Lawsuit seeks Palmer millions
MORE than 600 children have been rescued from locked vehicles in Queensland this year.
The figure has prompted police to issue a warning that parents will be charged if they leave kids in unattended cars.
RACQ research, to be released today, shows that 21 children have been rescued from locked cars in Townsville since January 1. The RACQ warns temperatures can soar to 40C in cars, even in winter. The motoring body believes too many Queenslanders are simply not getting the safety message.
So far in 2017, the RACQ has rescued 602 children – 12 more than at the same time last year. THE Federal Government believes “traditional” criminals rather than hackers are behind the theft of Medicare numbers that have been illegally sold on the dark web.
Human Services Minister Alan Tudge cited previous cases of doctors’ surgeries being broken into. Police are now investigating the “traditional criminal activity”.
“I have my strong suspicions but we’re leaving it obviously up to the police to do a proper investigation,” Mr Tudge said yesterday. Minister for Cyber Security Dan Tehan also said it was unlikely to have been a case of hacking. ALMOST every inch of Clive Palmer’s business empire is in the firing line of a massive taxpayer- funded lawsuit, including a whopping $ 67 million debt from his controversial Coolum resort.
The lawsuit, lodged in the Supreme Court, has broken down the expenses Queensland Nickel footed for the resort – from $ 3787 for “dinosaur balls” at the infamous Palmersaurus attraction, to more than $ 1 million in legal fees.
G o v e r n m e n t - a p p o i n t e d liquidators are seeking up to $ 350 million from Mr Palmer’s businesses to pay back debts allegedly owed to QN, which collapsed last January with a $ 300 million creditor bill and 800 job losses. Mr Palmer, whose wealth was estimatedi t d att $ 344 million in May, is also being chased for about $ 300 million personally to pay his own debts to QN and as compensation for allegedly breaching his duties as a director.
Mr Palmer ( above) yesterday released a statement from his overseas cruise slamming t the lawsuit as “just a desperate attempt for the Government to act for political purposes”.
Liquidators PPB Advisory have asked the court to order Palmer Leisure Coolum to pay about $ 67 million back to QN.
“The Palmer Leisure Coolum payments were used, in part or in whole, to care for and maintain the Palmer Coolum Resort,” the claim alleges.
It is alleged QN sunk about $ 50 million into the resort for its day- to- day operations since Mr Palmer bought it in 2011, and also helped with legal costs, payroll, and a $ 158,000 rates bill.
Curiously, in May 2014 QN allegedly paid a $ 3787 bill for “dinosaur balls for attraction”.
MELANIE PETRINEC