Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer says he has a solution to end the same-sex marriage debate - take the power to legalise marriages away from the government and give it solely to churches.

In a suggestion that is similar to one put forward by Liberal MP Philip Ruddock earlier this year, "marriage" would be removed from government legislation and left up to religious institutions.

Earlier this month 237 employees at Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel were sacked, and it has also emerged the company had not set aside the statutory superannuation provisions for any of its employees since November. Credit:Harrison Saragossi

This would mean all couples, regardless of their sexuality, could have a state-recognised civil union. But if they wanted to "marry", they would need to go to a church - and it would be up to the church to decide if they could do so.

"All citizens must have the right to a civil union recognised by the Australian government. No citizen or couple should have the right to force any church to marry them," Mr Palmer said in a statement.