Palmer says he’ll build new Titanic, stand against Swan

Queensland coal mining titan Clive Palmer says he will build the Titanic II and intends to challenge Wayne Swan for the federal seat of Lilley.

One hundred years after the original Titanic sunk Palmer has announced plans to build a fleet of luxury liners with Chinese shipping giant CSC Jinling Shipyard.

Palmer said the Titanic II will be designed not to sink.

“Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it,” Palmer told reporters at a press conference in Brisbane, according to The Australian Financial Review.

“It will be designed as a modern ship with all the technology to ensure that doesn’t happen. But of course if you are superstitious … you never know what could happen.”

He said the ship is already being designed and expected to sail its maiden voyage late in 2016.

Palmer, 58, said Swan had named him many times in parliament as one of his adversaries.

“If he wants an adversary let him have one,” Palmer says according to Business Spectator.

“I see it as a real need in this country to have different ideas than the treasurer has.”

Palmer tried to run for federal parliament in 1984 when he failed to win pre-selection in Peter Slipper’s seat of Fisher.

“The first thing I want to be doing is listening to the people in the seat of Lilley, what their needs are.” Palmer said.

Leader of the opposition Tony Abbott told Macquarie radio network there was no discussion with Palmer before his announcement and he was surprised to hear the news.

“I thought to myself, ‘Clive is one of the many millions of Australians who is desperate to get rid of a bad government’.”

Abbott said and Liberal National party officials would decide if he won pre-selection.

“Good luck to him,” Abbott added.