Mensink lawyer ‘had no contact’

THE lawyer acting for Clive Palmer’s fugitive nephew Clive Mensink has never spoken to the man, despite representing him for two years, a court has been told.

Mr Mensink and Mr Palmer’s lawyer Sam Iskander was yesterday grilled by lawyers for Queensland Nickel’s liquidators in a public examination hearing to pin down the whereabouts of Mr Mensink.

Mr Mensink was the sole registered director of the refinery when it collapsed in 2016. He left Australia months later and has been living the high-life on the run ever since, refusing to return to Australia for questioning, despite several warrants being issued.

Under cross-examination by barrister Tom Sullivan QC, for special purpose liquidators PPB Advisory, Mr Iskander told the court he had “never” directly communicated with Mr Mensink during the time he has been acting as his solicitor. The court was told Mr Palmer had been “conduit” between the pair since November 2016.

“My understanding was that Mr Palmer was the main conduit of instructions and he had the authority to act on his behalf and so, therefore, I would follow those instructions … as I was not receiving instructions from anyone else,” he said. Signed authorities were later provided, the court was told.