Brisbanetimes.com.au
Mining magnate Clive Palmer has accused the Australian Greens and Queensland environmental campaigners of “treason” in conspiring with US powers to destroy the nation’s coal industry.
Mr Palmer was expected to give his response to the passing of the Gillard government’s mining tax at a media conference called this afternoon, but the multi-billionaire was concerned only with perceived collusion between the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency and the environmental lobby.
Mr Palmer turned his attention to a report by Greenpeace and other anti-coal groups, titled Stopping the Australian Coal Export Boom, which outlined an environmental campaign designed to disrupt and delay the expansion of the industry.
While brandishing a copy of the report this afternoon, Mr Palmer said it was the result of a CIA conspiracy involving the US-based Rockefeller Foundation.
“This is funded by the CIA,” he said. “You only have to go back and read … the report to the US Congress that sets up the Rockefeller Foundation as a conduit of CIA funding.
“You only have to look at the secret budget which was passed by Congress last year – bigger than our whole national economy – with the CIA to ensure that.
“You only have to read the reports to US Congress where the CIA reported to the president that their role was to ensure the US competitive advantage – that’s how you know it’s funded by the CIA.”
Mr Palmer argued descendants of US oil magnate John Rockefeller had bankrolled the Greenpeace report, in a bid to disrupt and damage the Australian coal industry.
The author of the report, Greenpeace senior campaigner John Hepburn, strongly refuted the accusations, saying Greenpeace’s cause was funded by tens of thousands of individuals across Australia.
‘‘First up, Greenpeace does not accept funding from the CIA, nor from any other secret service for that matter,’’ he said.
‘‘Neither do we accept money from any government or corporation.
‘‘Right now, the scale and speed of the coal export boom are out of control. Clive Palmer’s vast proposed ‘China First’ mine would destroy Bimblebox nature refuge and he is part of a plan to build the world’s biggest coal port at Abbot Point, in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.’’
Mr Palmer went on to say that the document confirmed local environmental campaigners, including Lock the Gate Alliance president Drew Hutton and Greens leader Bob Brown, were improperly collaborating with foreign multinationals.
“The Greens have not been providing you with the full information about where their money comes from or what it’s about,” he said.
“I think the Greens [candidates] in this upcoming state election … should resign if they’re being funded by an offshore political power.
“It’s tantamount to treason and something needs to be done about it.” Greens Leader Bob Brown held a press conference in Canberra this evening to refute the allegations.
Senator Brown said that even though Mr Palmer’s claim about the Greens CIA links were “extraordinary” and “manifestly untrue”, they had to be taken seriously because Mr Palmer was a key financial backer to the Queensland Liberal National Party.
“They’re very serious accusations made by a person who is going to be a chief confidant and advisor to Campbell Newman, were he to become premier on Saturday,” Senator Brown said.
Senator Brown said that Greens candidates would still be contesting the state election and called on Queensland Liberal National Leader Campbell Newman to repudiate Mr Palmer’s attack on his party.