Byrne slams Palmer's legal claim

Clive Palmer

Chris Ison

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COMPETITION to take as much advantage of Queensland's mining boom has turned into a political tennis match.

Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer, who is a big donor to the Liberal National Party, recently launched an $8 billion lawsuit claiming there had been political inference in a Queensland coal rail decision.

Labor members were reported to have tweeted in reaction to the lawsuit.

Rockhampton's Labor Party candidate Bill Byrne has jumped on the bandwagon.

He said the lawsuit could have an effect on Central Queensland rail workers of the newly formed QRN Coal and their job security.

The Queensland Co-ordinator-General declared QR National's Central Queensland Integrated Rail Project (CQIRP) as a "significant project" late last month.

Mr Palmer alleges a breach of confidentiality and misleading conduct over the proposed rail link between the Galilee Basin and the CQ coast.

Mr Byrne said the community should know that "significant project" declarations did not imply government approval or support for a project.

"Actually, a declaration is about the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) requirements and whole of government co-ordination," he said.

"Everyone has the right to take matters to court but it strikes me that the more money you have, the better chance you have of taking this sort of action, and just why Clive Palmer would go to the extent of trying to nobble the share investments of these workers and take away their future job security leaves me at a loss.

"This (QR National's project) is a vote of confidence in the rail workers of Rockhampton and Central Queensland."

Mr Byrne has called for the LNP members to tell their leader to support Queensland's independent process for such projects.