Clive Mensink asked Clive Palmer’s aid for help with cruises

Clive Mensink asked his uncle Clive Palmer’s assistant to book overseas cruises for him as recently as March.

Clive Palmer’s nephew Clive Mensink in Brisbane last year.

Fugitive Clive Mensink asked his uncle Clive Palmer’s personal ­assistant to book overseas cruises for him as recently as March, just weeks before the Federal Court issued warrants for the globetrotting businessman’s arrest.

New court documents lodged by Queensland Nickel liquidators as part of a bid to sue Mr Palmer and Mr Mensink over the company’s $300 million collapse ­reveal the emails between Mr Palmer’s personal assistant, Sarah Mole, and Mr Mensink.

Mr Mensink tries to have Ms Mole speak to a US travel agent to arrange cruises for him, reminding her that he’s a “3 star mariner” and to push for a “better rate”.

He also warns her to expect his new Westpac credit card and driver’s licence to arrive in Brisbane from the US, via FedEx, marked for her attention.

Mr Mensink told Ms Mole to pass his credit card to “cg” but the documents do not reveal that ­person’s identity.

On March 17, Ms Mole emailed Mr Mensink scanned mail that had been sent to a suburban house he used in Brisbane.

Mr Mensink was the sole registered director of Mr Palmer’s Queensland Nickel when it collapsed early last year, costing creditors more than $300m and almost 800 workers their jobs.

The businessman has been overseas for more than a year, ­repeatedly shirking orders to ­return to Australia to testify about the corporate failure.

On March 27, Federal Court judge John Dowsett ordered that two arrest warrants be issued for Mr Mensink for contempt of court. Mr Mensink’s lawyers claim not to have heard from him since then.

His uncle, Mr Palmer, recently told the court his last contact with Mr Mensink was in February, and insists his nephew’s email address now appears to be disabled.

Giving sworn evidence to the Federal Court in May, Mr Palmer admitted he had paid for at least two cruises for Mr Mensink. He also conceded that his father-in-law, Bulgarian Alex Sokolov, had “coincidentally” bumped into Mr Mensink twice, once on a cruise and once in Bulgaria.

Neither Mr Palmer nor his personal assistant, Ms Mole, ­responded to questions from The Australian yesterday.

Taxpayer-funded liquidators PPB Advisory are also arguing that more than $200m of Mr Palmer’s assets should be frozen.

In fresh court documents published yesterday, PPB Advisory partner Stephen Parbery accused Mr Palmer of being “habitually cavalier” in his attitude to his ­duties as a corporate director.

Mr Parbery also alleges Mr Palmer has failed to comply with Federal Court orders to reveal his “personal financial position” and transferred millions of dollars out of the country in 2012.

“Mr Palmer is seemingly well resourced and has the ability to move funds out of Australia,” Mr Parbery’s affidavit states.

“Given the nature of the claims made against him in the (Supreme Court) proceeding, I am concerned that any dissipation of assets or diminution of the value of those assets will prejudice the prospects of recovering upon a future judgment.”

Mr Palmer is defending the lawsuit, which is suing him personally for more than $73m and alleges both he and Mr Mensink each owe damages worth $13m for allowing Queensland Nickel to trade while insolvent.

Mr Parbery’s application to freeze Mr Palmer’s assets will be heard by Supreme Court judge John Bond next week.