Clive Palmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clive Palmer
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Palmer in 2015
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| Chairman of the United Australia Party | |
| In office 12 December 2018 – 8 September 2022 |
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| Leader | Craig Kelly (23 August 2021 – 8 September 2022) |
| Preceded by | Party re-registered |
| Succeeded by | Party deregistered |
| In office April 2013 – 5 May 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Party established |
| Succeeded by | Party deregistered |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Fairfax | |
| In office 7 September 2013 – 9 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Alex Somlyay |
| Succeeded by | Ted O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clive Frederick Palmer
26 March 1954 Footscray, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | United Australia (since 2013) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouses |
Susan Parker
(m. 1983; Annastacia Topalov
(m. 2007) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | George Palmer Nancy McArthur |
| Residences | Sovereign Islands, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | University of Queensland |
| Occupation | Mining company chairman
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| Profession | Businessman Politician |
Clive Frederick Palmer (born 26 March 1954) is an Australian businessman and former politician. He owns many businesses, especially in mining. These include companies that deal with iron ore, nickel, and coal.
Palmer also owns resorts and golf courses. For example, he owns the Palmer Coolum Resort and several golf courses. He used to own a soccer team called Gold Coast United FC.
In 2013, he started a political party called the Palmer United Party. He was elected to the Australian Parliament for the area of Fairfax. He served as an MP for one term.
In 2018, he brought his party back under a new name: the United Australia Party. He ran candidates in elections, but his party did not win many seats. The party was formally closed again in September 2022.
Clive Palmer has often been involved in legal cases related to his businesses. He is known for being one of the richest people in Australia. In 2023, his wealth was estimated to be over $23 billion.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Clive Palmer was born on March 26, 1954, in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. He spent his early years in Williamstown. In 1963, his family moved to Queensland. He grew up mostly on the Gold Coast.
He went to Aquinas College and Southport State High School. For a short time, he also attended Toowoomba Grammar School. His father was a travel agent, so his family traveled a lot.
From 1973 to 1975, Palmer studied law, journalism, and politics at the University of Queensland. He did not finish his degree. Later, he earned a Diploma of Law. He worked for the Public Defender's Office for a while.
Business Adventures
Clive Palmer has had a long career in business. He has been involved in real estate, mining, and even building a replica of the Titanic.
Real Estate Success
In the early 1980s, Palmer worked as a real estate agent. He did very well during a property boom on the Gold Coast. He even "retired" at the young age of 29 because he had earned so much money.
Mineralogy Mining Company
In 1985 and 1986, Palmer started three companies for mining. One of these was Mineralogy. This company owned huge amounts of iron ore in Western Australia. In 2008, he also bought another mining company called Waratah Coal.
Mineralogy has been involved in some big disagreements with other companies. For example, there was a long dispute with CITIC over money. In 2017, a court decided that Mineralogy should receive nearly $200 million.
In 2020, the government of Western Australia passed a special law to stop a large claim from Palmer. The government said his claim was worth $30 billion. Palmer disagreed and challenged the law in court.
In 2023, one of Palmer's companies tried to sue the Australian government for a very large amount of money. The government said they would strongly defend against this lawsuit.
Queensland Nickel Refinery
In 2009, Palmer bought Queensland Nickel and its refinery. After he bought it, the refinery made a lot of money. Palmer even gave his staff Mercedes Benz cars and overseas holidays.
However, in 2016, Queensland Nickel faced problems and closed down. Many workers lost their jobs. Palmer said he was not personally responsible for paying the workers' entitlements. The government had to step in to pay the workers.
In 2019, Palmer said he would reopen the refinery and pay the money owed to workers. Later, he reached an agreement to pay back the government and the workers.
Palmer Coolum Resort and Dinosaurs
In 2011, Palmer bought the Coolum Hyatt Resort. He then announced plans to build a park there with huge moving animatronic dinosaurs. He ordered over 160 dinosaurs, including a giant T. rex named "Jeff."
The dinosaur park, called "Palmersaurus," opened in 2013. The dinosaurs were placed along the resort's golf course. This led to a major golf tournament being moved from the resort.
The resort faced difficulties and closed down in 2015. Many people lost their jobs. The resort, once very fancy, became a shadow of its former self.
Soccer Team Ownership
Palmer bought the Gold Coast United football (soccer) club in 2008. He made some unusual decisions, like limiting how many fans could attend games. This caused a lot of disagreement.
In 2012, the Football Federation Australia (FFA) took away Palmer's license for the team. They said he broke their rules. Palmer disagreed and tried to fight the decision in court, but he lost. After this, he started his own football organization called Football Australia.
