Clive Palmer applies to High Court to block public examination for Queensland Nickel collapse

CLIVE Palmer has launched a High Court bid to halt a public examination into the collapse of Queensland Nickel.

Clive Palmer waves to media as he arrives to face further grilling over the Queensland Nickel collapse on Thursday morning.

CLIVE Palmer has launched a High Court bid to halt a public examination into the collapse of Queensland Nickel.

The businessman is due before the High Court in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon in a case involving the special purpose liquidators, who have been grilling the resources tycoon about the company’s collapse in the Federal Court.

The matter is listed to be heard before Acting Chief Justice Susan Kiefel at 2.15pm and features Stephen Parbery, Marcus Ayres and Michael Owen, who were appointed as liquidators of Queensland Nickel Pty Limited (QNI) earlier this year.

It’s understood Mr Palmer filed the challenge to the “constitutionality” of the process currently underway in the Federal Court, which has already heard from other key players of the doomed nickel business.

Clive Palmer arrives at the Federal Court in Brisbane on Thursday morning.

Mr Palmer’s arrival at the Federal Court was relatively fuss-free on Thursday, in contrast to his previous appearances when he and his body guards clashed with media.

Earlier this week he asked the court for special permission to enter the building via the carpark, claiming his wife had been pushed by media, but the request was denied.

On Thursday Mr Palmer told the court the joint venture behind QN could have paid off its “trivial debt” but wanted to see if the company could stand on its own two feet.

The strategy was to see if QN could “stand on its own feet” and be a long-term operation for the benefit of the people of North Queensland.

The court also heard Mr Palmer didn’t think it was necessary to put up his personal assets as security for a $25 million overdraft in September 2014 because it wouldn’t have made a difference.

Mr Palmer said he took the view the joint ventures’ $1.95 billion assets offered to the big four banks should have been sufficient.

“It clearly indicated something funny was going on when you have that kind of security and the banks don’t offer you a loan,” Mr Palmer said.

Mr Palmer also told the court his elusive nephew, Clive Mensink, is still getting paid by the joint venture behind Queensland Nickel as he holidays in Europe.

The former managing director of QN is wanted for questioning over the collapse of the company but is instead on a cruise in the Arctic to St Petersburg.

Mr Palmer said on Thursday he had no idea how Mr Mensink was funding his trip but he was still working for the joint venture and entitled to his normal benefits.

About 800 workers at Queensland Nickel’s Townsville refinery lost their jobs when the company went into liquidation earlier this year.