Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer has suffered a crucial setback in a legal battle that could stop him from donating to his own political party because of his plans to redevelop his golf course.
In December 2020, Queensland’s Electoral Commission took Palmer’s golf course Palmer Leisure to the Supreme Court arguing the planned redevelopment made it a “property developer”, which is a “prohibited [political] donor”.
Queensland mining billionaire Clive Palmer speaking on the Gold Coast in May 2022.Credit:AAP – Jono Searle
The case is based on Palmer Leisure making six monetary gifts to Palmer’s United Australia Party between August 21, 2020 and October 9, 2020 – in the lead-up to the Queensland state election on October 31.
Under laws passed by the Queensland government in 2018, backdated until before the 2017 state election, property developers are banned from donating money to state and council politicians, candidates and parties.
It was prompted by a Crime and Corruption Commission report codenamed Operation Belcarra that investigated corruption risk in local government.
“The Belcarra report identified there is a risk of corruption when donations are made with the expectation that the recipient will, in return, make decisions that deliver a benefit to the donor,” court documents said.
“The risk is heightened when donors have business interests that are affected by government decisions. At the local government level, this risk is particularly associated with property developers.”
In planning to redevelop his Palmer Leisure golf course at Robina on the Gold Coast, Palmer lodged a development application with the Gold Coast City Council in May 2015.
The application said the redevelopment would create 2500 dwellings including buildings of various heights to a maximum of 30 storeys, a mixed-use commercial hub, as well as downsize the activities of the golf course.