The Titanic II Project
In 2013, Clive Palmer announced exciting plans to build a modern copy of the famous ship, the RMS Titanic. He called it Titanic II. The plan was for it to be built in China. It would look very much like the original Titanic, both inside and out.
The Titanic II was planned to be 883 feet long and carry many passengers and crew. Palmer said the ship would honor the memories of those who were on the original Titanic. His company for this project is called Blue Star Line, similar to the original White Star Line.
For a few years, it seemed the project had stopped. But in 2018, Blue Star Line announced that work would start again. In March 2024, Palmer confirmed he was restarting the Titanic II project. He hopes construction will begin in 2025.
Political Journey
Clive Palmer has been involved in politics for a long time.
Early Political Days
Palmer joined the National Party in Queensland in 1974. He was influenced by the Premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen. He helped with election campaigns for the party in the 1980s. He even supported a campaign to make Bjelke-Petersen the Prime Minister of Australia.
He became a lifetime member of the National Party in 1992. Later, he left the party after some disagreements.
Running for Parliament
In 2013, Palmer announced he would restart the United Australia Party. This party had existed a long time ago. He wanted his new party to run candidates in the 2013 federal election.
Palmer ran for a seat in the Sunshine Coast area called Fairfax. He won by a very small number of votes. His party also had three members elected to the Senate. However, two of these senators later left his party.
As a Member of Parliament
When he first spoke in Parliament, Palmer said that the government was not listening to everyday Australians. He believed that the two-party system in Australia was bad for democracy.
Palmer was often absent from Parliament. He attended fewer sitting days than many other MPs. He also spent a lot of time at his home on the Gold Coast, not in his own electorate.
In 2016, Palmer announced he would not run for re-election. He decided to retire from politics at that time.
Later Political Activities
In 2018, Palmer decided to return to politics. He brought back his party under the name United Australia Party. He ran for the Senate in the 2019 federal election. He spent a lot of money on advertising, mostly attacking another political party. However, he and his party did not win any seats in that election.
In the 2022 federal election, Palmer spent even more money than any other political party. His party won one seat in the Senate. The party was officially closed again in September 2022.
In 2023, Palmer spent a lot of money on advertisements for the "No" campaign in a referendum about an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Personal Life
Clive Palmer lives in a large home on Sovereign Islands, a special community on the Gold Coast. He and his family own several homes there and in other places in Australia and overseas.
Palmer was married to his first wife, Susan, for 22 years until she passed away in 2006. They had two children. In 2007, Palmer married Anna, and they have two daughters.
In 2009, Palmer had a health scare, but doctors said it was not a heart attack. He has also had other health issues. In 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 and had pneumonia.
In 2022, it was reported that Palmer bought a very old Mercedes-Benz car that once belonged to Adolf Hitler. He also bought a Rolls-Royce that was owned by King Edward VIII. These cars are for a planned vintage car museum in Queensland.
Wealth and Net Worth
Clive Palmer is known for being one of Australia's wealthiest people. His wealth has changed a lot over the years.
In 2016, his net worth was estimated at $600 million. By 2019, it had grown to over $4 billion. In 2023, his wealth was assessed at an amazing $23.6 billion.
| Year | Financial Review Rich List |
Forbes Australia's 50 Richest |
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| Rank | Net worth (A$) | Rank | Net worth (US$) | |
| 2010 | 7 | $3.92 billion | ||
| 2011 | 5  |
$5.05 billion |
n/a | not listed |
| 2012 | 8  |
$3.85 billion |
29 |
$0.80 billion |
| 2013 | 16 |
$2.20 billion |
31 |
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| 2014 | 28 |
$1.22 billion |
50 |
$0.55 billion |
| 2015 | 30 |
$1.40 billion |
n/a |
not listed |
| 2016 | 112 |
$0.57 billion |
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| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | 20 | $2.84 billion |
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| 2019 | 15 |
$4.09 billion |
20 |
$1.80 billion |
| 2020 | 8 |
$9.18 billion |
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| 2021 | 7 |
$13.01 billion |
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| 2022 | 7  |
$19.50 billion |
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| 2023 | 5 |
$23.60 billion |
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| Legend | |
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| Icon | Description |
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Has not changed from the previous year |
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Has increased from the previous year |
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Has decreased from the previous year |
See Also
- Mineralogy (mining company)
- Palmer Nickel and Cobalt Refinery
- Palmer United Party
- Queensland Nickel
- Titanic II
- United Australia Party
