It comes as Scott Morrison backtracked on the Federal Government’s support for Clive Palmer.
The Federal Government on the weekend revealed it would no longer be involved in the High Court challenge to WA’s border, because the situation regarding the seriousness of the pandemic had changed.
But Anthony Albanese demanded more answers about this backflip.
“One of the questions to be asked of the prime minister in terms of accountability is why is it that the Attorney-General, who is WA-based, as well as the Prime Minister, said they had no alternative but to support Clive Palmer’s high court challenge last week, but this week have reversed that position,” he said.
“How is it possible that both those things are okay? Either last week the government was simply wrong when it said that it had no choice, or they’ve got some other advice saying that it’s okay for them to pull out of their support.”
Mr Albanese said he and his party would support whatever Mr McGowan decided to do on the border.
“On the WA border issues, I was, and am, with Mark McGowan,” he said.
Clive Palmer hits out against McGowan’s “dictatorial powers”
Mr Palmer today continued his campaign against the McGowan Government’s border position.
He posted that the main reason he wanted to travel to WA in May was to “arrange meetings with members of the United Australia Party as the WA Premier well knows”.
It was after he was blocked from this trip that he began his High Court challenge.
“To take actions which restrict a person’s political liberty is a serious matter for any elected Australian Government official,” he wrote.
“All Australians must protect the freedom of speech and political association we enjoy.
“I understand the Premier McGowan has a great admiration for countries that have heads of State for life with dictatorial powers, but that it not Australia.”
Mark McGowan is known for having a good relationship with Chinese counterparts, especially in trade matters, given the proportion of WA jobs reliant on the economic relationship.
Further Perth coronavirus updates on SoPerth.com.au.
