Palmer proves to be great unknown

The Labor Party has taken the trouble to test Clive Palmer's popularity with voters and the results may come as a surprise.

DESPITE scepticism on his side of politics about his sincerity in running for federal parliament, the Labor Party has taken the trouble to test Clive Palmer's popularity with voters. The results may come as a surprise to the attention-loving billionaire.

Leaked research by the ALP's private pollster, UMR, shows that 42 per cent of female and 26 per cent of male voters have not heard of Mr Palmer even though he was branded by Wayne Swan as a threat to democracy, along with fellow mining plutocrats Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest.

The online survey of 1000 voters was conducted in March after the flamboyant Queenslander announced he would consider seeking Liberal National Party preselection in Lilley, the Treasurer's Brisbane seat.

However, UMR reported that only 26 per cent of men aged over 18 and just 16 per cent of women had a positive view of Mr Palmer. Overall, 35 per cent of men and 22 per cent of women were negative about him, with 13 per cent of men and 20 per cent of women unsure of where they stood.

Among under-30s, 55 per cent said they had never heard of him.

People earning between $60,000 and $100,000 a year were best disposed towards Mr Palmer, the Labor Party was told. But the 24 per cent of this group who had a positive view of him was still outweighed by the 29 per cent who were negative.

Mr Palmer has since pulled out of the running for Lilley, but insists he will go for LNP preselection in another federal seat in Queensland, possibly Fairfax on the Sunshine Coast, where he owns a resort.