Palmer in block push on second trial judge

CLIVE Palmer has tried to block another judge from hearing the case involving the collapse of his Queensland Nickel refinery.

In a directions hearing in the Brisbane Supreme Court yesterday, the mining magnate claimed Justice David Jackson made offensive comments about him to another court official and received emails from judges of other courts discussing Mr Palmer.

“I’m saying it’s unorthodox for judges of four different courts to discuss an individual matter,” Mr Palmer said.

Judge Jackson said: “My conduct, which you say gives rise to this ground of apparent bias, is because I read emails that were sent to me?”

The court heard the emails had been previously disclosed to the court.

The besieged businessman, who was acting for himself in court yesterday, also alleged Justice Jackson discussed the politician with Justice John Bond, who was pushed from overseeing the mammoth legal battle over the collapse of Queensland Nickel earlier this year after Mr Palmer made a separate recusal application.

Mr Palmer also argued in the hearing yesterday Justice Jackson could be perceived as biased because he heard a case involving Mr Palmer’s private company Mineralogy in 2015.

Justice Jackson replaced Justice Bond in September after Mr Palmer’s lawyers argued he could be biased because he froze the man’s assets in May.

In recusing himself earlier this year, Justice Bond acknowledged his decision to freeze more than $ 200 million of Mr Palmer’s assets could lead to a perception that he believed Mr Palmer’s sworn evidence was untrue.

He said that perception could legally call into question his impartiality in the rest of the case but dismissed suggestions of actual bias.