Qld: Mining magnate bolsters LNP coffers

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2009
Qld: Mining magnate bolsters LNP coffers

Eds: Adds comments from LNP



BRISBANE, Feb 2 AAP - One of Australia's richest men, Clive Palmer, donated more than
$600,000 to Queensland's conservative parties in the past financial year, new figures
show.

But the Liberal National Party (LNP) has turned the heat back on Labor, saying it was
run by heavily-donating unions.

Figures released by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on Monday show Mr Palmer's
company Mineralogy donated $542,000 to The Nationals and $100,000 to the Liberal Party.

The largest single donation was $300,000.

He also provided $20,000 to the ALP in Western Australia.

Mr Palmer told AAP in a statement: "After the disclosure of today's figures it is clear
that the unions are funding the Labor Party while the LNP is funded by its members." He
declined to comment further.

Mr Palmer, who has mining interests in Queensland and Western Australia, is suing Queensland
Premier Anna Bligh for $1 million over comments she made in an ABC television interview.

In the interview, Ms Bligh made comments about Mr Palmer's influence over the LNP.

Meanwhile, Mr Palmer was quoted in a weekend newspaper as saying he would seek to influence
an LNP government and that he believed he was entitled to do so.

Ms Bligh on Sunday stood by her comments, saying she and all other Queenslanders were
entitled to question Mr Palmer's interest in the LNP.

The AEC figures also showed the Queensland ALP's largest donation was $498,504 from
the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union.

LNP deputy leader Mark McArdle said the figures spoke loudly about union influence on Labor.

"The unions control the Labor Party. This is all about Anna Bligh being too terrified
and scared about running on her own record of absolute failure and trying to pass on to
somebody else an issue to fight," Mr McArdle told reporters in Townsville.

Mr McArdle said Mr Palmer only had one vote within the LNP as a member of the party.

"Every member of the LNP has one vote," Mr McArdle said.

"Mr Palmer will have one vote, I will have one vote, and every member will have one
vote, and no more than that."

AAP pjo/tnf/apm

KEYWORD: PALMER UPDATE

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