Billionaire Clive Palmer in trouble in court again

The judge handling Clive Palmer’s multi-million dollar court case has admitted her patience is wearing thin after the billionaire tried to delay his case yet again.

Clive Palmer and his legal team have been given another dressing-down in court, this time over an expert witness who has gone to Brazil.

The billionaire businessman is representing himself at the trial into the collapse of Queensland Nickel, leaving creditors owed hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mr Palmer’s original expert, who had been due to testify about the company’s financial position, pulled out days before the Supreme Court trial began.

He was ordered to quickly find another insolvency expert.

Businessman Clive Palmer arrives at the District Court in Brisbane today. Picture: Jono Searle/AAP

But today’s hearing was told Mr Palmer’s replacement had gone to Brazil and wouldn’t be back until Sunday.

When asked for a pause in proceedings next week, so the new expert could be properly briefed, Justice Debra Mullins vented her frustration.

She said the replacement had given only a vague indication of when he might be prepared to give evidence.

“Quite frankly, my perusal of (the expert witness’s) letter, where he gave some estimates of times, suggests to me it’s ballpark figures,” she told Mr Palmer.

“I think it’s premature for me to be asked to just adjourn the expert evidence.”

Justice Mullins also took aim at Mr Palmer’s written submissions to the court, which she said clearly showed the mining magnate had been assisted by a lawyer.

She suggested Mr Palmer clearly label any future submissions with the name of the lawyer who helps him.

“Otherwise it’s a little misleading to emphasise your self-represented litigant status when it appears to me there has been some assistance from lawyers in your submissions,” Justice Mullins told him.

“I think it should be a bit more transparent.”

Mr Palmer replied that he was sure that happened to all self-represented litigants who used the court-provided legal service “downstairs”.

“But I don’t avail myself of that service and with my status, I don’t think I should,” he said.

“I think that’s wise,” Justice Mullins replied.

The trial continues.

Originally published as Billionaire Clive Palmer in trouble in court again