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Tony Abbott condemns Clive Palmer’s comments about China Tony Abbott condemns Clive Palmer’s comments about China
(about 3 hours later)
Tony Abbott has condemned Clive Palmer’s comments referring to Chinese “mongrels”, describing them as destructive and counter-productive.Tony Abbott has condemned Clive Palmer’s comments referring to Chinese “mongrels”, describing them as destructive and counter-productive.
But the Palmer United party leader waded further into the furore on Wednesday, and his party colleague Senator Jacqui Lambie built upon her earlier remarks about the possibility of Chinese invasion by also raising Indonesia as a possible threat.
The prime minister, who is negotiating with Palmer for Senate support to get his budget measures through, underlined the importance of Australia’s biggest trading partner and said China’s economic boom kept Australia going through the global financial crisis.The prime minister, who is negotiating with Palmer for Senate support to get his budget measures through, underlined the importance of Australia’s biggest trading partner and said China’s economic boom kept Australia going through the global financial crisis.
“The China boom kept us going, it kept us going through the worst of the GFC,” Abbott told Brisbane radio.“The China boom kept us going, it kept us going through the worst of the GFC,” Abbott told Brisbane radio.
“It’s one of the reasons why we want to maintain a very strong relationship with China, one of the reasons why what Clive Palmer said the other night was so destructive, and really it’s very hard to understand why someone who wants to be influential in our nation’s life would be so simplistic and counter-productive.”“It’s one of the reasons why we want to maintain a very strong relationship with China, one of the reasons why what Clive Palmer said the other night was so destructive, and really it’s very hard to understand why someone who wants to be influential in our nation’s life would be so simplistic and counter-productive.”
The fallout over Palmer’s remarks on Q&A on Monday continued, with the Chinese government-owned Xinhua news agency reporting that Australian citizens sent emails to the Chinese embassy “denouncing the mining tycoon Clive Palmer’s insulting remarks”. Palmer said: “The comments I made on the ABC’s Q&A program this week were not directed at the Chinese community or the Chinese government.”
In a statement released after the prime minister’s rebuke, the tycoon said his comments were directed at the Chinese state-owned company Citic “that has failed to honour its agreements and announcements made to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in early 2006”.
On Monday night, Palmer had referred to Chinese “mongrels” who shoot their own people.
“I don’t mind standing up against the Chinese bastards and stopping them from doing it,” he said.
When the audience reacted he said: “I’m saying that because they’re communist, because they shoot their own people, they haven’t got a justice system and they want to take over this country.”
On Wednesday he stoked the controversy by accusing Citic, with whom Palmer is currently locked in legal action, of attacking Australian living standards and the wage system.
“I have been a major supporter of the Chinese for a long time,” Palmer. “What is unacceptable is a Chinese state-owned enterprise that abuses the legal system for commercial gain in a global strategic effort to control resources.
“I cannot support any deterioration of the living standards or the wage systems that any Australian or other person living in this country are entitled to under Australian law.
“We cannot encourage foreign labour within Australian jurisdiction to be paid lesser amounts than what is lawful in this country. If we do so, we are undermining the systems that protect all Australians.”
Lambie, who on Tuesday had called for an increase to Australian defence forces and warned of a threat of Chinese invasion, also went further on Wednesday. She dragged Indonesia into the issue, discussing the military threats to Australia with the ABC, “whether it’s a communist Chinese invasion or an invasion from Indonesia or anybody else”.
Palmer’s comment has left one of his senators, the Chinese-born, Mandarin-speaking Dio Wang, in a difficult position. In response, Wang said the Q&A comments were taken out of context.
Also in the statement on Wednesday, Palmer said he had admired the Chinese. The “country’s art, culture, technology and economic advancements are something to behold, as are the virtues the Chinese people have for their families and the lives of so many”.
Chinese government-owned Xinhua news agency reported that Australian citizens sent emails to the Chinese embassy “denouncing the mining tycoon Clive Palmer’s insulting remarks”.
Xinhua reported: “In one of the letters, one Australian said, ‘As an Australian citizen, I would just like to let you know that I am outraged at the remarks by Clive Palmer regarding the Chinese people. Please be assured that the majority of Australians do not hold these opinions.’Xinhua reported: “In one of the letters, one Australian said, ‘As an Australian citizen, I would just like to let you know that I am outraged at the remarks by Clive Palmer regarding the Chinese people. Please be assured that the majority of Australians do not hold these opinions.’
“[On] Monday night, Palmer abused Chinese communists and government and even called Chinese ‘mongrels’ and ‘bastards’ during a TV show on ABC.”
Asked if there were any similarities between Palmer and the former federal MP Pauline Hanson, Abbott said both Hanson’s party and the Palmer United party were “populist” and “counter-productive”.Asked if there were any similarities between Palmer and the former federal MP Pauline Hanson, Abbott said both Hanson’s party and the Palmer United party were “populist” and “counter-productive”.
“They were both populist outbreaks on the right of politics and I think in the end both pretty counter-productive in our national life,” Abbott said.“They were both populist outbreaks on the right of politics and I think in the end both pretty counter-productive in our national life,” Abbott said.
He added, “We will treat them with respect, we will talk to them constructively about why we do need to get our budget measures through the parliament.”He added, “We will treat them with respect, we will talk to them constructively about why we do need to get our budget measures through the parliament.”
Joe Hockey said while Palmer had a loud voice, he urged him to think of the interests of Australia.Joe Hockey said while Palmer had a loud voice, he urged him to think of the interests of Australia.
“He has a responsibility as a party leader to put the nation’s interests first,” the treasurer said.“He has a responsibility as a party leader to put the nation’s interests first,” the treasurer said.
“The [China] relationship is deep enough and sophisticated to withstand the odd angry shot but they are our biggest trading partner and there are a heap of people employed in Australia as a result of the fact that China’s buying a lot of what we produce.”“The [China] relationship is deep enough and sophisticated to withstand the odd angry shot but they are our biggest trading partner and there are a heap of people employed in Australia as a result of the fact that China’s buying a lot of what we produce.”
The state-owned Chinese tabloid the Global Times said of Palmer in an editorial: “China cannot let him off, or show petty kindness just because the Australian government has condemned him. China must be aware that Palmer’s rampant rascality serves as a symbol that Australian society has an unfriendly attitude toward China.
“China should consider imposing sanctions on Palmer and his companies, cutting off all business contacts with him and forbidding him and his senior executives into China.
“The sanctions could also be given to any Australian companies which have business dealings with Palmer’s. China must let those prancing provocateurs know how much of a price they pay when they deliberately rile us.”