Clive Palmer has labelled the Queensland Government’s bid to buy a stake in Virgin Australia as nothing more than political grandstanding.
The leader of Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has slammed the idea, saying that if the Queensland Labor Government was serious about jobs it should allow Queensland Nickel access to the Port of Townsville.
“How could this government run an airline when it has done such a terrible job running Queensland?” Mr Palmer said.
“This is nothing more than political grandstanding,” he said.
“If the Palaszczuk Government really cared about jobs and a strong economic future for Queenslanders, there are as many as 3000 jobs ready to go with the reopening of Queensland Nickel, which would cost her nothing,” Mr Palmer said.
Mr Palmer said Queensland Nickel was only seeking from the Port Authority the same terms and conditions for a new lease that had been successfully operating for 20 years previously.
“The Queensland Labor government refuses to allow access to the port it owns and controls while the people of North Queensland suffer,” Mr Palmer said.
“This government doesn’t care about the people it represents. It doesn’t care about the thousands of jobs that could be created and it doesn’t care about the businesses that are going under without the economic stimulus that the refinery would provide the region.
“Labor needs to exercise its authority to approve all terms and conditions to renew the port leases and create real jobs, instead of grandstanding about buying airlines,” Mr Palmer said.
