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A Titanic replica? Clive, that’s a great business idea

Daniel Piotrowski

by Daniel Piotrowski

01 May 02:20pm

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Filed under: Billionaires, Business, Clive Palmer, Mining, Titanic

77 comments

I’m not sold on Clive Palmer’s political instincts. The mining magnate, who controls a variety of resources companies like Queensland Nickel, has a tough challenge ahead of him winning LNP preselection in the seat of Lilley which is currently held by Deputy PM Wayne Swan. Particularly since Opposition Leader Tony Abbott hit a reluctant note talking about it yesterday.

Such vision: Palmer announcing his political and business intentions yesterday. Picture: Phillip Norrish

But I am sold on Palmer’s idea to build a second Titanic. Reason one: it’s an example of a billionaire actually doing something grand with their ginormous reserves of cash for once. “I don’t want to die wondering, you know, I always wondered if we could build another Titanic,” he told ABC Brisbane this morning.

Reason two: it’s an exciting and potentially viable business opportunity.

In light of the 100th anniversary this year of the unthinkable happening to the “unsinkable”, interest has been revived in the ocean liner’s tragic story.

For instance, a spokesperson for the Australian National Maritime Museum told The Punch there’s been plenty of demand for its latest Titanic exhibition: “We’ve been really surprised and delighted with the response to the exhibition,” museum spokesperson Shirani Aththas said.

And just look at the Titanic Memorial Cruiseliner. A passenger ship (that’s not a carbon copy construction of the original) is following the original liner’s exact route from Southhampton to New York with the exact same number of passengers. It launched last month to mass acclaim.

A number of sage business minds know there’s a dollar to be made in it all. James Cameron’s Titanic raked in more than a billion dollars when the film bulldozed the box office in the mid-1990s. Film bosses figured they could make even more money out of it by re-releasing it in 3D earlier this year. That assumption was correct.

Considering all this interest and money that’s already made off the back of the boat recently, I reckon Palmer’s right about there being a long-term market in a replica cruise. And while there have been a number of proposals to build a Titanic II before, Palmer’s idea actually has momentum.

Palmer explained the practicalities of the construction project this morning on ABC radio. He said that he is building four nickel carriers at a Chinese shipyard for his company’s operations in North Queensland. Economies of scale mean it’s efficient to build a passenger liner there at the same time, particularly since the Chinese shipbuilding industry are keen to jump into the passenger ship construction market.

Palmer said they’ve got technology engine- and propulsion-wise to make it fuel efficient (the boat will be diesel-powered). He says he already owns the rights to the name Titanic II.

One facet of the boat that will differ from its inspiration is that it will have a “Queensland Room” that will showcase development and investment opportunities available in the sunshine state. Typical big-noting Queenslander. Palmer’s Titanic team will also hopefully make sure the boat differs from its namesake by ensuring it is equipped with substantially more life rafts.

The Australian reported this morning that as of late yesterday there have been 2000 expressions of interest in Palmer’s maiden cruise, which he projects will launch in 2016. For their sake, let’s hope Clive’s team includes an OH&S supervisor who’s a bit of a tightarse.

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77 comments

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    • Grumpy says:

      02:31pm | 01/05/12

      “I don’t want to die wondering, you know, I always wondered if we could build another Titanic,”

      Jesus.

      Reply

    • subotic says:

      03:04pm | 01/05/12

      Jesus would being rolling in his grave if he heard that…

      Wait… what?

    • Kath Grant says:

      03:40pm | 01/05/12

      ‘Jesus’ was my original reaction as well Grumpy but then I thought
      about it. 
      Mr Palmer could easily provide infrastructure to help millions who are dying of hunger and thirst.  But why would you do that when you could build Titanic ll, give thousands a vicarious thrill and increase your wealth at the same time?  It makes a lot of sense to me and I think we’ve both misjudged theman.

