Time Palmer got off his high horse

CLIVE Palmer’s bizarre behaviour wore thin on the Australian public a long time ago but this week’s antics are really starting to grate.

This week’s latest saw him fail to hand over financial documents to Queensland Nickel liquidators.

But earlier in the week the former federal politician had the gall to issue a challenge to the Townsville community to try to entice him back to reopen the Queensland Nickel refinery. He insulted Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill and insulted the good people of this city.

“Nobody else will invest in Townsville,” he said. That statement is completely false. He said whether or not he invested in Townsville would depend on him being impressed with the “quality of the local politicians and the community”.

The truth is, Mr Palmer and his business decisions have hurt this city enough in the past and we deserve much better.

Let’s not forget he has form too. This isn’t the only town he believes should beg him for mercy.

On the Sunshine Coast, the former Coolum Hyatt — once the jewel in the crown of the tourist hotspot — lies dormant after being taken over and subsequently closed by Mr Palmer, leaving dozens of locals jobless.

The resort was run down, then spruced up, which sent cryptic messages about his intentions of reopening or selling, leaving another Queensland community’s hopes dangling on the whim of this fickle businessman.

If Mr Palmer is seriously considering reopening QNI, he would do well to stop gasbagging about it and to actually do it.

But he shouldn’t expect one dollar of public money to help him and he certainly shouldn’t expect the people of this region to stand on ceremony or roll out the red carpet for him.