Clive Palmer slugs taxpayer for post-retirement expenses

FORMER Federal MP Clive Palmer slugged taxpayers for flights - four months after he retired from office.

FORMER Sunshine Coast MP Clive Palmer slugged taxpayers $1,383.25 for flights - four months after he retired from office.

Mr Palmer flew from Brisbane to Canberra on November 9 last year before flying back to the Gold Coast the next day, the Sunshine Coast Daily reports.

During the trip to Canberra he attended the High Court where his lawyers unsuccessfully tried to keep him out of the witness box in relation to his collapsed Queensland Nickel refinery in Townsville.

Mr Palmer tried to argue it was unconstitutional for the courts to compel him to answer questions in relation to the collapse which left liquidators chasing a bill for $66 million worth of unpaid worker’s entitlements.

The court took just five minutes to dismiss the appeal and ordered Mr Palmer’s team to pay the liquidator’s costs.

Under the rules which govern former federal politicians’ entitlements, ex-MPs can claim five return trips in the first six months after they retire.

However the travel can’t be claimed if the purpose of the trip is commercial.

Mr Palmer has been contacted for comment.

It is unclear if there was an additional purpose for his trip.

The new Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA), which was set up in response to the scandal around Sussan Ley’s expenses claims, confirmed the dates of travel stated in the report on Mr Palmer’s expenses are correct.