West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has escalated his war of words with Clive Palmer over the billionaire's dispute with a Chinese company, labelling the Queenslander the nation's greediest man and not fit for parliament.
The latest instalment in the long-running stoush between Chinese government-owned CITIC and Mr Palmer's private company Mineralogy over their massive Sino Iron Ore joint venture is frustrating Mr McGowan, who worries it puts more than 3000 jobs at risk.
CITIC last year launched legal action against Mineralogy, claiming it had refused to join in seeking state government approvals for additional land to store waste material.
CITIC warns it may be forced to suspend operations without the expansion.
Mineralogy, which owns the Pilbara land on which the $18 billion project sits, claims in separate legal action CITIC should have put more than $500 million into a site remediation fund.
In parliament on Tuesday, Mr McGowan called Mr Palmer "a greedy hypocrite" for raking in millions of dollars in royalties from CITIC while "running a disgraceful attack on our biggest trading partner".
Mr Palmer then accused Mr McGowan of having a "disturbing relationship" with CITIC and grandstanding before a federal election, adding he was sour Labor did not get the United Australia Party's preferences.
He even called for the premier's resignation.
The premier stepped up his comments on Wednesday.
"I've never seen him do anything for anyone apart from himself - this is the greediest man in Australia," Mr McGowan told reporters.
"He set his business up in Singapore, he's gone offshore to avoid his liabilities.
"He is someone who the Australian public should hold in contempt and the Liberal Party should be ashamed they've done a deal with him.
"He is not fit to be in the Australian parliament - he showed that last time."
The WA government seeks to break the impasse by intervening in the state's legally-binding agreement with the companies covering the project, which opposition leader Mike Nahan has offered to support.
"It's a complex matter and we're still working through the details," Mr McGowan said.
"We'll come to a conclusion on that matter I hope sooner rather than later."
Mr Palmer claims Mr McGowan has refused to meet him or other Mineralogy executives over the past year to discuss the dispute.
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