Federal Election: Clive Palmer powers ahead with Titanic plans

Clive Palmer has announced ambitious plans to build a new coal-fired power station in central Queensland which reminds us of another ambitious plan he’s pursuing, writes Michael Madigan.

ELECTION hopeful Clive Palmer has announced ambitious plans to build a new coal-fired power station in central Queensland which reminds us of another ambitious plan he’s pursuing – rebuilding the RMS Titanic.

Clive, whose United Australia Party is likely to win a place in the Senate, announced the Titanic plan in 2012, calling the proposed Titanic 11 a “ship of peace’’.

It was then intended to sail from its construction site in China into Southampton in 2016, then onward to New York

Clive and Anna Palmer with daughter Mary will likely be ready when the ship sails in 2020.

“We will complete the journey,’’ declared Clive, referring to the 1912 trip interrupted by an iceberg.

The maiden voyage was then rescheduled until 2018 after some minor financial setbacks.

Now it appears the ship will sail in 2022.

No one is mean spirited enough to suggest the 21st Century version of the Titanic – globally recognised as a metaphor for disaster – will not once again brave the waters of the Atlantic.

All we do suggest is central Queensland residents hold off on job applications in their new coal-fired power station – it may take a while.

A LONG LECTURE LOOMS

THE prospect of another long lecture looms as Rob Oakeshott materialises on the electoral horizon in the seat of Cowper, just as the prospect of a hung parliament materialises with him.

Caretaker Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in the New South Wales seat of Cowper today, shoring up support for solicitor Patrick Conaghan running for the Nationals (Andrew Woodward is the Labor candidate.)

Independent Candidate for Cowper, Rob Oakeshott pictured in Port Macquarie. Picture: Lindsay Moller Productions

But Rob Oakeshott is in with a shot at the seat, running as an independent.

Those still scarred by the 2010 election which delivered Australia a hung parliament, will remember the two agonising weeks which passed as the “three amigos’’ _ independents Bob Katter, Oakeshott and Tony Winsdor - pondered which way to jump to allow a government to be formed.

Those cursed by an even better memory will also remember the 17 minute speech that Oakeshott delivered on September 7 2010 before he finally announced he would help form a Labor Government under Julia Gillard.

Polls suggest the prospect of a hung parliament is not out of the question.

ABC election analyst Antony Green says Okeshott does have an advantage as an independent in Cowper - people know who he is.

Oakeshott is quite possibly polishing his 2019 speech. Expect an epic to rival the sermons of Fidel Castro.

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, tipped to be out woman in Washington, is pictured here arriving at the Women of Style Awards in Sydney on Wednesday.

Julie Bishop will be Australia’s new Washington Ambassador? Picture: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

Former Liberal Treasurer Joe Hockey is finishing up in the US capital.

OUR WOMAN IN WASHINGTON?

ONE likelihood after the election is done and dusted is that Julie Bishop will be Australia’s new Washington Ambassador. With former Liberal Treasurer Joe Hockey finishing up in the US capital, Bishop is firming as favourite as a replacement, even if Labor wins.

Labor leader Bill Shorten was on the record last February saying that the former Foreign Minister’s future was entirely up to her. But he added: “I do have a view that former senior political representatives, former prime ministers of both parties and, of course, people of her calibre, still have service to give the public.’’