Townsville: The chairman of QNI Resources Limited, Clive Palmer, today made good on his promise to pay unpaid workers’ entitlements despite neither he nor his companies being responsible for dismissals at the Queensland refinery.
Mr Palmer said that $7 million had been paid into a trust account with Alexander Law which will be used for unpaid QNI worker entitlements.
The principal of Alexander Law, Sam Iskander, today confirmed that his firm had received the $7 million for the trust account and that Alexander Law would be processing the outstanding claims.
“It was the administrators of Queensland Nickel who, despite the direction of joint venture partners, refused to transfer employees and assets to a new operator, which would have allowed workers to keep their jobs,” Mr Iskander said.
Clive Palmer said the Townsville community must be reminded that it was the administrators who dismissed 546 people and closed down the refinery for no good reason except political gain.
“Considering the floods and cyclones that have ravaged North Queensland, I have decided to pay any outstanding workers’ entitlement amounts not paid by the liquidators to these workers to assist them and their families in these difficult times,’’ Mr Palmer said.
QNI Resources will be publishing notices in the Townsville media and on the QNI website explaining how workers can forward claims so they can be considered. E
