Australia’s Labor government Foreign Minister, Senator Bob Carr, has described as “recklessly irresponsible” claims by the mining magnate Clive Palmer that the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is sponsoring green groups in a bid to wreck the Australian economy.
At the same time the CIA has denied all knowledge of the claims that it is funding a campaign to attack the Australian coal industry.
In an extraordinary outburst the billionaire yesterday alleged that a Greenpeace plan to launch legal action against future coal mining projects was funded by the CIA with the aim of harming Australian industry and helping American interests.
He also targeted the Australian Greens Party, claiming it was “a tool” of the United States government.
“I think the Greens in this coming state election, all their candidates should resign if they are being funded by an offshore political power,” said Mr Palmer, who is a major backer of Queensland’s Liberal National Party.
Senator Carr today slammed the comments.
“I think it’s a recklessly irresponsible comment that is going to have investors and the American government wondering if some part of the Australia political system’s lost its collective marbles,” he said in the national capital, Canberra.
The comments could create the impression abroad that Australia is a risky place to do business, Senator Carr said.
“You’re going to have investors thinking, whoa, who’s this, who is this guy?
“And someone’s going to tell them that he’s the number one donor to (Liberal-National opposition leader) Tony Abbott, the alternative Prime Minister.
Senator Carr said he was expecting some diplomatic repercussions over the comments.
“I expect to be taking phone calls from Americans today saying ‘hang on, we’re fighting together in Afghanistan, we’ve got a treaty relationship, do you think we’d be using the CIA to wreck the economy of an ally?'”
A CIA spokesman has since told Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, via email that the claims are wrong.
“Simply put, these allegations are false,” he said.
In a statement, Greenpeace senior campaigner John Hepburn rejected Mr Palmer’s comments as “ludicrous”.
He said Greenpeace would not accept money from any government, corporation or secret service.
Australian Greens leader, Senator Bob Brown, has challenged the LNP and Mr Abbott to repudiate Mr Palmer’s statements.
According to the latest financial disclosure returns, Mr Palmer’s Mineralogy gave the coalition parties, at federal and state levels, nearly $500,000 last financial year, while his Queensland Nickel gave another $500,000 to the Queensland LNP.
Through that company he also gave $2750 to the Labor Party in Queensland.
