Clive Palmer announces new political party, Trumpet of Patriots
The mining magnate said his new Donald Trump-inspired political party would “Make Australia Great Again” and “drain the swamp in Canberra”.
Billionaire Clive Palmer has launched a new political party inspired by the politics of US President Donald Trump, vowing to “Make Australia Great Again”.
The mining magnate is the chairman of his new party, Trumpet of Patriots, which will run on Trump-inspired policies and aims to sway voters away from the major parties as well as the Greens and teals.
Introducing Mr Palmer, party president Glenn O’Rourke said the Queensland rich lister would help “drain the swamp in Canberra”.
Speaking to a room packed with journalists at Parliament House in Canberra, Mr Palmer praised Mr Trump and said Trumpet of Patriots would rally for policies like a reduction in immigration, banning trans athletes, and rescinding Kevin Rudd’s posting as Australia’s ambassador to the US.
“The party believes in the policies of Donald Trump, which is shown to be effective in bringing management back on track,” he said.
“Peter Dutton has stated the he’s no Donald Trump, and we agree with him. Albanese presided over declining standard of living for our country in each and every year he served as prime minister.
“Australia needs Trump policies. Australians want them.”
Trumpet of Patriots will aim to run candidates across all 150 electorates and senate seats; however, no decisions have been made on preferencing. Mr Palmer said decisions would be “up to policies”.
He said the party’s centrepiece policy would be to “cut government waste,” citing the Elon Musk-fronted Department of Government Efficiency in the US.
He also vowed to spend “whatever is required” to boost the party’s election chances.
“I’m more than happy to spend my funds on something productive, defending the right of free speech, and whatever is required to be spent, it will be spent,” he said.
The party will be led by NSW Hunter candidate Suellen Wrightson, who will challenge Labor incumbent Dan Repacholi.
Mr Palmer’s loan United Australia Party parliamentarian, Victorian senator Ralph Babet, will not be switching to the new party despite conversations between Senator Babet and Ms Wrightson.
Notably, Mr Palmer spent $123m during the 2022 federal election that installed the former real estate agent into the Senate.
Ms Wrightson blamed the “political system” and lobbyists for increasing the cost of living and advocated for “fast trains from our capital cities to regional Australia”.
She also spoke against trans rights, echoing Mr Palmer’s comments that “we don’t want males dressed as females confusing our children in our schools”.
“Men should not be in women’s sports, especially boxing. Men in women’s clothing should not be confusing our children in school,” she said.
Palmer mum on electoral reform fight
Mr Palmer has previously threatened to challenge incoming Commonwealth laws that will cap individual donations to $50,000.
Although the changes won’t come into effect until 2026, the policy will also include election spending caps of $800,000 per electorate, or $90m per party, plus real-time donation disclosures during election periods.
Mr Palmer didn’t commit to pursuing a potential High Court challenge, stating “we’ll see what happens”.
“Let’s see. The election may give an answer,” he said.
Powerful crossbench MPs, who will likely hold the balance of power in a minority government, have also rallied against the changes, with Indi MP Helen Haines vowing to lobby the Special Minister of State to undo them if she is re-elected.
United Australia Party gone
Mr Palmer’s political pitch follows the voluntary deregistration of his former United Australia Party in late 2022.
It was unable to be re-registered despite a failed High Court challenge.
Anthony Albanese dashed the political effectiveness of Mr Palmer’s new party while acknowledging people were entitled to run.
“A bloke who spends over $100m to deliver one senate seat with a bloke who sits in the corner and just engages in conspiracy theories I don’t think represents value for money,” the Prime Minister said.
“I’m not sure what the objective of them is, but people are entitled to put themselves forward in an election, but if you’re a serious political party, then you have to have serious policies.”
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