Palmer loses legal bid in row over resort

The Federal Court has dismissed Clive Palmer's bid to overturn an order that limited his powers in a stoush with villa owners at his Coolum resort.

Clive Palmer has lost a legal bid that would have given him more power in a stoush with private villa owners at his beleaguered Sunshine Coast resort.

Mr Palmer's lawyers applied in the Federal Court to set aside an order from the Australian Takeovers Panel.

The order limited the voting rights of four Palmer entities in relation to the operation of about 80 timeshare villas at the Coolum resort. His lawyers argued the panel had made a number of errors in making its interim order.

However, Justice Andrew Greenwood dismissed the application on Thursday afternoon.

Justice Greenwood was satisfied the panel had not made any error or tried to assist the villa owners "in a backdoor way" in their stoush.

"I am not satisfied that the panel has taken into account irrelevant considerations in reaching its decision and I am not satisfied that the panel has fallen into error in the way contended for by the applicants in reaching its decision," Justice Greenwood said in his judgment, which was published online.

Mr Palmer has previously tried to buy out the property owners in a bid quashed by the panel in 2012 because of unacceptable circumstances.

He successfully appealed that decision and the panel is due to reconsider the matter.

Some accommodation owners have reportedly been camping out at their villas despite the resort's closure, claiming they will be locked out if they leave.

Mr Palmer bought the former Hyatt Regency Coolum, which included a prestigious golf course that annually hosted the Australian PGA, in 2011 and promised to inject $2 billion into the property.

The tournament moved to the Gold Coast in 2013.


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Source: AAP



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