BUSINESSMAN Clive Palmer says he is not responsible for any problems at his refinery, and blamed his five-year-old daughter for posting an offensive tweet under his name.

He blamed administrators of Queensland Nickel, the State Government and resource prices for 800 workers losing their jobs, but said he bore no responsibility.

Mr Palmer said the refinery may not open again until July 31.

He admitted he was aware that if workers were not re-employed until then, their entitlements would not transfer to his new company Queensland Nickel Sales.

Mr Palmer said this was not a deliberate strategy.

“It’s just the unfortunate situation they’re in,” he said.

He said QNS did not launch its take over of the refinery to get back Treasurer Curtis Pitt.

Last week, the same day QNS took over the refinery, a photo of a gnome raising its middle finger was posted on Mr Palmer’s Twitter account with the words “a message to (Curtis Pitt)”.

“Can I make a confession? That was my five-year-old daughter,” he said.

EARLIER:

A PROPOSED community buyback of Clive Palmer’s stricken nickel refinery has received the support of sacked workers and creditors at a meeting in Townsville.

Sister City Partners founder Warwick Powell said there was a “unanimous show of hands” to support the proposal, after two-and-a-half hours of discussions at The Ville Resort Casino.

“Exactly how much it will cost will depend on the way in which we can negotiate it,” Mr Powell said.

“There’s always a more than one way to skin a cat in these arrangements ... and we’ll be looking at achieving an outcome that is fair value and appropriate value for the community.”

Another meeting would be held with workers in the next few weeks, he said.

Organisers explained the plant had been haemorrhaging $1 million a week and required a substantial injection of capital.

They were seeking access to the Commonwealth’s “northern Australia infrastructure facility” as well as “patient capital support” from the Queensland Government.

Thirty million was needed in the 2017 financial year to bring the plant up to a safe working standard, with $220 million required over four years.

Mr Powell said liquidating Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd seemed to be the only path forward, so as to trigger the Fair Entitlements Guarantee for workers.

As part of the buyback, debts would be converted to equity and creditors — including workers — would become owners.

There would also be trade creditors however Mr Powell would not divulge which ones had shown interest.

media_camera Clive Palmer has maintained he cannot operate the plant without 18 government approvals, but has yet to specify what they all are. Picture Kym Smith

Organisers said Mr Palmer “understood” that the only way the bid could move forward was if he was not involved in the new model.

The meeting, which was attended by about 300 people, was told staff would be re-hired on a “merits-based program”.

At one point, Denise Allen, whose husband John had worked at the plant for 23 years, yelled out, “will my husband get his job back? That’s all I want to know.”

Later, speaking outside the room, she said it was “very emotional”.

Shortly after media were requested to leave for sensitive discussions, a fiery Bob Katter took the microphone and said that jobs were “hanging by a thread,” adding “we’re in the deepest of trouble” unless the proposal went ahead.

He urged the federal government to support the bid because it would be “their only score on the board.”

He said workers and creditors must “show fight and anger”.

Afterwards, sacked workers were positive about the proposal, with one labelling it “bloody brilliant.”

Earlier, it was reported government inspectors would descend on the nickel refinery this morning, as Environment Minister Steven Miles urged Mr Palmer to rehire staff.

It comes amid warnings of criminal charges if standards are not met.

Inspectors for the Department of Environment will be at the refinery following enforcement notices being issued to Queensland Nickel Sales on Friday.

Dr Miles said the company had environmental authority to operate, but needed to retain staff to keep the Yabulu refinery operating within its legal environmental obligations.

He said environmental protection orders issued against QNS did not prevent it from operating.

“Recent media reports suggest QNS has told workers they will not be re-employed for some weeks — but I strongly urge the company to ensure sufficient qualified staff are retained on site to ensure the requirements of the company’s EA and the EPO are met,” he said.

“There are serious consequences, including the possibility of criminal charges being laid, for failing to comply with these directives.”