    • Semi Concerned Citizen says:

      04:53pm | 01/05/12

      Kath,
      people for ever and a day have been dying of thirst and hunger. Clive Palmer can’t fix that. But he can build a big boat perhaps, I’d much rather have people enjoying their time on a boat, than being dependant on Clive Palmer for sustinance

    • Art Vandelay says:

      12:04am | 02/05/12

      Semi Concerned Citizen I don’t think you get to call yourself a citizen with comments like that. 

      As George Costanza said: “You know we’re living in a society”.

      Not a rich or poor one, but just a society.  If we could, not always, but just occasionally, think about someone else other than our upcoming trip on a profit making probably 10K ticket costing iceberg-dodging trip that’d be kinda nice don’t you think?

      Sorry if I sound like a hippy, I’m really just a bloke that’s actually happy to pay his taxes and hope that the government (elected to look after us rather than make a profit Mr Swan) and hope that that cash might get used to help people out just a bit. 

      Maybe they’ve got dodgy teeth?

    • Lapun says:

      10:32am | 02/05/12

      I think it is a great idea, but it should be fully authentic, even to the iceberg.    And tickets should be exclusively reserved for ALP members and supporters in Australia - there should be plenty of room on board for all of them these days!

    • glenm says:

      01:52pm | 02/05/12

      It would have been a better idea if he had said he would build it in Queensland, I dont really care if it sinks , floats, or fly’s but money spent in queensland would be good for our economy, Come to thinik of it Clive why are your four nickel carriers being built in china?

    • Cobbler says:

      02:45pm | 01/05/12

      If he gets into politics will he have to sell his ‘pig farm’ or have we moved past that whole pesky vested-interest problem in politics?

      Reply

    • Knemon says:

      03:20pm | 01/05/12

      Good question Cobbler.

    • Rick of the Dustbowl says:

      02:49pm | 01/05/12

      maybe he could take T Abbott and the rest of the LNP on the maiden voage, don’t worry about any life boats this time.

      Reply

    • nihonin says:

      03:08pm | 01/05/12

      lol Rick of the Dustbowl

      It could be a race to the bottom, so far Labor have the lead.

    • jenni says:

      05:27pm | 01/05/12

      Rick of the Dustbowel - obviously you are one of the very few diehard Labor or Greens supporters still left out there!
      Mark my words buddy, after the next Federal Election there will not be enough of your type left to fill any of the Titanic’s life boats or even sink to the bottom for that matter.
      The coming disaster for your inept and corrupt mates is going to make the sinking of the Titanic look like a kindergarten picnic!

    • Nathan says:

      04:57am | 02/05/12

      @ Jenni
      Get a sense of humour.

    • thatmosis says:

      08:21am | 02/05/12

      Soory jenni but youve got it so wrong. After the next election there wont be enough Labor MPs to fill a Maxi Taxi and all its meetings will be held around a kitchen cabinet.
        Let this man spend his money where he wants and if he succeeds in building a new Titanic then good on him and all that sail in her as his bank account swells to gigantic proportions. He is not adverse to taking chances but note that he is smart enought not to involve any Australian workers, read Unions, in the building of the boat. Why may one ask, well for the first thing he wants it finished in a time frame, second he wants value for money from his workforce and thirdly he doesnt want any Union official telling him how to run his companies.
        As for going into politics, good on him, he has made a success of his private life and actually worked for a living unlike the clown he is trying to depose and he has a firm grasp of economics unlike that same clown. What more could one ask for unless its the fact that because he is so rich now there would be no threat of him rorting the system that seems endemic in the Union/Labor ranks. He may not get preselected but at least he is having a go and anyway it seems likely that Kermit the Frog could stand against Swann and win anyway such is the stench that eminates from the Labor ranks.

    • Onlooker says:

      02:53pm | 01/05/12

      I wonder has it occurred to Clive there is reason why no one in 100 years has built another Titanic.. Firstly its a grave ship and secondly the bloody ship sunk!!

