Tribunal Orders Clive Palmer to Pay $13.6M

An international tribunal, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, ordered mining magnate Clive Palmer to pay more than $13 million after dismissing his claim that he was a “foreign investor” entitled to protections under Australia’s trade and investment agreements. The arbitration was brought by Palmer’s Singaporean company, Zeph Investments, which sought almost US$200 billion over the blocking of the Balmoral South iron ore project in Western Australia’s Pilbara, and alleged breaches of the AANZFTA. The tribunal found it had no jurisdiction because the dispute was between the Australian government and an Australian national and thus rejected attempts to litigate the matter as an investor‑state claim. The tribunal ordered Palmer to pay Australia’s costs, reported at about $13.6 million. The case followed WA legislation in 2020 limiting damages and a unanimous 2021 High Court ruling upholding that law, and it culminated in a Hague hearing on jurisdiction and admissibility in September 2024. The government said it hopes the ruling will prompt Palmer to withdraw other international claims but will continue to defend remaining cases.