Mining magnate Clive Palmer plans to escalate his legal dispute with the Australian government by appealing to a Swiss court, despite a recent international tribunal ruling that dismissed his case.

Palmer is challenging the dismissal of his $305 billion compensation claim after an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague rejected his case, with plans to seek justice in the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

Critics, including Patricia Ranald from the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, have highlighted global criticism of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) cases, especially by fossil fuel companies, urging Australia to review its commitments to the system.

Palmer argued that Western Australia's denial of permits breached the 2010 ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement, but the state's law exempting itself from the lawsuit was upheld by the high court.

The Western Australian government expressed hope that the tribunal's decision would end the long-running dispute, with Attorney-General Tony Buti emphasizing the potential impact of Palmer's initial claim.

Palmer's dispute involves a Singaporean investment company claiming nearly $200 billion in damages after a mining proposal was blocked, citing breaches of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

Palmer's company, Zeph Investments, has four ongoing claims against the Australian government, including a $120 billion case related to resource development projects, with three claims suspended during tribunal proceedings.

The Hague tribunal ruled against Palmer, stating he is not a 'foreign investor' entitled to benefits under Australia's free trade agreements, and ordered him to pay over $13 million in costs, also ruling that his claim over a Pilbara iron ore mine was outside jurisdiction.

Australian legislation introduced in 2020 to prevent damages claims from mining rejection decisions was challenged by Palmer, who called it 'akin to the actions of a banana republic'.

Legal expert Alvin Yap explained that Palmer's challenge can be taken to a Swiss court, as Switzerland is the tribunal's seat, and the court's decision could potentially overrule or send the case back for reconsideration.

Despite the tribunal's ruling, Palmer remains committed to seeking justice in the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, hoping for a different outcome.