      Reply

    • Rosie says:

      04:04pm | 01/05/12

      To Wayne Swan and Gillard Labor, Clive Palmer is ‘God’ of the Liberal Party so this is the right time to be building Titanic 11. Gillard Labor has all the bad political karma which she has bestowed upon the nation and have destroyed the Labor brand - I think Palmer and his Titanic 11 is a God sent for the path to prosperity. By the time the ship cruises the high seas Tony Abbott will be our PM. I say go Clive Palmer, rub the salt into the wounds of Gillard’s Labor Party.

    • KimL says:

      04:38pm | 01/05/12

      Perhaps he is building to chase the CIA, if it is anything like the first Titanic, lets hope he remembers to pack his goggles and snorkel

    • nossy says:

      05:05pm | 01/05/12

      @Rosie my dear Rosie how about you and I buying the first tickets to sail on Clives Titanic - sounds good huh? We could be Clives’s “Jack” and Rose”!

    • SydneyGirl says:

      05:26pm | 01/05/12

      Nossy, ah I can see some other uses for The Queensland Room, some painting maybe?!

      Keep in mind will have to fight off Karen from Qld - in fact a whole girls brigade of Clivesters from the Sunshine State!

    • The Galah from Hervey Bay says:

      06:14pm | 01/05/12

      Lets be clear on one fact Onlooker….ships cruising at 18 knots are not intended to be pointed at icebergs or rocks . The impact does awful things to the hull. ( refer the recent case in Italy. )
      Todays shipbuilders recreating the Titanic , would have very differrent plans for the internal structure and i’m sure Clive’s plan would only cover the outer superstructure in likeness to the ” old vessel ”

    • nossy says:

      06:16pm | 01/05/12

      @SydneyGirl   hey hey hey!  This is getting better by the minute - thanks Clive! Lets hope Clivey fastracks this bloody Titanic.

    • Karen from Qld says:

      07:25am | 02/05/12

      Sydney Girl what an inane and juvenile comment. Have they let the kiddies come out to play with the adults.

    • Onlooker says:

      07:49am | 02/05/12

      The Galah I just found the whole amusing..but harmless. Never hurts to be able to laugh as long as your not cruel. Most men would love to be able to go out and build a cruise ship I am sure

    • pj says:

      02:58pm | 01/05/12

      In my opinion i’m not sold on any polotician ,so I figure Mr Clive Palmer could only make an improvement! As for another Titanic! Why not….

      Reply

    • Karen from Qld says:

      03:09pm | 01/05/12

      I think you will find that Clive is not that serious about putting his name up for preselection in Swan’s seat.  I have a sneaking suspicion that Clive is just trying to mess with Swan’s head (do sock puppets have heads?). But let us consider the CV’s of both - Palmer is a billionaire and runs a mining empire and given his personal wealth one would say rather successfully. His companies generate jobs and help out with the nation’s accounts.On the other hand Swan who is in charge of the Nation’s accounts is part of a government thath has racked up record debt and is still yet to bring in a surplus budget (let’s just see if next Tuesday he brings in a genuine surplus),  His “reforms” are a threat to jobs and the living standards of all Australians.
      Clive’s bouts of eccentricity reflect on him persoally but when Swan stuffs up he stuffs up on our behalf.

      Reply

    • gobsmack says:

      03:37pm | 01/05/12

      One runs the economy of a modern nation, the other makes money from other people digging holes in the ground.
      Clive obviously has too much time on his hands.

    • Rosie says:

      03:52pm | 01/05/12

      You are correct Karen from Queensland, Palmer was messing with poor Swany’s head and guess what in a heart beat ‘dopey’ took the bait hook line and sinker. Don’t you just love it when some in the media, David Lipson etc of Sky News announced that it was a reprieve for the sunken Labor Party and a headache for the Opposition. ‘Through all the Govt’s stuff ups, finally Palmer’s announcement of pre-selection was something substantial that they could attack the Opposition on.’ So they all thought. For goodness sake the man was only thinking about it and no paper work was even done. Tony Abbott won in the end because as soon as he was asked, he poured cold water over it. Imagine, if it was Gillard, panic panic and come up with another rash judgement bulldozing her way through in dealing with it.

