2013 Election Preview: Wayne Swan, Clive Palmer to Vie for a Queensland Legislative Seat
Clive Palmer's quest for change and tussles with Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan appear headed to the political arena as the mining billionaire indicated on Monday that he intends to contest the senior Labor MP's Parliament seat in Lilley, Queensland.
Mr Palmer will run under the Liberal National Party, which national surveys said is slated for a rousing win in the 2013 general elections.
Mr Palmer said he would submit his name for Liberal's pre-selection process for the Lilley legislative district, which Mr Swan has been occupying since 1993.
"He's been a sitting member for far too long and it's about time we get this country moving along," the mining mogul said in explaining to Business Day one of his reasons for launching his candidacy against the Treasurer, who has been lauded for presiding over a domestic economy that has withstood the financial downturn in 2008.
According to Mr Palmer, his entry into politics was mostly prompted by inner desires to make a huge difference in Australia and "to act decisively for the benefit of all Australians."
He admitted too that his contrasting views, mostly on economic concerns, with Mr Swan convinced him that seeking a seat in the Parliament would be the best way to put his visions into realities.
"I have different ideas to what the Treasurer has, I want to put them forward so people can have a vote on that," Mr Palmer told The Australian.
Mr Palmer added that his run for the Lilley seat would be anchored on the notion to give something in return to a community that hosted his previous efforts of amassing great wealth.
Forbes Magazine has listed Mr Palmer as one of Australia's richest that made his billions on the country's backbone economic activity - mining.
"I think when you get to a certain stage in your life it's important to give back where you can," the billionaire said.
Mr Palmer is believed as one the key recipients of Mr Swan's recent attacks on the so-called mining billionaires, who the Treasurer claimed in an essay, shamelessly wield the influence of their money to shape government policies.
Mr Palmer, along with fellow Aussie billionaires Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest, have vehemently protested the implementation of the minerals resource rent tax (MRRT), which he said he would help repeal once elected.
The Coalition, led by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, has vowed to ditch specific tax programs of the Labor Party, among them the mining and carbon taxes, should it be propelled to the federal government next year.
And Mr Palmer said any efforts by Mr Abbott to reverse harmful Labor policies will win his full backing.
"I'm just putting my name in like any other member to serve the community," the Queensland miner said.
He, in fact, envisions the rise of Mr Abbott as the next Australian leader: "I think Tony Abbott's a great leader ... He's the next prime minister of Australia."
The Coalition government, he added, will steer the country into further greatness following the strings of setbacks that were highlighted by the allegations of wrongdoings being faced by senior government officials like Labor MP Craig Thomson and House Speaker Peter Slipper.
However, Mr Palmer, quickly qualified that he would not actively seek for a ministry portfolio in an Abbott government.
"You don't need to be a minister to have influence," the aspiring politician told The Australian.
Analysts believed Mr Palmer could see a window of chance against Mr Swan, noting that the Deputy Prime Minister was once booted out of his Lilley seat when the Liberal government of John Howard swept into power in 1996.
Mr Swan, however, shortly recovered his bearings and returned to the Parliament two years after.