A Liberal party donor who was apparently hoping for some sweet Chinese cash that may not now be coming, comes out swinging:
Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has launched a scathing attack on the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), labelling it racist.
Australia’s foreign investment regulator has expressed a desire to cap the level of Chinese investment in local projects.
Is any action directed at limiting efforts by a particular aggressive foreign government to control national resources “racist”? Or is considering these issues entirely reasonable, and just what every government – including the Chinese government – does? Does the Liberal Party actually advocate something different, or do they agree with the Government – in which case, does Mr Palmer think they’re “racist”, too, and will he be withdrawing his support?
PS You can see how Mr Palmer made his billions: with shining wit like this, who could resist his business overtures?
“I must say to the Treasurer Wayne Goose, Wayne Swan – I knew he was a water fowl of some description – I object to that as an Australian citizen too,” he said.
It’s funny because the name “Swan” has another meaning.
“I must say to the Treasurer Wayne Goose, Wayne Swan – I knew he was a water fowl of some description – I object to that as an Australian citizen too,” he said.
comedy gold from mr palmer…
“that’s the joke”
Does the Liberal Party actually advocate something different,
Under julie bishop as foreign affairs rep the LIberals have been flat out finding a consistent, coherent position on foreign policy. One minute attacking the government for chiding China on human rights abuses, the next trying to get political mileage out of the plight of Stern Hu. Who knows what their policy is on foreign donations, it could be anything today, something entirely different tommorow. Wayne might be a Swan, but it’s Bishop who’s the goose.
Palmer is a buffoon of the Jelkie Joh variety. If I were Turnbull i’d be telling him to donate all he likes, just do it quietly!
Yeah I saw that Mr Palmer bloke, way to make friends and influence the people who matter. I think Swan’s response was rather good.
“Is any action directed at limiting efforts by a particular aggressive foreign government to control national resources “racist”? ”
It might be concidered so if it’s action restricted to non wasp aggressive foreign governments.
One would, by any “reasonable” leftist (like santa clause really) argument, think the US or Germany as aggressive foreign governments, but there appears to be no action directed at limiting efforts to control national resources against them. And they are White nations aren’t they?
NAJ, the difference is that the United States and Germany (today), like Australia, do not actively persecute and discriminate against ethnic minorities, are fully fledged liberal democracies, and very importantly, our military allies.
China on the other hand does persecute and discriminate against its ethnic minorities, has authoritarian economic and social (although improving in that aspect) policies, is a one party state, and importantly, nobody in the west is entirely sure what China’s long term Military aspirations are.
In other words, we feel we can trust the US and Germany because their societies and systems of government are quite similar to our own and have little need to fear them, as opposed to the China, with whom we have little in common other than them being our largest trading partner.
It has absolutely nothing to do with race, but with differences in government and society, and with prudent thought to national security.
The liberal party is so dysfunctional, and unable to come to a position on anything it is quite sad. This opposition being so weak is hurting Australia badly. At least we know where the greens stand on issues.
Palmer is willing to sell the farm, he doesn’t relies that a majority of Australian would like to see Australian assets stay in Australian control, these people vote. Try buying a mine in China and see how far you get Palmer.
This is where the Debt for Equity swap needs to be watched, if Australia can’t afford to repay its debt to China what equity (mines, land, Palmer’s wealth from planet destruction) will we swap (Sell) in return for this debt, to maintain our current unsustainable quality of life? The money is not there but we are spending it anyway funded by debt against assets, default and selling our assets is the result. This is what China is punting on and so is Palmer… will we fall for it?
It’s not clear from that linked article whether the FIRB is recommending a cap on all investments by Chinese people or investments by the Chinese Government. If it was the former then it would indeed be racist.
The FIRB looks at all investments over a 20% stake, be it by person or country, this is the corporations law. It has been around for along time and today you call it racist. Sell all your assets and you sell your income streams, then how do you fund your debt?
Patrick that’s fleshed the issue out more than the “aggressive foreign government ” line that was in the original post.
If we’re going to have a different attitude to aggressive foreign governments who are asian than we do to aggressive foreign governments who are European then it better be because of other reasons than them being aggressive.
Otherwise I could say that a) You don’t think the yanks are an aggressive foreign government because they are only aggressive towards Arabs (ergo you are a racist) or b) You don’t think we should mind them being an aggressive foreign government because they are not asian or arab like China and Iran or Iraq.
“……………little need to fear them, as opposed to the China, with whom we have little in common ……………”
Because they’re asian?
It’s not clear from that linked article whether the FIRB is recommending a cap on all investments by Chinese people or investments by the Chinese Government.
Chinese business is the government – there is no legitimate way to separate them (as the Stern Hu case showed).
Patrick’s comments above are spot on – our reluctance to allow Chinese investment in Australia has nothing to do with their race and everything to do with the fact that they are a one party state that has hidden its communism behind a very thin veil of pretend capitalism.
OF course it was John Howard way back in ’98 who said we are’not Asian’ or ‘not part of Asia’—Pauline Hanson was happy with that mantra I would say.
I think in the case of Rio Tinto/Stern Hu case, it was a Chinese Government owned company that wanted to buy stakes in Rio, though my memory is hazy.
And did you notice his breathing/snorting?
Charming man. A beacon to us all.
Is this the same Clive Palmer who’s suing Anna Bligh because she had the temerity to point out that he bought the National Party in Queensland? I wonder how that lawsuit’s going? Perhaps he wanted those Chinese dollars to fund his legal campaign?