      As for the building of Titanic 11 I loved it when asked if he didn’t have any takers and he said, it is not going to be a problem I will just write out a check for the full amount. The Labor mob are so stupid for not yet realizing that the more they attack the rich, the more we get to know and like the ‘Clive Palmers’ and detest them for their unlike Australian behaviour.

    • Karen from Qld says:

      04:20pm | 01/05/12

      Gobsmack “running the economy of the nation” is that what he is doing. More like RUINING the economy of the nation.

    • Dazza says:

      04:35pm | 01/05/12

      Yeah gobsmack one is driving the economy from ore mined from the ground the other is just driving the economy into the ground.

    • gobsmack says:

      05:06pm | 01/05/12

      @Karen & Dazza
      You’re both imagining things.  All the economic indicators look pretty good to me.

    • Mattb says:

      05:35pm | 01/05/12

      “Tony Abbott won in the end because as soon as he was asked, he poured cold water over it.”

      Haha, tony won, yeah, he won alright. The brown stain in the underpants award. He wouldve crapped himself. All his thoughts of becoming the next PM would’ve come crashing down around him. No wonder he was desperately trying to pour cold water over it. If Clive ran for parliament, tony would be praying that swanny won. If Big Clive won the seat he wouldn’t be taking orders from a pipsqueak like Abbott, he’d tap little tony on the shoulder and politely tell him to move aside at the first opportunity. Big Clive wouldnt accept a deputy position, his ego is enormous and his money funds the liberal party, he virtually owns it!.

      I hope he runs, he should pull a Campbell Newman and lead the party from outside parliament before he’s even preselected. Will the libs deny their biggest benefactor the chance?. Be classic to see Abbott squirm as he sees his PM dreams evaporate in front of his eyes….

    • The Galah from Hervey Bay says:

      06:29pm | 01/05/12

      Mattb…the quality of your spin to give Labor a boost matches the stain causing substance to which you refer .
      Gillard is on the bridge of SS ” Labor ” directly on course with a huge
      ” voteberg “.
      There will be no survivors from this ” sinking ”

    • Mattb says:

      08:27pm | 01/05/12

      Galah,

      Sorry mate, close, but no cigar. Spinning for labor isnt any interest of mine.

      I just enjoy taking the piss out of TA and his merry band of conservative arselickers on the punch. I mean, what a bunch of losers, completely blind to the fact they are mesmerised by a socialist twit that calls himself a conservative!. The man is an embarrassment to true liberalism.

      Didn’t vote labor last time, won’t be voting for em this time. Won’t be voting liberal either, unless they can the clown they have leading them at the moment and change their socialist policy platform.

    • Karen from Qld says:

      07:37am | 02/05/12

      @Gobsmack. Yep the indicators are real good that is why the RBA cut the interest rate - you know to kickstart a sluggish economy.

    • gm2 says:

      01:59pm | 02/05/12

      @ gobsmack,
      The five staff I am planning to retrench on friday probably think the economy is looking pretty good as well.
      My advice to you is keep ou head down the unemployment rate is headed upward.

    • GigaStar says:

      04:09pm | 02/05/12

      gobsmack says:06:06pm | 01/05/12 “@Karen & Dazza You’re both imagining things.  All the economic indicators look pretty good to me.”

      la-la-land. How about arguing with a Professor gobsmack - you obviously know more than him. Between you and me - I’ll take his intrepretation of the economic indicators over yours.

      http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?m=20120424

    • iansand says:

      03:21pm | 01/05/12

      Apparently Mr Palmer is asset rich and cash poor (all things are relative).  Grandiose schemes extraneous to core business are often a sign of an impending lack of cash running into the wall of the need to fund a business. That way lies receivership. Irises, anyone?

