Australians get glimpse into world of Clive Palmer

Australia has gotten its first good look at incoming Motoring Enthusiasts Party Senator Ricky Muir, who made headlines last year for engaging in a kangaroo poo fight with his friends.

Mr Muir will start a six-year Senate term in July, where he will hold a key vote as part of a block with three Palmer United Party senators.

He was elected into the senate despite garnering a record low primary vote of 0.51 per cent.

When asked by reporter Mike Willesee on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program to define the balance of power, the former sawmill worker stumbled his reply saying: "It's the potential … if … say in this case, Labor and Greens … it's the power to vote down legislation in the right circumstances."

Mr Muir was also unable to answer a number of questions, and was also unable to define the "after-market" car industry, a term which he referred to a number of times.

After asking Willesee if he could "start the question again", Mr Muir continued to fumble his sentences and eventually walked out of the interview before returning a short time later.

Fellow Motoring Party Enthusiast Keith Litter has jumped to Mr Muir's defence, telling the ABC that he was not used to being bombarded by the media.

"He was just a little bit rattled – there was just a little bit of inexperience on his part," Mr Litter said.

"I don't think there's anything to worry about. I don't think the program showed him up any more than being an ordinary, everyday Australian."

The program also took gave viewers a glimpse into the strange world of Clive Palmer, who is set to become one of the most powerful men in Australian politics come July 1.

Mr Palmer, whose Palmer United Party will hold a controlling influence over the senate, also took Willesee on a behind-the-scenes tour of his bizarre lifestyle.

Mr Palmer led the news team on a wild goose chase around the world after failing to show up for a pre-arranged interview in Boston.

When Willesee and the team finally caught up with Mr Palmer back in Queensland, the new Senator laughed off the incident blaming his no-show on a problem with his private jet.

Source: Sunday Night, ABC

Author: Natasha Lee, Approving editor: Simon Black