Shorten unfit to be PM, says Palmer

CLIVE Palmer blasted Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as “unfit to be Prime Minister” because he was lying about seeking preferences – but Labor says he is the one being dishonest.

In an extraordinary intervention, the billionaire held a press conference and took no questions, to deliver a blistering statement detailing what he said was Labor’s attempts to woo him on a preference deal.

Labor powerbroker Senator Anthony Chisholm admitted to speaking with Mr Palmer twice in recent weeks, but he said it was intelligence gathering and denied any offers were made.

It is despite reports revealing leaked text messages on the weekend from Labor’s manager of opposition business in the Senate Deborah O’Neill directly seeking to discuss preferences with a Palmer operative.

Mr Palmer said he received a phone call from Senator Chisholm last week wanting to talk preferences.

“I received a phone call from him last week saying he was in North Queensland with someone named Bill and asked whether it was still possible to get United Australia Party preferences,” he said.

“Shorten’s repeated lies about preferences confirm my judgment that he is not morally fit to be Prime Minister of Australia.”

He made the claim in a speech which included several incorrect statements. These included that Queensland Nickel’s administrator “sacked all the workers”, when 220 staff were sacked before they were even appointed, as well as that the Greens had a policy of offering free marijuana.

Mr Palmer also falsely claims in advertising that neither major party is offering tax cuts until 2024, when both have promised offsets which will be available from July.