Clive Palmer had the perfect set for his latest media performance: his luxury super yacht, Australia, which the noisiest most obnoxious billionaire reportedly bought for last year. It was there that he gave fellow right-wing billionaire Rupert Murdoch鈥檚 Australian an about the $100 million he plans to spend to influence the coming federal election.
The Italian-made super yacht boasts two sundecks, an outdoor and indoor bar, a jacuzzi, and a VIP suite. But it flies the flag of Bermuda because, ironically, Palmer couldn鈥檛 register the patriotic name for his party in Australia!
Palmer鈥檚 yacht is anchored in Circular Quay, just off the 5-star Park Hyatt At The Rocks Hotel, while his defamation case against Western Australian Labor Premier Mark McGowan is being heard in the Federal Court in Sydney.
He told the聽Australian鈥檚 John Stenholt that his United Australia Party (UAP) would exceed its $88 million advertising blitz 鈥 which is widely believed to have cost Labor the last federal election 鈥 with a $100 million war chest.
One hundred million dollars was 鈥渙nly a couple of months鈥 work for me,鈥 Palmer boasted.
Leaving aside how this stretches the meaning of the word 鈥渨ork鈥, Palmer鈥檚 boast is another reminder about how the billionaire class blatantly undermines democracy.
The rich have always used their money and power to make sure that elections don鈥檛 get in the way of their interests, but billionaires like Palmer follow a brazen path forged by former United States President Donald Trump.
Just last weekend, Palmer鈥檚 UAP helped fund a several thousand-strong anti-vaccination mandate Car Convoy to Canberra that tried to mimic the ongoing truck blockade in Canada (minus truckies, thanks to the聽good work of transport unions聽in protecting truckies through the COVID-19 pandemic). The protest brought together supporters of little far-right sects and folk duped by a mish-mash of conspiracy theories.
Palmer said he had 鈥渏ust signed a $27m cheque for television ads alone to run through to the election on networks Seven and Nine鈥.
The UAP has already been spending up on its ubiquitous big yellow billboard 鈥渇reedom鈥 signs (which have been targeted by graffiti artists in a hilarious way) and in unsolicited text messages.
Google has reported that, since November 2020, the UAP has spent聽聽on 鈥淕oogle, YouTube and partner properties鈥.
According to the , Palmer is suing McGowan over comments the premier made in 2020, including calling him an 鈥渆nemy of the state鈥.
We can leave that for the court to consider, but from 麻豆传媒鈥檚 standpoint, no member of the billionaire class is a friend of the people, no matter what they may claim. Their interests are diametrically opposed to the interests of the majority of people and they are systematically destroying society and the environment with their greed.
If you agree with聽麻豆传媒聽that the brazen antics of Palmer and his ilk are deplorable, unjust and unsustainable, you should join us in building the people power needed to expose and fight the plutocrats. Become a聽supporter聽today and make a聽donation聽to our $200,000 Fighting Fund.