Queensland businessman Clive Palmer has rejected claims that he owes former Queensland Nickel workers money and described the decision of the Queensland Supreme Court to freeze his assets as being part of a witch-hunt.

"This is all about a witch-hunt, about me as an Australian daring to challenge the two ruling parties of this country who work hard to keep you, the people of Australia, down, and it's a political witch-hunt," Mr Palmer told 7.30.

Mr Palmer's Queensland Nickel refinery at Yabulu, north of Townsville, was shut down more than two years ago, leaving a string of debts including tens of millions of dollars of unpaid entitlements to hundreds of refinery workers.

"I don't owe them any money," Mr Palmer said.

"That's the reality."

Former worker Sam Larkin believes the asset freeze is essential for those who lost their jobs.

"Really, it's the only way that we've got any chance of getting the rest of the money that we're entitled," she told 7.30.

'If I want to pay him $1 million a week, I will'

The court heard Clive Mensink is still being paid $4,000 a week. ( AAP Image/Supplied by Crook Group )

Liquidators have been chasing the Palmer-controlled private companies that owned and operated the refinery but Mr Palmer is resisting paying.

One of the complications in working out the line of responsibility for these private companies is that the director of Queensland Nickel, and Clive Palmer's nephew, Clive Mensink, has disappeared, with reports of him hiding out in eastern Europe.

The Queensland Supreme Court heard that Mr Palmer is still paying him $4,000 a week.

"If you read the Australian Financial Review, I have assets of $2.9 billion here in Australia," Mr Palmer said.

"It's my money, he's my nephew. If I want to pay him $1 million a week, I will.

"I earned my money hard."

Mr Palmer claims Clive Mensink offered to pay all creditors and transfer employees but the administrator refused his offer.

"It's not that I can't pay people, it's that I don't owe people," Mr Palmer said.

"I am going to make sure that the administrators pay the people for the unconscionable behaviour they did."

'To an average worker that's an enormous amount'

Former Queensland Nickel refinery worker Sam Larkin says she's still owed thousands of dollars. ( ABC News )

Sam Larkin said the closure of the refinery and the loss of jobs has been devastating for Townsville.

"It's ripped $2-3 million out of the Townsville community," she told 7.30.

"It brought the place to its knees."

Ms Larkin received part of what she was owed through a taxpayer-funded Federal scheme, but she says she's still owed about $8,000.

"Which isn't a lot of money to Clive Palmer or Clive Mensink, I know, but to an average Australian worker that's an enormous amount of money and it makes a big difference to your life," she said.

"It would have been great a long time ago, but it would be great if we get it — it would be great."