AND you thought Joe Hockey was bad. Clive Palmer and his sidekick from Tasmania Jacqui Lambie have shamed Australia with their infantile statements about the Chinese.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Palmer’s unhinged outburst on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night when he labelled the Chinese ‘‘mongrels’’ and ‘‘bastards’’ while accusing them of wanting to take over Australia was a new low for the billionaire mining magnate.
But to make matters worse, up pops the ribald Senator Lambie who it seems genuinely believes that the Chinese intend to enslave our grandchildren. She didn’t articulate why on earth they would want to but it didn’t matter, the damage was compounded.
Of course we could just dismiss this rubbish as the ravings of politically immature opportunists with a narrow view of the world, but we have to take notice because Mr Palmer and his United Party hold the balance of power in the Senate.
Not only does inflammatory language like this debase the upper house, it has the potential to cripple relations with our largest trading partner and therefore all of us.
Directly or indirectly, most Australians enjoy the wealth that our $150 billion a year trading relationship with China brings.
That’s why Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop have been quick to condemn the views of the PUP and assure the Chinese that it does not speak for Australia.
Indeed, it is becoming painfully clear that the only person Clive Palmer truly represents is himself.
Fond of declaring that he is a champion of the people with the national interest at heart, he is the opposite — an out of control wrecking ball of invective and self-interest.
Good manners and diplomacy are not attributes shared by either Mr Palmer or Senator Lambie, and while there will be some who believe that they are bravely saying what needs to be said, there will be many more who wish they would just shut up. Sadly that’s unlikely and what’s even more depressing is we are stuck with them for another six years.