Clive Palmer has accused the Queensland government of blocking one of his companies from accessing a port and has vowed to pursue it in court, but the port authority says access is still being negotiated.
The businessman on Monday issued a statement saying Queensland Nickel had been refused entry to the Port of Townsville, and said the body had ignored correspondence to restore access.
"The Labor-directed Port Authority, the local council and the state Labor government are putting politics ahead of the best interests of the north Queensland community," he said.
"It is one thing not agreeing with my political views, but it is a completely differing thing to deny thousands of jobs and a much-improved boost to the struggling economy."
But the port says its talks with the billionaire's company have been positive, and that QN is now in ongoing discussions with mining company Glencore about access to the berth it leases.
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"(Queensland Nickel) previously accessed Berth 2 for its nickel ore imports under a commercial contract with Glencore," it said in a statement.
"(Queensland Nickel) is in discussions with Glencore in this regard."
Ports Minister Mark Bailey says Mr Palmer is yet to pay the port a $1 million debt that has been outstanding for three years.
"He's got a very notorious record in Townsville, he's been spending $50 million on the most expensive political campaign in Australian history, and he still hasn't paid his debt of $1.1 million to the Port of Townsville," he said.
"That would be a good start."
