier had in fact received that advice.
He challenged WA’s hard border all the way up to the High Court but ultimately lost the battle.
Ms Amatoxjmtzyw also said Mr Palmer’s comments about the extraordinary legislation that was passed to kill off his alleged $30bn damages claim over a stalled iron ore project implied something nefarious.
In the interview, Mr Palmer suggested the legislation would shield Mr McGowan and Attorney-General John Quigley from criminal prosecution.
Ms Amato argued that implied the Premier was abusing the parliamentary system.
“What Mr Palmer is saying is this legislation is effectively a cover-up … against criminal acts,” she said.
Mr Gray rejected each of Ms Amato’s arguments.
Earlier, he likened Mr McGowan’s language about his client to British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Mr Gray said by referring to a “war” with the United Australia Party leader during a press conference, Mr McGowan inferred Mr Palmer intended to cause harm to WA.
“You only engage in a war with a group or entity which intends to harm,” Mr Gray said.
But Ms Amato rejected that argument.
Mr Palmer will testify on Wednesday, with his evidence expected to take about two days.
The Premier will also be required to travel to Sydney to give his own testimony in-person at a later date.
The trial continues.
