Updated: Clive Mensink has failed to appear in court in Brisbane, with the Federal Court this morning due to make a ruling on a possible arrest warrant for the globetrotting nephew of Clive Palmer.
Federal Court Judge John Dowsett suggested Mr Palmer be quizzed in court – or provide a sworn affidavit – about any knowledge he has about Mr Mensink’s whereabouts, before adjourning the matter until this afternoon.
Today was the final chance for Mr Mensink to appear in court to answer questions about the collapse of Queensland Nickel, after he shirked two previous summonses.
His lawyer, Sam Iskander, told the Federal Court this morning that Mr Mensink was not in court
“I haven’t heard from him,” Mr Iskander told the court.
He also told Judge Dowsett that Mr Palmer has said he had no knowledge of his nephew’s whereabouts.
“It might be a nice idea if Mr Palmer would swear an affidavit,” Judge Dowsett said.
“Perhaps he (Mr Palmer) can be asked as part of an examination.”
Judge Dowsett also suggested the Department of Foreign Affairs could be contacted to see if it knew Mr Mensink’s whereabouts.
Lawyers for the special purpose liquidators this morning asked for the matter of Mr Mensink’s summons be adjourned until this afternoon, when the court will hear about the production of documents they had requested.
Mr Mensink was the sole registered director of Mr Palmer’s Queensland Nickel Townsville refinery company when it collapsed last year, costing 800 workers their jobs and leaving creditors $300 million out of pocket.
Taxpayers paid $70m to cover unpaid redundancy entitlements for refinery employees.
Queensland Nickel’s liquidators have been chasing Mr Mensink — who is on a year-long round-the-world holiday — for months for him to testify at the Brisbane Federal Court.
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