- As the Queensland Election Day looms, billionaire Clive Palmer has begun running advertisements criticising the ruling Labor Party
- In particular, Palmer’s advertisements have accused the State Government of pursuing introducing a death tax
- But, the Queensland Government has denied it’s planning to introduce a 20 per cent tax on a deceased person’s estate
- The political tactics come just days out from the poll, which will be held on Saturday, October 31
- Palmer’s United Australia Party is running candidates in the state election but isn’t tipped to pick up many votes
Clive Palmer has entered the Queensland State Election race, just days out from the vote being held.
Palmer’s United Australian Party has been running ads criticising the incumbent Labor State Government in Queensland.
In particular, the billionaire warned that Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk planned to introduce a death tax for Queensland if her Government wins Saturday’s election.
However, Premier Palaszczuk has flatly denied the accusation her party will introduce a 20 per cent tax on a deceased person’s estate.
“This is absolutely ridiculous for Clive Palmer to even be suggesting this, it is definitely not true and I find it offensive, absolutely offensive that he would be doing this in the midst of an election campaign,” the Premier stated.
Queensland Cabinet Minister Kate Jones was even stronger in her denial of a death tax, and her condemnation of Clive Palmer’s ads.
“No Labor Government will introduce a death tax — we never have, we never will,” Kate said in a statement to the ABC.
“I’m fed up with it, Clive Palmer should be called out for the liar that he is and the fact that he’s willing to use his millions of dollars to scare the most vulnerable and elderly in our community is a disgrace,” she added.
The Queensland State Opposition — the Liberal National Party — has also distanced itself from the billionaire’s attacks on Labor.
“It has absolutely nothing to do with the LNP, I’ve never met the man and I have no intention to,” Leader Deb Freckington said.
“I’m not even interested in anyone else’s campaign, what I’m interested in is the LNP’s positive campaign,” she added.
The political tactics by Palmer and his party come just days out from Queenslanders heading to the polls to cast their votes on October 31.
The United Australia Party is running dozens of candidates in the election, but recent polling hasn’t favoured the party picking up any seats.