Qld premier now starting to lead: Palmer OUTSPOKEN billionaire Clive Palmer says Queensland Premier Campbell Newman is finally starting to show some leadership after sacking a controversial director general and accepting the resignation of his embattled arts minister. Mr Newman on Friday did not try to encourage Arts Minister Ros Bates to stay after she announced her resignation in the wake of a string of criticism surrounding nepotism claims, her contact with lobbyists and the amount of time she spent on leave. Just hours after the resignation, Mr Newman announced he was sacking Department of Transport and Main Roads Director Michael Caltabiano, who had been caught up in the nepotism affair. Mr Palmer said the moves were a step in the right direction for the premier. "He's made a decision to get better people and I think that's a good thing," he told reporters in Brisbane on Saturday. I think he's asserting himself as premier and making some decisions. The state needs a premier, whoever he is, who calls the shots. The comments are a far cry from those he made last year during a public spat with the Liberal National Party's (LNP) parliamentary wing, which ended with him throwing in his life membership and threatening to start his own political force. Mr Palmer had claimed Mr Newman was a puppet and it was his deputy, Jeff Seeney, and Treasurer Tim Nicholls who were running the state. But Mr Palmer, who used to be a major LNP financial backer, said he had noticed a change in Mr Newman's style of leadership. "I don't want to criticise somebody who is going in the right direction," he said.