Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has labelled comments by high-profile businessman-turned-politician Clive Palmer about the Chinese government "absurd" and "irresponsible".
During a televised interview on Monday night, Mr Palmer lashed out at Chinese "bastards", calling them "mongrels" who "shoot their own people".
"They haven't got a justice system and they want to take over this country," he said on ABC's Q&A.
"I think the Chinese appreciate Australia enough to understand that Mr Palmer just speaks for himself on an issue like this and he certainly isn't speaking for Australia," Mr Abbott said in response.
"It's very hard to understand why someone who wants to be influential in our nation's life would be so simplistic and counterproductive."
Mr Palmer's views on China have changed dramatically in the past few years – in 2011 he accused the Labor government of discriminating against Chinese investment, reports The Australian, and in 2009 slammed criticism of his dealings with Chinese firms.
Mr Palmer later said his comments should have been directed at one particular company, and they had been taken out of context.
But yesterday, Senator Jacqui Lambie – a member of Mr Palmer's political party – upped the ante, calling for Australia to aim missiles at China to prevent "a Chinese communist invasion".
"If anybody thinks we should have a national security and defence policy which ignores the threat of a Chinese communist invasion, you're delusional and [have] got rocks in your head," Senator Lambie said.
"Both Labor and the Liberals-Nationals have failed to build an Australian military that is able to defend us and stop our grandchildren from becoming slaves to an aggressive, anti-democratic, totalitarian foreign power."
3 News Australia correspondent Tom McRae has the latest on the feud, plus the latest on the death of a Wellington woman on the Gold Coast as wll as news of a fatal crocodile attack – watch the video.
source: newshub archive
