Clive Palmer’s multibillion dollar claims make a mockery of a tribunal that allows foreign investors to challenge court decisions | Patricia Ranald

<p>The billionaire’s last three cases are part of a growing global list from fossil fuel companies against government decisions to reduce carbon emissions</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/sep/30/australia-news-live-albanese-supermarket-united-arab-emirates-uae-coalition-sussan-ley-andrew-hastie-reserve-bank-rba-chalmers-interest-rates-decision-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Despite the Australian billionaire Clive Palmer’s self-proclaimed patriotism through the Trumpet of Patriots party, he has registered his mining company, Zeph Investments, in Singapore and claimed to be a Singaporean investor. He then used foreign investor rights in two trade agreements with Singapore to sue the Australian government for a total of about $420bn in four separate cases before an international investment tribunal.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/30/clive-palmer-christian-porter-300bn-lawsuit-against-australian-government">Palmer’s first claim was for $300bn</a> after he lost a high court appeal against a Western Australian government decision to refuse an iron ore mining licence. The last three claims for a total of $120bn are because a Queensland court refused his <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/international-relations/international-law/international-trade-and-investment-law">coal mining licence and a licence for a coal-fired power plant</a> for <a href=&quot