He owes millions of dollars to his collapsed company Queensland Nickel and ex-employees, but Clive Palmer has still managed to fund hundreds of bizarre billboards right across Australia.
The giant posters are appearing all over the country, and feature the former politician, 64, smiling widely in front of a bright yellow background, with his thumbs up. The words “Make Australia Great” appear alongside him, with little other explanation for the new venture.
He’s since confirmed it’s not a political comeback, but instead a broader call to Aussies to improve the nation.
His spokesman told AAP: “It’s not a political campaign and has nothing to do with politics. He’s just very patriotic and loves his country.”
However, rather than spread hope – the messages have angered several people who claim he should be focusing more on his mounting debt, and the millions he owes not only to his collapsed company Queensland Nickel, but also the hundreds of employees who lost out in the drama.
Launching into a blistering attack on radio show 2GB, host Ben Fordham cited the 900 staff members who were laid off when his company went under in 2016. Palmer’s mining company was placed in the hands of liquidators after the business racked up millions of dollars worth of debt. The liquidators are still attempting to sue Palmer for $106 million, which they are trying to claim from his other companies.
Queensland Nickel owed creditors $300 million at the time of its collapse.
“That’s all well and good Clive that you love Australia… but can you find another way of displaying that affection for your homeland than spending money on billboards?” Fordham said on the show. “Last time I checked, when you bailed out of your nickel business, staff weren’t paid out their holidays.”
Not done there, he added: “Do you reckon they would appreciate driving past a billboard of your big fat smiley face giving the thumbs up and saying ‘Make Australia Great’?”
Offering advice to Palmer, (with the expected level of sarcasm), Fordham went on: “I’ll tell you one way to make Australia great Clive, is by paying your way, paying your bills, and doing the right thing… I don’t know how this guy looks at himself in the mirror.”
He had support from former PM Tony Abbott, who claimed Palmer had not only “dudded workers”, but also taxpayers – and added many would find it “a little bit rich” as “it’s not cheap to slap your face all over billboards”.
Palmer recently announced he’s seeking $1.8 billion in damages from the administrators and liquidators of his former nickel refinery, the ABC reported at the time. The counterclaim was part of his long-running legal battle with liquidators PPB Advisory – who were appointed by the Federal Government and are suing him following the company’s collapse.
Meanwhile, Palmer appeared to attempt to turn the recent drama around in a lengthy Facebook rant this week, by claiming liquidators are now “doing a runner” – but he’s “after them”.
He claimed PPB “had agreed to sell and therefore transfer all of their assets to merger partner PwC in an attempt to avoid the damages claim he has made against the company”.
As a result, he claims Palmer companies sought a freezing order on assets of liquidation, and an injunction against the merger “in order for these assets to be available for successful claims”.
“They can run but they can’t hide,’’ Palmer said. “Liquidators and Administrators have been lying and acting unjustly for years, it’s time that Australians were defended against this industry.”