Clive Palmer's 'bipolar' remarks branded insulting by mental health organisations, Campbell Newman

HE has never shied from saying what he thinks, no matter the facts. This is how the self-described billionaire got people fuming this morning.

THE Premier of Queensland is angry as hell with Clive Palmer this morning and so are the many Australians who experience mental health issues.

At a press conference in Canberra this morning the self-described billionaire said he didn't have a problem with Campbell Newman being bipolar - not that the premier has ever said he is.

His problem is with Mr Newman taking his medication.

"When I said that Campbell Newman was bipolar (in August), I wasn't being derogatory about him having bipolar disorder," Mr Palmer told reporters. "I was being derogatory about him not taking his medication."

"Bipolar people can perform quite well in society provided they take their medication."

Kate Carnell, the CEO of mental health organiastion BeyondBlue fumed when news.com.au brought her up to speed with the remarks this morning.

"It is so inappropriate for medical conditions ... to be used in political slanging matches," she said. "This is just inappropriate behaviour."

"The problem here is Mr Palmer is making the stigma associated with mental health issues worse by making this part of a political debate."

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness typically characterised by manic and depressive episodes.

There are never political debates over whether diabetics get the correct dose of insulin, Ms Carnell said, and mental health should be no different.

"I have no idea why this is in the political debate," she said. Neither, it seems, does Campbell Newman's office.

A spokesman for the Premier labelled Mr Palmer's remarks insensitive.

"Mr Palmer's insensitive comments show a total lack of empathy towards people who are actually dealing with the condition," he said.

"It appears he has not learnt a thing since first making such comments in August".

According to the Sunshine Coast Daily, Mr Palmer then told a business breakfast: "I think Campbell Newman has a bipolar condition."

"Alex Douglas, a doctor, diagnosed that. Bruce Flegg diagnosed it. They both went to see him and explained he would have to get some treatment for it.

"He threw Alex out of the ethics committee and he got rid of Bruce Flegg out of the Cabinet.

"That's the true story. Campbell Newman doesn't make any decisions on what happens in the government. He's not capable of doing that."

Mr Newman's office said at the time he was done commenting on "outrageous" things Clive Palmer said.

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