clive in the news again

Clive Palmer criticised over daughter's yacht giftArticle from: Font size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment Natalie Gregg
September 22, 2009 12:00am

BILLIONAIRE Clive Palmer should be able to give his daughter a $5.3m yacht for her 15th birthday without worrying about criticism from parenting experts.

That's the verdict of couriermail.com.au readers, who've overwhelmingly backed the Queensland tycoon's right to spend his money as he wants.

Child psychologist and author Dr John Irvine said the birthday gift of a $5.3 million super-yacht amounted to irresponsible parenting, but couriermail.com.au readers have overwhelmingly backed Palmer's right to spend his fortune as he wants.

They rejected concerns raised by Dr Irvine, saying the gift was equivalent of a wage earner buying their child a Nintendo DS.

They said both Palmer and his daughter appreciated the value of money, saying it was Palmer's money and he could buy what he wanted to.

Some asked Palmer if he had any jobs available, and a mischievous few asked if he would adopt them.

Queensland's richest man bought the 30m-luxury boat for Emily Palmer at a marine auction at Brisbane's Rivergate Marina at the weekend.

Dr Irvine said a luxury yacht was a dangerous gift for a teenager and it failed to teach the value of money.

"It breeds irresponsibility and an expectation that Daddy can always fix things," Dr Irvine said.

"I don't like dads playing that role. Their job is to teach and protect and I don't think it is teaching anything about the value of money, or return for effort or hard savings.

"It's an ego thing – Dad showing off – instead of teaching them to earn what they yearn."

Renee Mill, a clinical psychologist and author of No Sweat Parenting, agreed the gift was irresponsible but said it would be seen as commonplace for many wealthy parents.

"I don't personally agree with it – the main role for a parent is to teach your child and I would be asking, what can they learn from this gift?" Ms Mill said.

"It doesn't teach them responsibility or to look after things or a lot of very good, important values but in some circles that doesn't matter."

Ms Mill said a pattern of expensive gifts would became a problem if family wealth disappeared.

"A lot of the rich and famous spoil their children and they get used to it their whole lives," she said. "But if they lose that money, then nine times out of 10 those kids, as adults, have tremendous difficulty getting on their feet and looking after themselves."

Children of celebrities are often given extravagant gifts for birthdays.

David Beckham bought his son Brooklyn a pair of diamond earrings worth £25,000 ($46,878) for his sixth birthday.