      For his, and his workforce’s sake, I hope I am wrong.  Maybe pre-selection is an income insurance policy.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      05:19pm | 01/05/12

      Asset rich and cash poor : is that the definition of greed, or poor management ?
      I’m waiting for this chap to say one thing that is remotely either true, funny - intently - or interesting.
      So far, he’s a poor man’s Barnaby J. who’s a poor man’s Peter Reith, and he’s a poor man’s Chris Pyne, who’s a poor man’s John Howard,(actually, I was gonna keep going there, but I just run out of men.)

      By the way, Ged Kearney - on Q&A - has indicated more qualities of a Man, (and woman, too, I might add) than all of these put together.
      Prime Minister material, would you think ?

    • nossy says:

      03:23pm | 01/05/12

      When Captain Edward Smith of RMS Titanic gripped the wheel as his ship slipped beneath the waves and uttered those immortal words “looks like Im off here!” we find a similar situation 100 years on with Captain Gillard of the RMS Labor , having clipped an iceberg, gripping the wheel and uttering similar words as her ship slips beneath the political waves. My how history repeats itself!

      Reply

    • Blind Freddy says:

      03:54pm | 01/05/12

      As Mark Twain once wrote:

      History doesn’t repeat - it rhymes.

    • Tator says:

      05:59pm | 01/05/12

      Hey Nossy,
      wonder if Clive will put a glass bottom in it.  He can then take Gillard for a cruise over the Marianas Trench and she can finally see her polling figures.

    • Bev says:

      03:30pm | 01/05/12

      Are but would be get takers for an Artic cruise?

      Other than that it will be a roaring success. The ship that is not his political career.

      Reply

    • Angry_Of_Mayfair says:

      10:38pm | 01/05/12

      “ARCTIC”. Sorry Bev, but that missing “C” drives me batty - especially when being drawled by clueless Yanks on telly. Off my high horse now.

    • SydneyGirl says:

      03:35pm | 01/05/12

      Is he hiring Leo and Kate for this voyage?

      And why is it being built in China? Is the Chinese Navy accompanying it? Are we not GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU CLIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply

    • Max Power says:

      04:30pm | 01/05/12

      Sadly, no. You only have to look at the Collins class submarines as a demonstration of what Australian’s can build. He can have the thing built in China for a fraction of the cost, with no reduction in quality and hedoesn’t have to deal with the Unions.

    • Angry_Of_Mayfair says:

      10:42pm | 01/05/12

      Of course we’re not! All this country is good for is sucking dry then stuffing the resulting revenue into his and Cando’s pockets. Shame he couldn’t cough up some $ to help out the less fortunate when the State he loves to rape was under water last year.

    • Chris says:

      11:57pm | 01/05/12

      A China quality Titanic - is anyone else taking bets on weather the ship will sink or explode first?

    • Lyla says:

      03:37pm | 01/05/12

      Build Titanic II? Sure, why not! But for gawd’s sake make sure there’s enough lifeboats to go around this time. I don’t want Leonardo freezing to death again because Kate was too selfish to move over on that piece of flotsam.

      Reply

    • Brad says:

      04:29pm | 01/05/12

      Dear Icebergs,

      Sorry to hear about the global warming.
      Karma’s a bitch!

      Sincerely,
      The Titanic

    • C. says:

      04:38pm | 01/05/12

      Build a steel manufacturing plant here Clive. Or will that upset your mates in China? Oh, I forgot, no Chinese labour laws here.

      Reply

    • Keith Hammersmith says:

      05:10pm | 01/05/12

      How many people do you employ here in australia C.?  More than Clive?

    • C. says:

      11:55pm | 01/05/12

      Working on it.

    • gmmm says:

      02:13pm | 02/05/12

      @C.  You need to look at the regulatory environment created by this goverment which is forcing manufacturing offshore. Increasing the tax and regulatory burden on business doesnt improve productivity.

