Angry former Queensland Nickel workers call for Clive Palmer to quit Parliament

UPDATE: The Palaszczuk Government has announced a five-part plan to help find jobs for workers sacked from Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel.

Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk met with Mayor Jenny Hill and several of her cabinet ministers in Townsville to discuss Queensland Nickel. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The Palaszczuk Government has accelerated more than $125 million-worth of further public works in an attempt to find jobs for hundreds of workers sacked from Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel.

It’s hoped the move will fast-track the creation of more than 430 jobs in Townsville, where senior ministers today held crisis talks about the future of 237 retrenched workers and the region.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the announcement was part of a five-point plan, which includes the federal government getting on board.

“We will work with the federal government to drive projects in this region,” she said.

“We can all do this together. Local, state and federal working together as one.”

The state government announced $61 million worth of accelerated works in the days after the sackings. Their new commitment takes the total dollar amount to $187 million.

Ms Palaszczuk said an expansion at the Port of Townsville would create around 100 of the new jobs.

Her five-point plan also involves attracting tourism, working with the private sector and equipping people with training and skills.

“This is just the start,” she said.

“We will continue to work with this region. We will continue to work with the families and we will do everything that we possibly can.”

Earlier today, federal Employment Minister Michalia Cash said $500,000 would be made available for career transitioning assistance to who had been laid off.

She said the money would help those who had a letter of redundancy to immediately access intensive career transitioning services though the jobactive employee program.

“The Government is very concerned about the workers who have been made redundant, their families and the broader Townsville community which will be heavily impacted by these job losses,” Senator Cash said.

But Ms Palaszczuk this morning said that many sacked workers had not been issued seperation certificates, leaving them without access to even the most basic Centrelink support.

Annastacia Palaszczuk with Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill. PIC: Shae Beplate.

Meanwhile, the Environment Department has confirmed Queensland Nickel has not been required to set aside any funds to remediate the site if the refinery closes, bringing into question who will foot the bill if QN not have the funds.

And the Government has no idea how much refurbishment will cost, saying only that that was a matter for the company.

“The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection does not hold financial assurance for the Queensland Nickel Refinery, nor has it previously,” a spokesman told The Courier-Mail.

“Under the Environmental Protection Act, its regulations and guidelines, financial assurance is not applied to businesses of this type.”

The department said Queensland Nickel had a responsibility to meet rehabilitation guidelines that “require that disturbed areas are rehabilitated to achieve a site that is safe to humans and wildlife, non-polluting, stable, and able to sustain an agreed post-disturbance land use” and that Tailings Dam is decommissioned.

“Valuable and provision for these obligations are matters for the company.”

EARLIER: CLIVE Palmer is unfit to be an MP over the “disgraceful” handling of the collapse of his Queensland Nickel company in Townsville, angry ex-employees say.

Outraged, sacked workers yesterday demanded the Member for Fairfax be removed from office for unconscionable conduct as many face not being paid their entitlements that total at least $10 million.

The comments come as the corporate watchdog, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, monitors a probe into the management decisions of Mr Palmer’s director nephew, Clive Mensink.

CUTS: Clive Palmer company Queensland Nickel makes 237 workers redundant

Confidential talks have been held between ASIC and the administrators of Queensland Nickel, The Courier-Mail can reveal, with the potential probe having implications for Clive Palmer’s political and business empire.

Clive Palmer speaks with the Media at the Ville in Townsville

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flew to Townsville last night and today will convene a meeting of senior officials to discuss how to help the Queensland Nickel workers.

Father-of-three and former Queensland Nickel process worker Kane Quinton said Mr Palmer’s political credibility was “zero”.

“He’s dead in the water, in terms of politics, Mr Palmer knows that, and he should step away from public office,’’ Mr Quinton said.

WORKERS WAIT: Palmer washes hands of Queensland Nickel

“He’s shown no compassion and it is clear he does not represent average Australian workers, he’s not supporting jobs, he’s not supporting worker entitlements, everything he stood for in his political campaign has turned to ash.’’

It is understood ASIC could look into whether the sole director of Queensland Nickel, Clive Mensink, has upheld his fiduciary duty by approving millions of dollars in donations to the Palmer United Party.

Darelle Baker’s husband Nathan was made redundant.

Mr Palmer could also face ASIC scrutiny over whether he had been acting as a “shadow director’’.

A spokeswoman for ASIC said it had held discussions with voluntary administrators, FTI Consulting.

“The investigations undertaken by voluntary administrators include examining whether there have been possible contraventions of the law by directors who owe duties to the companies they manage,” she said.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon yesterday urged ASIC to act.

“ASIC has a public duty to investigate these allegations because, if proven, they can have a huge bearing on the entitlements of sacked workers,’’ he said.

Queensland Nickel donated almost $6 million to the Palmer United Party in 2014-15, including $290,000 in the past six months.

Queensland Nickel managing director Clive Mensink. Picture: Peter Wallis

Senator Nick Xenophon..

While Mr Palmer resigned as a director of Queensland Nickel in April 2014, AWU secretary Ben Swan questioned whether the private-plane flying MP could have been acting as a “shadow director’’, which potentially carries the same penalties as a director who breaches fiduciary duties.

Penalties include up to $200,000 in fines and disqualification from managing corporations.

Mr Mensink said the company could trade out of administration.

“It is my understanding that the administrators will be in contact with all stakeholders and the operations of QNI will continue,” he said. With 550 workers still employed at the Yabulu nickel refinery site, outside Townsville, all 237 sacked staff attended a special information forum in the city yesterday.

Administrators for the embattled Yabulu refinery are trying to work out how much workers are owed after it was revealed none of the 800 staff, which have since been cut to 550, have received payments to their superannuation accounts since November.

There is also no capacity for the company to pay out the entitlements of the 237 workers made redundant on Friday, according to the AWU.

Nathan Baker was made redundant.

Todd Livock was made redundant. He has twin one-year-olds.

It is understood early analysis show the company is $70 million in debt.

Outside the forum, scores of sacked refinery workers spoken to by The Courier-Mail were unwilling to talk, given Mr Palmer’s litigious nature, and for fear comment might affect any possible payout.

Mr Palmer should bear the full blame and his “day of shame was yet to come”, ex-refinery workers said.

“He’s definitely not fit to be an MP,’’ said one former Queensland Nickel employee.

“The way he’s treated us and our families is a national disgrace.’’

One employee of 35 years said the Fairfax MP had stripped the refinery of funds and assets and had now abandoned his workers.

Government taskforce meeting with sacked QN workers at Riverway.

“We’ve been screwed. We’re not going to get one cent of our entitlements. Many are owed between $45,000 and $90,000,” he said.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill told affected families to “hang in there”.

“It’s the worst feeling on Earth, but they have to stay positive,’’ she said.

Mr Swan said workers made redundant would have to become creditors to see any of their entitlements.