Clive Mensink found guilty of contempt over Queensland Nickel collapse

Clive Theodore Mensink, nephew of mining magnate Clive Palmer, has been found guilty of criminal contempt of court by the Brisbane Federal Court. The ruling follows Mensink’s failure to comply with a summons to answer questions regarding the 2016 collapse of Queensland Nickel.

Justice Darryl Rangiah dismissed Mensink’s claims regarding his inability to return to Australia, describing them as “self-serving.” Mensink, a former director of Queensland Nickel, fled the country in June 2016 and was tried in absentia. The court noted that Mensink may currently be residing in Bulgaria.

The collapse of the Townsville-based nickel refinery, triggered by a slump in nickel prices, resulted in at least $226 million in debt and the loss of approximately 800 jobs. While some employee entitlements were covered by the federal government’s fair entitlements guarantee, the legal proceedings seek accountability for the company's demise.