Unworthy, PM says of 'crocodile tears'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has taken to task a Labor frontbencher who criticised a Liberal MP for shedding tears over redundant Queensland Nickel workers.

Townsville-based MP Ewen Jones had cried "crocodile tears" over a government decision to fund the entitlements of workers who had lost their jobs because of the company's collapse, opposition workplace relations spokesman Brendan O'Connor said on Friday.

Mr Turnbull hit back, telling reporters in Beijing the comments were unworthy.

"Frankly, he lacks the heart, he lacks the compassion that all of us should have for people that have lost their jobs like this," he said.

Mr Jones had "wept for a day but had worked for months and months and months for those workers".

Mr Turnbull said the more than $70 million the government would pay out to workers was the largest ever made under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme.

The government intends to use a special-purpose liquidator to pursue businessman-MP Clive Palmer over the payments.

Mr Palmer's role in the company's demise was a disgrace, Mr Turnbull said.

"As you know, he's been taking money out of that company for his own purposes and that has played a major part in the dire state the business is in."