PUP leader Clive Palmer left to ponder how it all went so wrong

Clive Palmer: left to wonder now it all went so wrong.

CRUISING in one of his luxury cars in his Sunshine Coast electorate, Clive Palmer showed his quirkiness and natural competitive instinct.

In Brisbane, about 100km from his dinosaur park-cum-resort, the world’s major economic event, the G20, was warming up with VIP greetings, high-level talks and security lockdowns.

And on Mr Palmer’s car radio, the ABC’s afternoon presenter Kelly Higgins-Devine was promoting a quiz: “Guess the G20 world celebrity leader’’.

Callers who responded to the clues — “this world leader married a famous folk singer … this world leader was 15 when his father, a communist revolutionary, went to prison” — and guessed correctly would win a prize, a DVD.

Mr Palmer called in: “It’s Xi Jinping”.

INTERACTIVE: G20 explained

For correctly naming the President of China, Mr Palmer won the DVD. Nice work.

After some friendly banter on the radio — all amid the quickening disintegration of the Palmer United Party, the relentless pursuit in the courts of his allegedly fraudulent conduct (which he denies), and the ongoing destruction of value in his assets — he continued driving on his merry way.

This bright spot in an otherwise dreadful few months for Queensland’s most outspoken resources tycoon subtly highlighted another truism.

It is this. Under very different circumstances, Mr Palmer could have been Australia’s pin-up at the G20, a business ambassador to our most important market, China. Had he played his cards properly, he could have been there to make important introductions, shake VIP hands and even proffer economic advice. Because among the exaggerations and fantasies that characterise the outpourings from the federal member for Fairfax, there are indisputable truths.

Here is another celebrity quiz. Who fostered strategic relationships with senior officials and Chinese business leaders in Beijing before our resources boom took off?

Who persuaded these officials and business leaders to spend several billion dollars in Australia, in the biggest investment by Beijing in this country, reaping him $US415 million upfront for selling to China the right to mine iron ore, leading to a long-term supply chain and thousands of jobs?

Who still controls assets in the Galilee Basin, a vast coal province which has been attractive to China in the past and may be again when it is economic to develop and mine?

It is Clive Palmer. And now, as an influential politician, leading a party sharing, albeit precariously, the balance of power in the Senate, Mr Palmer’s status should have further impressed China and commanded respect.

Instead, at home and at the G20, he is China’s public enemy No 1. He has pariah status.

If Mr Xi discusses Mr Palmer here, the chances are it will be in a confidential setting so China’s President can be updated on next steps in a court case here in which he is understood to be properly briefed.

A rare event for China — serious litigation against a business partner — is reaching its pointy end. China’s overseas investment company is seeking to have the PUP founder declared dishonest and fraudulent over more than $12m he is accused of taking from an account meant to pay for port services and spending most of it on his PUP. A civil trial starts in Brisbane in 11 days. Mr Palmer has denied wrongdoing.

As the G20 unfolds without him, and Jacqui Lambie threatens to walk, Mr Palmer might ponder another quiz question: how did it all go so horribly wrong?