    • adrian says:

      04:52pm | 01/05/12

      ummm does the names RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic many anything to anyone ??? these are the first and third “titanic’s” built exactly on the same plans as the second “titanic” you know the famous one that killed 1500 or so, so if Clive is to build another it would in fact be the fourth and not the so claimed second titanic, but who’s going to let a few facts get in the way ...

      Reply

    • I forgot my name says:

      05:32pm | 01/05/12

      Your comment:the Coalition will go backwards at the next federal election!

      Reply

    • Chris says:

      05:49pm | 01/05/12

      Titanic is small by comparison with some of the monster cruise ships of today. One would hope that ship-building has progressed to the point where designs from a century ago are seen as the historic relics they are.
      Waste of money

      Reply

    • Martin says:

      06:01pm | 01/05/12

      unfortunately once Clive gets on that titanic, no one else can get on it there’s no space left.

      Reply

    • Chris says:

      06:07pm | 01/05/12

      Considering how well he piloted Gold Coast United I think Titanic III would be a more appropriate name…

      Reply

    • Ian1 says:

      06:32pm | 01/05/12

      If anyone could rebuild pride, it would be Clive.  Personally I would have let the memory of the Titanic remain a watery masterpiece, a tragedy of hubris, but to vicariously feel being a part of resurrecting the benchmark would be humbling to say the least.  As a name, Titanic II somehow fits the story.

      Reply

    • Adam says:

      07:03pm | 01/05/12

      But will it be Clive-proof? I can see it now. He’ll step on the gangway and it’ll capsize before it leaves port..

      Reply

    • Dan says:

      09:04pm | 01/05/12

      Hey..  why not build the pyramids too and Clive could be Pharaoh ? Clive,  if you build that ship- Titanic 2 -make sure you and Tony and the creepy Mr Pyne are on that ‘madmen’  voyage.  I’ll be down at the dockside waving frantically with my hankie .. a very dry hankie.  I hear the Southern Oceans are great this time of year . Instruct the Captain to steam due south -full speed ahead.

      Reply

    • Melaney, says:

      09:28pm | 01/05/12

      Hi Clive,

      The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy beyond comprehension.
      However, would you think the money could be better spent on providing scholarships, grants and donations to schools, colleges and universities?

      Reply

    • Overit says:

      09:28pm | 01/05/12

      Sadly most of these politically-minded commentators will vote, and vote for Abbott. The Australian will get the kind of government you deserve - intentionally uneducated, wildly self-absorbed, and controlled by someone with too much money but will still do anything to anyone to get more. Why oh why will the Libs not return to Turnbull as leader? At least he has credibility and can think faster than his mouth moves!

      Reply

    • Nearer My God To Thee! says:

      10:53pm | 01/05/12

      What a contrast.

      One bloke uses HIS OWN money to take a ships’ name universally associated with failure and if his own form is any guide, he will make tens of millions of dollars profit from it.

      The other bloke, who has never held a proper job or produced anything of value in his whole ignorant life, has taken an economy which was billions of dollars in surplus, and in a few short years has transformed it to the point where it is now two hundred thousand million dollars in deficit. 

      This innumerate buffoon is still borrowing over one hundred million dollars PER DAY, and yet he comically boasts that he is “the world’s best treasurer”.

      This time around, I suspect that Captain Palmer’s Titanic will float, both majestically and profitably, but Captain Gillard and First Mate Swan are about to become very soggy specimens indeed.

      Reply

    • Lord Stockton says:

      11:05pm | 01/05/12

      Titanic II AS a sub title I wonder if ALP 2012 would be appropriate. After all steaming full speed ahead to an iceberg of their own making.

      They have a number to choose from -
      The carbon tax lie,or
      the deal on pokie reform with Wilkie or
      Julia ‘stand by your man’ - choice here of Tompson or Skipper or
      Abbott will close down the tent embassy on Australia Day

      Reply

    • raymond says:

      11:08pm | 01/05/12

      I hope he includes anough lifeboats in this one.

