Trumpet of the Patriots candidate Suellen Wrightson seen everywhere on TV, social media, but as much not in her electorate
Suellen Wrightson’s face is everywhere on millions of unsolicited texts, TV and billboard ads, but volunteers in her electorate say she’s not been seen.
Federal Election
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Suellen Wrightson is the face of the party bombarding Australians with millions of unsolicited texts, her face is on ads all-over social media and television screens, but in the Hunter electorate she is trying to win, the Trumpet of the Patriots leader is rarely seen.
Off the back of billionaire Clive Palmer’s multimillion dollar advertising campaign, Ms Wrightson’s face is instantly recognisable.
In the non-stop ads she presents herself as a potential next Prime Minister, yet has hardly spoken to the media, while volunteers on the hustings say they haven’t seen her.
When this masthead approached her for an interview at her home, she wouldn’t answer questions.
Trumpet of Patriots founder Clive Palmer told this masthead he did not believe Ms Wrightson was “missing in action”, claiming she had been travelling around the country supporting other candidates, while looking after her sick mother.
“She’s the national leader of the party, if you look at Albanese or Dutton, they haven’t been in their electorates, they’ve been travelling around Australia,” Clive Palmer said.
“She has had a very heavy schedule of filming for the advertising campaign.”
Mr Palmer claims he spent up to $60 million on the campaign so far, but was unsure if that would translate to success.
“I think we will win something,” he said.
Saturday’s election will be Ms Wrightson’s fifth attempt to enter federal parliament after she joined the then-named Palmer United Party in 2013.
Born in Western Sydney, she entered politics while living in Cessnock, successfully running as a local councillor for the Liberal Party in 2012, before defecting a year later.
In 2025, Ms Wrightson has likely pinned her hopes of winning via an unprecedented mass text campaign, bombarding voters with texts they can’t opt out of.
Hunter locals told this masthead the non-stop messages made them less likely to vote for her.
Redbridge pollster Kos Samaras said the apparent lack of physical campaigners for Trumpet of Patriots had a 1980s-style advertising style which would likely be ineffective, instead giving more votes to One Nation, who have a more established physical campaign presence.
“Palmer has agitated the vote for One Nation - he might as well have donated his money to (Pauline) Hanson.
Although Trumpet of Patriots has sent millions of unsolicited texts to the public, and broadcast repeated ads with Ms Wrightson claiming Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton “won’t debate” her, Suellen Wrightson has been media shy.
After failing to respond to multiple requests for comment, this masthead tracked her down at her home in the neighbouring electorate of Shortland.
The face of Trumpets of Patriots stayed inside, while her husband Dean - who ran for United Australia Party in 2019, called the police.
Dean Wrightson said his mother in law had terminal lung cancer, and Suellen had been caring for her.
When asked why his wife had rarely been seen on the campaign trail, Mr Wrightson responded: “what business is that of yours?”.
“You should watch her campaign videos.”
Outside of politics, Ms Wrightson dabbled as a real estate agent in 2020, where she worked for Andrew McGrath First National Real Estate in Swansea for less than a year.
When asked about Ms Wrightson’s short tenure, her former boss Andrew McGrath said, “She decided real estate wasn’t for her and she didn’t want to go to work on Saturdays as she preferred to go out on the boat with her husband.”
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