Clive Palmer has won his bid to view text messages between Western Australian premier Mark McGowan and the state attorney-general discussing a bill to ban the billionaire mining magnate from suing the state for $30 billion.
The court has given the green light to an amended defamation defence by Clive Palmer which accuses Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan of “disgraceful and dishonourable conduct” and abusing his position by hastily and secretly enacting legislation that barred the billionaire mining magnate from suing the state for $30 billion.
A judge has partially struck out mining magnate Clive Palmer’s defence to WA Premier Mark McGowan’s defamation claim over statements which allegedly accused the premier of corruption, abusing his position and lying about the decision to close the state’s borders at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
Billionaire Clive Palmer cannot defend the truth of alleged defamatory imputations that Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan tried to “cover up” criminal acts and was “corrupt”, the premier’s barrister has told the court.
A barrister for billionaire Clive Palmer has expressed doubt that the mining magnate’s defamation case against Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan can be resolved in mediation.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has struck back at a defamation lawsuit by Clive Palmer, filing a counterclaim accusing the mining magnate of making a number of defamatory statements, including that he was a “liar” involved in “covering up” illegal activity.