Clive Palmer with Malcolm Turnbull / Picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia
IT was the secret meeting in a Canberra Chinese restaurant that could secure the Budget for the Abbott government.
Billionaire Clive Palmer sat down for dinner with Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Head of Treasury Martin Parkinson last night.
As he left Wild Duck at 10.30pm, Mr Turnbull confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that the Budget had been on the agenda.
CLIVE PALMER ROLLS UP TO PARLIAMENT
Clive Palmer with Malcolm Turnbull / Picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia
"The Budget is a topic of conversation everywhere," he said. "There really is not much to say, we have had a pleasant dinner and a good chat."
He refused to divulge further details of the meeting.
Mr Palmer could not confirm these were the "party faithful" he had earlier said he was going to meet. "I just ran into them," he said with a grin.
Mr Palmer got into a hire car with the two other mystery diners while Mr Turnbull walked home.
Dr Parkinson remained inside the restaurant before leaving through a back exit.
The timing of the dinner for five was perfect — the nation's eyes were on the State of Origin and in Parliament House Prime Minister Tony Abbott and most of his ministers were at the Annual Minerals Industry dinner. The restaurant owner said some of the guests were regular diners and had enjoyed a range of entrees and mains before one of the two mystery diners had picked up the bill.
Clive Palmer had a secret dinner with Malcolm Turnbull and the head of Treasury Martin Parkinson in a Kingston restaurant late last night. Pic by: Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Palmer had earlier been at the minerals dinner but walked out after the entree and before the Prime Minister spoke.
He left behind a power-packed hall of mining bosses and politicians, including Speaker Bronwyn Bishop, MP Phillip Ruddock, Liberal Party boss Brian Loughnane and Martin Ferguson.
Mr Palmer did not let on that he was heading to the real power dinner of the night. "This is the life of a politician, I have to go and give a speech to the party faithful," he said as he walked out. "We have thousands of members all over the country."
Certainly the power that Mr Palmer holds through his independent seat is of great interest to the Abbott government right now as it battles to push through a controversial Budget.
The Queensland billionaire left his dining companions waiting at the Asian restaurant on the newly developed Kingston foreshore, close to Mr Turnbull's Canberra penthouse.
Mr Palmer anxiously paced around the front of Parliament House as his driver raced to get his silver Bentley from the carpark to pick him up.
"I have six minutes to get there," he said, at least 10 minutes before he left.
Earlier in the day he had asked for the government to provide him with the same number of staffers as The Greens. It might have been the bargaining chip the government was waiting for.
Or it could just have been a nice dinner of "fine Asian cuisine" among very rich friends.
Senior ministers last night were surprised to hear of the meeting and even more curious about the presence of Dr Parkinson.
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