Queensland Nickel workers chasing redundancy entitlements from Clive Palmer’s pocket

SACKED workers at Queensland Nickel could have their $16 million of redundancy entitlements paid immediately if Clive Palmer did this...

Clive Palmer leaving a Fig Tree Pocket house. Pic Mark Calleja

SACKED workers at Queensland Nickel could have their $16 million of redundancy entitlements paid immediately if Clive Palmer sold just one property in his vast personal empire.

As administrators continue their complex investigations into the troubled Townsville refinery, questions remain over whether Mr Palmer could be forced to sell off parts of his real estate empire to pay workers and other creditors if the company goes under.

Clive Palmer leaving his Fig Tree Pocket property. Picture: Mark Calleja

A search of property records show an array of real estate registered to Mr Palmer, including the Queen St building that houses Mineralogy, bought for $15.5 million just over two years ago.

That amount is just shy of the $16 million owed to 137 workers let go only one business day before Queensland Nickel called in voluntary administrators two weeks ago.

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Records show four homes registered to Mr Palmer, including one at Paradise Point bought for $1.75 million in 2011 and another ritzy home at Fig Tree Pocket, where he was sighted yesterday.

He also personally holds multimillion-dollar deeds for land and golf courses on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and north Queensland.

The Gold Coast Avica resort, where Mr Palmer wants to build a housing development, was bought for $7.9 million in 2013. His wife, Anna, owns six Brisbane and Gold Coast properties bought for up to $2.3 million each.

And the Holy Spirit Trust, in which Mr Palmer holds a beneficial interest, owns the Paradise Point home the Palmers stay in that was purchased for $9.5 million in 2010.

A $9.5 million Sovereign Island mansion owned by Clive Palmer. Picture: Luke Marsden.

The politician also owns land and buildings in Bora Bora, vintage cars, motor bikes, works of art and livestock, according to his Register of Members’ Interests.

Despite QN director Clive Mensink praising Mr Palmer for using $2.6 million of his own money to pay QN wages in December, Mr Palmer has said it’s not up to him whether staff get their redundancy pay.

Clive Palmer paid $15.45 million for 380 Queen Street, Brisbane. Picture: Tim Marsden

But under rules enforced by the corporate watchdog ASIC, anyone found to be acting as a “shadow director” can be subject to the same liabilities of a formally-appointed director.

Mr Palmer has denied he has been secretly running the refinery and maintains he is retired from business, but has admitted he did sign off for company purchases via an email under the name of Terry Smith.

Australian Workers’ Union Queensland branch secretary Ben Swan said he did not expect Mr Palmer to voluntarily sell off any assets to help out workers, but said he could be ordered to if it was found he is liable to creditors.

Mr Palmer was sought for comment yesterday but did not respond.