Armed with a $50 million campaign budget and a preference deal with the Liberals, Clive Palmer’s rebranded party is set to make a big impact this federal election.
“The United Australia Party is on track to win government at the next federal election,” the mining magnate declared in full-page newspaper ads earlier this election.
While Mr Palmer is prone to exaggeration, the billionaire is on track to win a Senate seat and could influence the result in other seats.
Clive Palmer says Bill Shorten isn't morally fit to be prime minister. Source: AAP
The latest Newspoll puts the United Australia Party’s support on 5 per cent nationally, and in crucial marginal seats in Queensland it’s as high as 14 per cent.
It’s a staggering resurgence after the original version, Palmer United Party, ended in disarray.
Short memory
Launched ahead of the 2013 election, PUP had three Senators as well as Mr Palmer himself in the lower house at its peak.
But the party was plagued by internal tensions and infighting.
Less than two years after the election, the popular Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie resigned from the party, continuing as an independent. In 2015, former rugby player Glen Lazarus followed in her footsteps quitting the party and accusing its leader of bullying.
Senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus were elected as PUP candidates and finished the term as independents. Source: AAP
That left WA Senator Dio Wang who lost the double dissolution election in 2016.
Mr Palmer’s own parliamentary record raised questions about his commitment to the job.
Despite claiming he was the hardest working member of parliament during the 2013-2016 term, Mr Palmer had the worst attendance record.
He missed 63 sitting days out of 166 during his time as the representative for the Queensland seat of Fairfax.
Labor has criticised Clive Palmer's parliamentary performance. Source: AAP
He decided not to stand at the 2016 election and PUP was deregistered in 2017.
Comeback
Not satisfied with his first attempt, Clive Palmer is back, fielding candidates in all 151 lower house electorates under the new name United Australia Party.
It’s the same name as a political party that is considered the precursor to the modern Liberal Party.
Although, there is no other connection aside from the name, Mr Palmer lists the original parties’ former prime ministers Robert Menzies and Joseph Lyons on the website, angering their relatives.
Mr Palmer is running for the Senate in Queensland, hoping to join the UAP’s sole representative in the Parliament, Senator Brian Burston, who defected from One Nation.
There’s doubts about the eligibility of at least 19 UAP candidates, who have listed their parents or grandparents as being born overseas but not providing further details.
Former One Nation Senator Brian Burston defected to Clive Palmer's United Australia Party. Source: AAP
The electoral commission introduced a checklist after the dual-citizenship saga forced a series of by-elections, but says it is powerless to prevent the nomination of a candidate who provides incorrect or inadequate information.
It’s also been revealed about 40 live outside of the electorate where they’ve nominated, while the candidate for the Victorian seat of Nicholls tried to trade favourable coverage in the newspaper for buying advertising space.
Populist policies
With a slogan borrowed from the US President, “make Australia great”, the populist party has seized on voters’ disaffection with major parties.
The minor party is making plenty of promises designed to appeal to all sections of the community, from a $150-a-week increase in the pension to laws requiring greater representation of women in government.
Given Mr Palmer’s business interests, it’s not surprising the party takes a pro-coal, pro-mining stance and is opposed to foreign ownership.
Preference deal
Clive Palmer’s political comeback was given a massive boost when the Liberal Party agreed to preference UAP second or above Labor in all seats.
That’s despite the federal government pursuing the former Queensland Nickel boss which collapsed in 2016 leaving taxpayers to foot a $70 million bill for unpaid entitlements to its 800 workers.
Mr Palmer has now paid $7 million into a trust fund for former employees still owed money.
Clive Palmer is spending about $50 or $60 million on advertising. Source: AAP
Commenting on the preference deal, Mr Palmer launched a tirade against Labor’s Bill Shorten describing him as a liar and “not morally fit to be prime minister”.
In return, preferences from the UAP could help the Coalition hang on to several marginal seats in Queensland, where the UAP’s support is highest.
