Clive Palmer may run for Senate to save political career but future looks grim for workers from his refinery

ECCENTRIC Queensland businessman-turned-politician Clive Palmer may run for the Senate in an effort to save his new career but the job prospects of sacked workers at his nickel refinery look grim.

ECCENTRIC Queensland businessman turned politician Clive Palmer may run for the Senate in an effort to save his new career but the job prospects of sacked workers at his nickel refinery look grim.

Mr Palmer’s move to prolong his political career comes as the majority of the 550 workers were laid off on Friday after a plan to save the Townsville refinery through a complex company swap fell flat.

The Palmer United Party founder on Sunday said it was unlikely the would be any work for sacked employees from at Queensland Nickel operations for several weeks.

He blamed administrators who took over the operation and state government regulators for the problems at the refinery.

Mr Palmer is almost certain to lose his House of Representatives set of Fairfax at the federal election.

But he said it was possible he would lead his party’s Queensland Senate ticket.

“We’ll look at what happens when the election’s called,’’ Mr Palmer told ABC TV.

But Mr Palmer said it would be up to the PUP.

“They might say, ‘Hey, gee, we don’t want Clive, he’s the last person we’d want’,” he said.

“Someone that would actually stand up to the Government, that got rid of the 2014 budget.’’

the Climate Change Authority, saved the clean energy corporation’.”

Following the defection of PUP senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus, the only party member left in the Senate is West Australian Dio Wang.