Palmer denies job cuts at resort
MINING magnate Clive Palmer is denying further redundancies at the Coolum Resort amid fears additional job cuts are imminent.
Mr Palmer bought the Coolum Golf Resort and Spa last year and took over this year after cutting Hyatt Hotels from the equation.
In May, resort management confirmed there would be some "restructuring" and consequential redundancies.
With the new financial year in full swing, rumours were rife on the Sunshine Coast on Monday there would be more jobs culled.
Asked about the perceived "D-day" at a press conference in Brisbane on Monday morning, Mr Palmer seemed oblivious. "I don't make those decisions personally and I am not aware of any D-day; maybe it's just a media beat-up," he said.
Mr Palmer said there were 280 jobs at the resort when it first opened in the 80's and when he took over, the figure had blown out to 1000.
The billion-dollar man and the resort management opted not to take the "easiest way out" but were trying to create a sustainable job economy, he claimed.
"What we have to do is get the resort running efficiently on a proper basis, reinvest a lot of money and create 2000 or 3000 sustainable jobs in that region," he said.
"The easy way out is to cut up the real estate, sell it and take the money away from the community.
"But we are not taking the easy way out. We are taking the harder way out and the final goal is to have more jobs and have them sustainable and save the resort and save the people that work there.
"Sometimes there will be problems along the way, but that is the way we are going."
Mr Palmer confirmed he would not be going to the Sunshine Coast to announce any job cuts on Monday.
"I'm not getting anywhere, I will be here in Brisbane," he said.
