Taxpayers foot bill for Clive Palmer’s flight to Canberra to fight Queensland Nickel probe

TAXPAYERS paid for billionaire Clive Palmer to fly to Canberra which coincided with his fight against the collapse of his Townsville nickel refinery.

Clive Palmer outside the Federal Court in Brisbane in May. Picture: Dan Peled/AAP

JUST months after taxpayers bailed him out by paying more than $70 million in entitlement to his sacked Queensland Nickel workers, Clive Palmer billed them nearly $1400 to fly return to Canberra.

The billionaire mining magnate, currently on a $10,000 per head European cruise with an estimated 20 of his family and friends, flew to Canberra from Brisbane on November 9 for $739.64 and returned to the Gold Coast, where he owns several homes, for $643.61, Department of Finance records have revealed.

Clive Palmer enjoys Monte Carlo last month, while on a Mediterranean cruise with his family. Picture: Supplied

The former member for the Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax, who did not recontest the seat at last year’s federal election, was entitled to claim five return flights for government purposes in the six months after leaving office.

But the dates he flew to Canberra coincide with the High Court hearing he attended, where he unsuccessfully bid to halt a Federal Court probe into the collapse of his Townsville-based nickel refinery, which sank in early 2016 owing more than $300 million to creditors.

He was not successful and subsequently attended the Federal Court in Brisbane to give evidence in May, clutching a vomit bag, an oxygen mask and claiming memory loss from medication he was taking for reported ill health.

Clive Palmer arrives at the Federal Court in Brisbane to give evidence in May, clutching a vomit bag. Picture: Dave Hunt/AAP

He had earlier tried to be excused from giving evidence by providing a doctor’s certificate, however, the judge ordered him to attend court.

At the conclusion of his three days of evidence, he had the energy to sneak up on Channel 10 reporter Claire Barnes as she recorded her piece to camera outside the court.

Mr Palmer has repeatedly been called to give evidence since the investigation was launched by federal government liquidators last year, as they pursue him for costs.

A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of his nephew, Queensland Nickel director Clive Mensink, who fled overseas after the company’s collapse.

Mr Mensink was reported to be joining Mr Palmer and his family on their European cruise, which finishes in the Italian city of Venice on Sunday.

The Australian reported on Wednesday that liquidators have launched legal action to recover almost $500 million from the pair.

Mr Palmer outside the High Court in Canberra last November. His return flights from Queensland were billed to the taxpayer.

Though Mr Palmer has denied any involvement in the company’s collapse, liquidators allege he used the alias Terry Smith to “wilfully and recklessly” direct cash to be taken from Queensland Nickel and poured into his other businesses.

Liquidators also claim Mr Palmer used the cash to buy golf courses, resorts and vintage cars.

He told The Australian via text message that the legal action was a “political stunt by a desperate Prime Minister.”

It comes less than a month after he publicly defended his luxury cruise, saying that, “like any Australian, I have the right to take my family on a holiday.”

Originally published as Taxpayers foot bill for Clive Palmer’s flight to Canberra to fight Queensland Nickel probe