The Western Australian government is reportedly preparing to investigate a charity founded by Clive Palmer after official filings revealed the fund currently has $109 to its name.
The Guardian reports the Palmer Care Foundation, which the mining magnate and on-again, off-again politician founded in 2008, is under scrutiny after delivering exactly zero grants in its existence.
WA Aboriginal Affairs minister Ben Wyatt told the outlet his department is “currently investigating any avenues” available to keep Palmer accountable to his pledge to fill its coffers to the tune of $100 million.
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2017 data from the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission reveal Palmer Care also has zero employees, and only one “estimated” volunteer.
That’s despite Palmer pledging to flush the foundation with cash to support health research in the Pilbara in what was once billed as the largest single act of philanthropy in Australian history.
When the foundation was registered as a charity in 2012, Palmer said the cash would go towards Indigenous health and would be used to provide employment support.
The Guardian points out the foundation was established after legal stoushes with members of the Kuruma-Marthudundera people, who hold native title rights over tracts of land Palmer controversially leased for mining in 2000.
Sara Slattery, chair of the Kuruma-Marthudundera Aboriginal Corporation, told the Guardian they had not seen a dollar from the fund and that communication with Palmer has broken down.
Palmer said in 2013 that he’d start to kick money into the fund when his iron ore mine, on Kuruma-Marthudundera land, started exporting to China. Palmer’s company Mineralogy started reaping the rewards of that project last year, but it does not appear any funds have been passed to the foundation.
