Doubts have been raised about the future of Queensland Nickel collapse trial with Clive Palmer having settled the majority of the claims.

August 8, 2019

Clive Palmer’s defence team has raised doubts about the future of the trial stemming from the collapse of Queensland Nickel, with the billionaire businessman having settled the majority of liquidators’ claims.

The self-represented mining magnate wasn’t in court on Thursday morning for the restart of the multi-million dollar lawsuit brought by two sets of liquidators after the Townsville refinery’s 2016 collapse.

It was left up to lead lawyer for Mr Palmer’s companies Dr Chris Ward SC to advise the Brisbane Supreme Court the defence team “seriously” disputed the remaining liquidator’s claims.

He told Justice Debra Mullins that with Mr Palmer agreeing to settle the majority of the claims on Monday, a question mark hung over the four remaining claims.

These are understood to include allegations Mr Palmer acted as a shadow director of QN and was a party to a $235 million deal that paid two of his Galilee Basin mining projects ahead of workers if the cash-strapped refinery went into administration.

“We will be … making an application to Your Honour for directions in relation to the future conduct of the trial, and in particular, ventilating the prospect of the trial no longer proceeding,” he said.

Dr Ward said the remaining claims after Monday’s settlement is applied would all be related “essentially so the (liquidator) and their funder can pay themselves”.

“What we think is not going to occur is this trial blundering forward … with the calling of evidence tomorrow morning,” he said.

Justice Mullins adjourned the trial so the parties could re-enter out of court talks about the liquidator’s remaining claims.

What they agree to will determine whether the trial continues on Thursday afternoon.