Clive Palmer represents himself in $12m fraud case over transfers between companies

Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer has claimed criminal charges against him are politically motivated, as he represented himself in court in a long-running fraud case centred on a transfer of $12 million between his companies.

Palmer was charged in 2020 following an Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) investigation into the transfers from his mining company, Mineralogy, to other companies, including the now-defunct Palmer United Party.

The 72-year-old faces several charges, including fraud, over allegations he authorised the transactions while he was Mineralogy’s director.

Palmer, who represented himself in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, argued for the case to be adjourned based on an appeal relating to infringement of his human rights.

The prosecution told the court the appeal had already been dismissed.

Palmer said recently disclosed correspondence from current Solicitor-General Warren Day for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions referred to significant ongoing media or political interest in his case.

He said Day called the proposed prosecution of Palmer a “try-on”, firstly by the Australian Federal Police, then by ASIC and the Chinese-owned City Group.

“I don’t think I should have been charged with something because of my … political beliefs,” he said.

“At that time, I was a leader of a federal party, which had the balance of power in the senate, and this charge reflected badly upon it.”

He argued the case should be adjourned until his other matter was heard, and submitted that if not, there would be a danger that court resources would be wasted.

Palmer said he would also make an application to the United Nations about his human rights.

He said multiple tranches of evidence had been disclosed to him since he was first charged, and he was still unable to properly assess whether the prosecution had disclosed all its evidence.

Prosecutor Dane Marley, for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, asked for the case to be adjourned for a hearing to address the various applications Palmer had already made.

The court heard there were four applications before the court, and Palmer foreshadowed there would be more from his defence.

Magistrate Cameron McKenzie adjourned the case to October 23.

Outside court, Palmer referred to Day’s correspondence being written in 2015, when he was a leader of a political party that had “been successful in protecting the Australian people against the Abbott budget”.

“The two documents that came up today was a letter from Warren Day, currently solicitor-general for the CDPP, where he said he thinks the prosecution against me is a try-on,” he said.

Palmer said the letter was written during a time when there was a “lot of frustration” in government about him “rocking the boat”.

“So it was good that these letters are finally released after nearly 10 years because it’s a serious thing for anyone to be charged with a criminal offence,” he said.

“And after all the final analysis, I’m charged with taking what is my own money and using it on my own endeavours.”

He denied his legal strategy was focused on delay tactics, saying he was at the court in person to represent himself.

“Well, I enjoy it, especially when you’re winning and you’re telling people the truth,” he said.

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