Australian Billionaire to Replicate the Titanic
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(Image Credit: The Punch)
BY CELIA MURRAY
ANCHOR LAUREN GORES
As if we hadn’t heard enough about Titanic recently — Clive Palmer, an Australian billionaire, has announced a rather titanic proposal. Here’s Australia’s 7 News.
“The mining billionaire says he signed a deal with the Chinese state-owned company to build the Titanic 2. Now it’ll be the same dimensions as the original Titanic...”
Mr Palmer, whose fortune is estimated at between 3 and 6 billion dollars, is paying for the replica out of his own pocket — something he doesn’t mind bringing up. The BBC has his statement.
Clive Palmer: "We've got the money, we've got the shipyard and we're moving very heavily to commence construction to bring this ship into service."
As a blogger for The Wall Street Journal writes, as a well known eccentric industrialist, Palmer isn’t one to stay out of the spotlight — but this is definitely an eye opening affair.
“...his desire to see his version of Titanic sail past the Statue of Liberty alongside a Chinese naval escort could raise a few eyebrows in the U.S. where Mr. Palmer has previously accused the Central Intelligence Agency of funding clandestine campaigns in Australia.”
In a separate press conference on the same day he announced his Titanic plans — Palmer also announced his bid for parliament — which has prompted many in the media to question his judgement. A writer for The Punch wasn’t too impressed at this perceived publicity stunt.
“It says a lot about the current climate that a mining magnate can simultaneously announce he’s commissioned a replica of the Titanic and that he’s going to run against the Treasurer at the next election and it seems like just another day in the circus that is Australian politics.”
A writer for Crikey takes it one step farther, saying it plays into the farce of politics in Australia — and it is only getting worse.
“This is what happens when politicians and the media debase the truth in favour of endless spin...voters get the message: if politicians and the media don’t take politics seriously enough...why should they...? Why not treat it simply as game of egos and tall tales without real significance?”
Palmer says the voyage is set for 2016 and will sail from London to New York.
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