Palmer tries to set the record straight
Clive Palmer denies being a shadow director of Queensland Nickel, admitting using an email alias to anonymously make dinner reservations. Courtesy ABC.
PT1M53S 620 349ABC journalists have hit back at Clive Palmer, releasing text messages to prove they gave the federal MP multiple opportunities to be interviewed for an expose on his business interests and political career.
Ahead of a widely publicised Four Corners episode on Monday evening, Mr Palmer has claimed the ABC has not given him the right of reply. He said he had written to ABC's outgoing managing director Mark Scott to complain about "a number of factual errors".
ABC reporter Hayden Cooper has taken to Twitter to defend the public broadcaster against Clive Palmer's claims of bias.
Mr Palmer has also released a statement accusing the broadcaster of "unbalanced" reporting and a "denial of the public's right to know".
But journalist Hayden Cooper has posted a series of text messages between himself and Mr Palmer, in which he offers the member for Fairfax three opportunities to talk, as far back as mid-February.
Mr Cooper told Twitter this was "just a fraction of our effort" to include Mr Palmer in the story.
Mr Palmer has been protesting that he offered to do a live interview with Four Corners but had been knocked back. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Just a fraction of our effort to include @CliveFPalmer in tonight's #4corners story. pic.twitter.com/R2cyxT6P6z
— Hayden Cooper (@haydencooper) April 11, 2016
Mr Cooper has also tweeted that Four Corners spent "two months trying to convince Clive Palmer to do an interview for this story. He declined".
Mr Palmer has been protesting that he offered to do a live interview with Four Corners but had been knocked back.
I have offered to appear on #FourCorners live to answer allegations being raised by the program but they refused @abcnews
— Clive Palmer (@CliveFPalmer) April 10, 2016
Over the weekend, Four Corners' executive producer Sally Neighbour said the program had been "very keen to interview" Mr Palmer, but noted it did not do live interviews. Mr Cooper added he had told Mr Palmer Four Corners was not a live program "several times".
4Corners was very keen to interview you @CliveFPalmer @PalmerUtdParty but as you know we don't do live IVs. #4corners #Palmer #auspol
— Sally Neighbour (@neighbour_s) April 9, 2016
A change.org petition calling on the ABC to give Mr Palmer a "fair go" and let him appear live on Four Corners had attracted 25 signatures in about six hours on Monday.
On Monday afternoon, the ABC's Lateline announced host Emma Alberici would interview Mr Palmer after Four Corners aired. Mr Palmer has a patchy record with ABC appearances. He has previously walked out of interviews with Sarah Ferguson on 7.30 and Alberici on Lateline.
Clive Palmer walked out on Lateline host Emma Alberici when he appeared on the ABC program in November 2014.
'Clive Palmer: the rise and fall of a business empire and political career' airs on ABC TV, Monday at 8.30pm EDT.
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