PREMIER — CLIVE
PALMER — DEFAMATION PROCEEDINGS
1006. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
I refer to Premier to the front page
of today's The West Australian with its headline ''Anything
Clive can do Mark can do better'' and the announcement that he has
launched a countersuit against Mr Palmer for defamation in the Federal Court.
(1) Which law firm has the Premier
engaged to pursue this claim?
(2) What is the
cost of any legal advice he has received to date, and at what hourly rate will
his lawyers be engaged, going forward?
(3) What other costs, if any, have
been incurred by the taxpayers to date in pursuit of this claim?
(4) If the Premier is awarded
damages, will he reimburse the taxpayer after the fact?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1)–(4) The
Premier is being represented in his defamation defence by solicitor Carmel
Galati. It is not correct to say that the Premier has launched any action
against Clive Palmer. The Premier has lodged a statement of cross-claim as part
of his defence against the defamation action brought against him in his
capacity as the Premier of Western Australia by Mr Palmer. The statement of
cross-claim is just one part of the advice provided by Ms Galati and, as such,
it is not possible to quantify the cost of preparing the statement of
cross-claim as a proportion of the overall representation. Any damages secured
as a result of the statement of cross-claim will be used to offset the costs of
defending Mr Palmer's action, and any other proceeds will be given to
the state.