Palmer defends Fiji jaunt

BILLIONAIRE and Senate candidate Clive Palmer has copped flak for ducking off to a resort Fiji in the final days of the election, as his $50 million advertising campaign blankets the nation.

Mr Palmer, who was outed by Australians who snapped his photo and shared it via social media, defended the trip saying he was visiting a terminally ill friend.

A spokesman said he would be back on the campaign trail within 24 hours.

“You can do that when you have your own private jet,” the spokesman said.

“He is fully committed to campaigning and is available on the phone now.

“He is just doing the right thing by a family friend.”

Multiple Australians in Fiji have spotted the high-profile figure there and even snapped photos of him eating in the Amalfi Italian restaurant on Denarau Island.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten said Mr Palmer’s whereabouts was not the real issue.

“I’m not sure why Mr Palmer is in Fiji, and if you told me you wouldn’t automatically believe it would you,” he said.

“The problem with Clive Palmer, no matter where he is sighted, he’ll be calling the shots in a Morrison Coalition Government. That is a recipe for chaos.”

While Mr Palmer has spent up big on an election campaign, with television ads and radio ads, he has avoided media scrutiny by not holding press conferences to answer questions.

He has so far held one press conference, in which he attacked Labor for denying it had sought to speak with him about preferences, but Mr Palmer walked off without answering questions.

Meanwhile, Mr Palmer’s lawyer said some of the $7.16 million in unpaid entitlements the businessman had promised to pay his former workers had started flowing.

Alexander Law principal Sam Iskander said about 20 claims worth $450,000 had been paid out and estimated 50 would be settled by the end of the week.

“Claims are being assessed and payments are flowing to the workers,” Mr Iskander said.