Clive Palmer’s PUP won’t chip in for Taree-Wingham Race Club’s $5300 debt

Clive Palmer in Sideshow Alley, at the Nambour Show. Picture: Glenn Barnes Source: News Limited

 

FOR six months, self-described billionaire Clive Palmer has refused to pay a $5300 bill owed to a small country race club that hosted a “calamari and chips” night for his political party. 

Mr Palmer and one of his high-profile federal election candidates, the former State of Origin and Penrith NRL star Matt Adamson, have been squabbling over who owes the debt since September’s poll.

The petty row has upset Taree-Wingham Race Club directors, who have carried the debt since being told last July to buy enough food to cater for an expected crowd of 200 people.

Warren’s view Source: News Corp Australia

 

The Palmer United Party tried to sell $30 tickets to locals interested in hearing their leader spell out his policies but only 70 people turned up, even after tickets were given away for free.

Race club chairman Greg Coleman said the club was “very disappointed in what has happened”.
“There is an outstanding debt there from several months ago,’’ he said.

“The club is taking every opportunity to enable the Palmer group and Matt Adamson to resolve it. I have a responsibility to our board and the members of the club and I’m not a person to take this responsibility lightly.’’

the Taree-Wingham Race Club. Source: Supplied

 

Mr Adamson, who grew up in Taree and is a local Sporting Hall of Famer, was close to tears when interviewed about the dispute by The Daily Telegraph.

He said he “felt sick” about the unpaid bill but could not pay it as he was already more than $30,000 out of pocket from his failed tilt at a senate spot as PUP’s lead candidate in NSW.

He claimed the party had reneged on a promise to reimburse him $20,000 in wages that he paid to two campaign staff and $13,000 spent on an election campaign TV ad.

“I feel embarrassed that I took him (Mr Palmer) to Taree,’’ said Mr Adamson. “I feel I have let down the people of Taree.’’

Mr Adamson, 41, said he had threatened to pull out of the election campaign over who was paying the bills, but was told by a Palmer staffer: “Clive’s busy ... you make the call and we’ll take care of things later.’’

Matt Adamson, former NRL player, left, running for the Palmer United Party. Source: News Limited

He said he ended up being reimbursed for about $16,000 in expenses, but not for the Taree event, the staff wages or the TV advertising.

Mr Palmer last night said his party had “no liability” for the race club debt and that Mr Adamson had been “more than compensated for all expenses that were authorised by the party”.

Mr Coleman said last night that after The Daily Telegraph began making inquiries, he was contacted on Friday afternoon and given an assurance the bill would be paid by the end of this week. He declined to provide details.

Mr Adamson, whose parents live in Taree, said he accepted an invitation by Mr Palmer last June to run for the party after knocking back an offer from Liberal leader Tony Abbott to nominate for pre-selection to become a candidate in Greenway or Lindsay in western Sydney.

He said as a father of three he wanted to draw attention to the damage alcohol was causing Australia’s youth.

news.com.au 24 Mar 2014

This is the sort of vile trash Australian politics is riddled with.

Theft is a criminal offence, and MUST be dealt with by police in the pursuit of a conviction.

Since the police work together with the government this is most likely will not eventuate against Palmer.

A politician that salutes the heard population with the middle finger, is what Australian politics is all about.