      Reply

    • Damo says:

      11:37pm | 01/05/12

      “Reason one: it’s an example of a billionaire actually doing something grand with their ginormous reserves of cash for once.”

      You’re sh*tting me right?  I suppose Bill Gates having a foundation to rid the world of poverty and preventable health problems with over 30 billion in the reserves is just some ego trip?

      This is a d!ck measuring exercise by about the biggest d!ck of all.  At least we don’t have to measure his bollocks because we already know he’s nuts…(it was in the Wikileaks CIA emails…).

      Reply

    • Simon Brodie says:

      01:01am | 02/05/12

      Let’s rebuild the twin towers too while we’re at it.

      Reply

    • Terence D says:

      08:35am | 02/05/12

      One thing about Clive. “He’s certainly not dull”.

      He’s more like a modern version of Barnum&Bailey;, and like he once said. “There’s a sucker born every minute!”.

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      10:40am | 02/05/12

      I first read that as Barnaby, not Barnum.  An easy mistake to make.

    • Anonymous says:

      09:17am | 02/05/12

      I’d be less inclined to call this guy an idiotic and greedy sack of shit if he instead put the hundreds of millions of dollars towards something useful like cancer or stem cell research.

      Reply

    • Ron Vincent says:

      12:05pm | 02/05/12

      Gee AnonyMOUSE, I’ll bet you volunteer to help those in need and put your hand in your pocket every so often to help those less fortunate. At least he is using his own money not taxpayers hard earned taxes. Your comment describing him is not worth repeating, BUT, your use of this kind of language is symptomatic of the usual phraseology the Labor supporters. By the way, tell us your real name and the Labor branch you belong to, you poor sick 27%er.

    • Anonymous says:

      01:14pm | 02/05/12

      WOW I see what you did there. You added an “e” to the end of my chosen screen name. Such ingenuity! You’re certainly a clever little sausage, aren’t you? I better be careful. I’m clearly dealing with a cunning linguist here!

      You assume I’m a Labour supporter? I don’t think any of the parties currently holding sway are right for this country. I’m also an occasional donator to Unicef. Talk about ad hominem and jumping to conclusions. But hey, since we’re playing that game, it’s typical of a Lib supporter to resort to such things.

      Since you can’t handle intense words like “shit”, I will resort to language that won’t offend your delicate little mind. I will hereby refer to Clive as a “dumb and greedy bag of poopoo”. I stand by my viewpoint that building a vanity project cleverly disguised as a big boat is a completely stupid way to spend all that money. It has nothing to do with my political viewpoints at all.

      I’m not sure why you’re so demanding to know my real name either. I’ve always held the mantra that what I have to say is more important than who I am. If that upsets you, observe:
      \_/  <—- See that? That’s my cup of “give a shit”, and it’s empty. (Whoops, I forgot. You don’t like those naughty words).

    • Garry says:

      10:59am | 02/05/12

      Clive you can’t give your ” Titanic ” to Gillard and the Labor party, they are already sitting on their own, rearranging the deck chairs and looking for a way to throw the captain overboard !

      Reply

    • Dieter Moeckel says:

      11:51am | 02/05/12

      Pity the topic so quickly descended into politics abuse and vitriol.
      While it’s Palmer’s money to with as he wants its is unethical and amoral to spend it on an idiocy while a child is dying of hunger and preventable disease every few seconds.
      I really wish that people such as Palmer would take a leaf out of Peter Singer’s book and not only pay lip service to real charity.
      My wife and I are on a comfortable retirement income and allocate an affordable amount to charity not quite the same as Peter Singer, not even close really but in relative terms more the Palmer a great deal more.

      Reply

    • Ross says:

      12:58pm | 02/05/12

      I wish you all the best with your Ship Clive ,if it sails please don’t be on it . Instead get all your close mates and build a replica of the Hindenburg ,you and your mates could provide enough hot air . Hydrogen would be better for what I Would like to see though.

      Reply
 
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