Palmer says tax repeal up to govt

Clive Palmer has said the repeal of the carbon tax lies in the hands of the Abbott government.

The Palmer United Party leader is in talks with government figures ahead of the carbon tax repeal bills returning to the House of Representatives.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott wants the bills to pass the lower house on Monday and have a speedy path through the Senate.

PUP senators sided with Labor and the Greens last week to block the repeal after Mr Palmer was not satisfied with the way an amendment was handled.

Mr Palmer wants to toughen penalties for companies that don't pass on savings on electricity and gas bills.

He declined say ahead of the talks with the government whether he believed the repeal would go ahead this week.

"We don't know - it depends on the government and not me," he told reporters in Canberra.

The businessman-turned-politician also addressed reports he yelled at a Senate assistant clerk during Thursday's chaotic senate sitting.

"What I said was a clerk of the Senate doesn't have the right to stop a senator from moving a resolution or an amendment and there seems to be this principle that they do what the clerk says," he said.

Asked if there was yelling, Mr Palmer said: "Who knows?"

Environment Minister Greg Hunt said he was "hopeful and expectant" the tax would be gone by the end of the week but declined to make any promises.

The coalition will need six extra votes on top of its 33 senators to repeal the tax.

It will require the three PUP senators, Victorian Ricky Muir and two other crossbenchers out of Bob Day, Nick Xenophon, David Leyonhjelm or John Madigan.

Senator Madigan, an opponent of the carbon tax, said he would consider the Palmer amendments when they appeared.

"The devil is in the detail," he said.

Senator Leyonhjelm said he was worried Mr Palmer might change his mind on amendments again and not act in Australia's best interest.

Senator Day was more upbeat: "Let's hope we are at the finish line."