Dr Miles said the EPO contained seven requirements to ensure the company complied with all its environmental obligations and the refinery site retained environmental compliance.

“(The department) is currently satisfied the company is maintaining essential environmental controls and will continue to closely monitor the company’s compliance with its EA,” Dr Miles said.

Mr Palmer has maintained he cannot operate the plant without 18 government approvals, but has yet to specify what they all are.

QNS has been granted environmental authority to operate, while Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said on Friday they were waiting on information from the company before they could grant workplace health and safety licenses.

OVERNIGHT: The future of almost 550 workers at Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel remains in doubt, with the embattled businessman refusing to commit to rehiring them.

In his first comments since the workers at his struggling refinery were sacked on Friday, Mr Palmer refused to accept blame for the job losses and accused the Queensland Government of driving away investment.

Mr Palmer claimed he has a $23 million line-of-credit that can save the Yabulu refinery but refused to explain where the money will come from.

He also claimed the refinery needed 18 separate approvals to be able to operate but did not explain what these were and later told the State Government he did not know what he needed.

The businessman MP is locked in a war of words with the State Government, which says they are doing everything possible to get the refinery working again.

As a cloud continued to hang over his business prospects, Mr Palmer left open the option of running for the Senate at the next federal election just three weeks after insisting he was committed to his Sunshine Coast electorate.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk accused Mr Palmer of lying and said he didn’t even know what approvals his Townsville refinery needs to stay afloat.

“What’s needed from Clive Palmer is a bit of honesty,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Clive Palmer dodges questions about Nickel workers Clive Palmer dodges questions about Nickel workers during an interview on Insiders. Courtesy: ABC

The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection transferred an Environmental Authority on Friday permitting Queensland Nickel Sales to operate the ­refinery.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Government will consider laws to prevent “high-flying businessmen” and mining companies from leaving taxpayers to pick up multi-million environmental clean up bills.

Environment Minister Steven Miles said the Government would not tolerate intensive industries forcing taxpayers to fork out to prevent pollution or clean up after problems arise.

The Minister’s comments follow changes to regulations last week which added metal smelters and refineries, mineral processing plants and clinical waste treatment facilities to the list of facilities which may be required to give financial assurances around environmental clean ups.

Dr Miles stressed he was not singling out any company or individual.

“Queenslanders are well and truly sick of seeing high-flying businessmen who think they can avoid doing the right thing by ordinary working people, the community and the environment,” Dr Miles said.

“In my environment portfolio, there have been too many occasions where companies have closed their doors, and what’s been revealed is that there is no money left in the till to deal with the costly clean-up and rehabilitation of the sites.”

Dr Miles said there had been too many instances in recent history which showed some businesses did not have clear plans on how to meet their environmental responsibilities.

“There are others that seem to think they can avoid doing the right thing if they hire a room full of high-priced lawyers,” he said.

“Business people aren’t the only ones who can hire lawyers.

“I intend doing everything possible to bring an end to this behaviour.”

Clive Palmer isn't prepared to lose money for Nickel workers Clive Palmer isn't prepared to make money available to re-hire Nickel workers. Courtesy: ABC

Asked if the Government would stiffen laws to crack down on the practice, Dr Miles said: “I’m willing to consider it”.

He said in the past some smelters and processing plants had not been required to pay financial assurances to cover the cost of clean up after they shut down.

“For companies where Queensland law already requires an upfront bond to be paid, we’ve had a historic problem where the upfront bond hasn’t been big enough for the bill which is waiting for us,” he said.

“From the responsible members of the resources industry, and that includes very big company and small entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of mining technology, those negotiations have gone well, but there are some cases where we are having to fight to get the correct upfront payment being made.

“The second problem we have is where companies are not required to pay upfront, but are expected and trusted to do the right thing and make money available if they shut, aren’t doing that.”

The Department of Environment has previously said Queensland Nickel was not required to pay financial assurances.