Flood of ‘spam’ text messages from Clive Palmer infuriates Australians, with no opt-out option

Clive Palmer has been accused of “spamming” Australians with SMS messages — and there’s no way to stop them.

Controversial businessman and former politician Clive Palmer has been accused of “spamming” Australians with a flood of text messages they never signed up to receive.

Social media has been inundated with complaints from people who received one of a number of different SMS messages on Friday.

The Queensland billionaire, who operates the United Australia Party, was listed as the sender of the texts, which are about everything from fast trains to energy supply and prices.

Marty Friedel told news.com.au he never consented to receive the message, which lobbed into his phone’s inbox at 10.03am, beginning with: “Make Australia Great.”

The text spruiks Mr Palmer’s campaign idea of fast trains for capital cities, saying: “1 hour to CBD from up to 300kms away. Vote 1 United Australia Party, Clive Palmer.”

It contains a link to the required electoral marketing authorisation, but no information about opting out of further contact.

Clive Palmer's political party has been accused of 'spamming' Australians.

“I’ll admit I’m not a huge politics fan — never would have consented to receiving texts from any party,” Mr Friedel said.

Georgina Ramsay took to Twitter to share a screenshot of the message she received about “affordable, reliable power” in Victoria, which hit her phone at 1.17pm today.

“How the HECK did Clive Palmer get my mobile number?” she wrote.

As if seeing Clive Palmer everyday on our screens is not enough , now my family have to endure sms from him. @Telstra @Telstra_news @andy_penn Can Telstra do anything about this? Suspect we are a few of many thousands !

— Karyn Baylis (@karyn_baylis) January 11, 2019

#Breaking @UnitedAusParty targets regional Victoria in text spam.
"Make Australia Great. Fast trains for Melbourne. 1 hour to CBD from up to 300kms away. Vote 1 United Australia Party, Clive Palmer."#auspol #Springst

— Jane McNaughton (@janemc182) January 11, 2019

Are you for real @UnitedAusParty?? Where did you get my number? I wouldn’t vote for you if the country was on fire and Clive Palmer owned all the water. pic.twitter.com/hXkzAaZQk7

— Wink (@katiewinkles) January 11, 2019

Okay what dodgy website sold my phone number to Clive Palmer?
😖

— Shaun Bright (@ShaunBright94) January 11, 2019

A number of complaints were from Victorian residents but Sydneysiders have also reported receiving a variation of the fast train message tailored for those in the New South Wales capital.

Social media users in Queensland also shared screenshots of messages they had received, with messaging about “less tax in the regions”.

It appears to be geo-targeted messaging pic.twitter.com/ACEcrB1go9

— nicholaskmc (@nkmccallum) January 11, 2019

The United Australia Party has been approached for comment.

Mr Friedel said he had lodged a complaint with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and encouraged others to do so.

Clive Palmer wants his newly registered party to run a candidate in every seat at the upcoming federal election. Picture: AAP

However, according to ACMA, text messages that are not commercial in nature are generally allowed and not required to comply with legislative requirements against spam.

“Communications about political matters do not usually include a commercial element,” a spokesperson for ACMA said. Political messaging is also not required to contain opt-out information.

Last week, Mr Palmer was threatened with legal action by the band Twisted Sister over his use of the melody of their song We’re Not Gonna Take It.

The 1980s rock group insisted they never gave him authorisation to adapt the tune for a television advertising campaign.

Mr Palmer sat as the federal member for Fairfax in Queensland between 2013 and 2016 and was the leader of the Palmer United Party.

Clive Palmer’s political party is accused of sending unsolicited text messages with no opt-out option. Picture: Shae Beplate.

He registered his new party last month and announced it would run candidates in every seat at the upcoming federal election.

“For the first time Australia has real choice instead of the duopoly that Liberal and Labor have created by voting together to keep other alternatives out of the federal parliament,” Mr Palmer said.

“We have very strong membership and interest in our party and have formally opened nominations for all 151 lower house seats and all senate positions.”

Originally published as Flood of ‘spam’ text messages from Clive Palmer infuriates Australians, with no opt-out option