CLIVE GOES TROPPO

PALMER ANNOUNCES BIG MOVE NORTH

CLIVE Palmer has sensationally announced he will move to Townsville to oversee the reopening of his Yabulu refinery but community leaders say the controversial billionaire is a long way from regaining the trust of the North.

Mr Palmer visited Townsville yesterday to announce the board of QNI Resources voted to reopen the refinery and would “crush” any political obstacles in his way.

In a sprawling 45- minute press conference Mr Palmer addressed speculation about his political career, attacked the State Government for allegedly barring QNI access to the Port of Townsville and denied responsibility for the 800 workers who lost their jobs when the refinery shut in 2016.

Mr Palmer also said he had been looking for properties in Townsville and planned to move and live “day by day” in the community.

“I don’t mind being the ( most) hated man in Townsville … I can live with that, but I don’t like it when some little kid of eight can’t get any swimming lessons because his dad hasn’t got a job,” he said.

But Mr Palmer’s announcements have been met with scepticism by many in Townsville, who say the community has not forgotten the devastating economic and personal effect of the refinery closure.

Herbert Labor MP Cathy O’Toole said Mr Palmer’s plan to move to Townsville showed he was “out of touch”.

“Clive just doesn’t understand, people in Townsville are loyal, they don’t forget easily and workers who still don’t have secure jobs or retired without full entitlements are still struggling,” she said.

Mr Palmer also called on the State Government to intervene and grant QNI access to berths at the Port of Townsville but insisted he did not need any “help” to reopen the refinery.

“It’s not really a form of help, we say those leases are already ours, that they’re actually stopping us illegally from entering the port,” he said.

Mr Palmer said he had advised the State Government he was “happy” to pay any debt owed to the port before claiming he had no knowledge of any moneys owed.

“If there’s money owing to the port … we will immediately pay it,” he said.

The Bulletin understands Mr Palmer has been given a detailed list of creditors by the liquidators.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said Queenslanders “don’t trust” Mr Palmer and labelled his Townsville announcement a “stunt”.

“For Clive Palmer to have the hide to ask Townsville residents to support him when he dumped them mercilessly with his nickel refinery closure and failed to pay out the entitlements of hundreds and hundreds of workers is yet another low blow from him,” he said.