The Federal Court order summoning Anna Palmer to answer liquidators' questions came after a similar directive was issued to the former politician's nephew, Clive Mensink, and just a week before the hearings were due to resume.

Registrar Murray Belcher's order also called PwC partner Derreck Vickers and Mr Palmer's long-time business associate Domenic Martino to give evidence.

All three were required to bring "a number of documents".

Hearings into the collapse of Queensland Nickel under about $300 million in debt, costing almost 800 jobs, are scheduled to resume next week.

Special purpose liquidator PPB Advisory has been assigned to recoup millions of dollars in taxpayer money paid out to sacked workers.

Mrs Palmer replaced Mr Mensink as director of Palmer-controlled companies including Mineralogy and China First when he stood down between January 10 and 12 last year.

Mr Palmer's private security clashed with the media outside the court the last time Mrs Palmer joined her husband for proceedings.

A photographer was pushed in a bush and Mrs Palmer appeared to stumble down some stairs as a bodyguard and photographer pushed past.

The next day, Mr Palmer accused a different photographer of pushing his wife.

"If you push my wife again, you'll be sorry," Mr Palmer turned and said as he entered the building.

Mr Mensink is required to give evidence on February 22, but the last the court heard was that he was on a boat "up towards the Arctic".