Clive Palmer says he will recontest his Queensland seat of Fairfax at next poll

THE leader of the diminished Palmer United Party say he won’t switch to the Senate but will stand again in his Sunshine Coast seat.

Clive Palmer arrives at Parliament House in Canberra this morning for the final sitting week before the federal budget is handed down. Picture: Ray Strange

CLIVE Palmer is in no hurry to become a senator, confirming he will contest his lower house seat at the next federal election.

There has been speculation the Palmer United Party leader might make a run for the upper house to reclaim the parliamentary influence it lost with the defection of two of its three senators in the past few months.

Palmer’s fortune shrinks daily

When asked whether he would stand for the seat of Fairfax, Mr Palmer told ABC radio on Tuesday: “Yes, I will.”

The resignation of Senator Glenn Lazarus this month means the PUP — which last August held nine seats across three federal, state and territory parliaments — has been reduced to only two. They are West Australian senator Zhenya Wang and Mr Palmer himself.

AAP