Clive Palmer claims he’s ‘too old’ after failed campaign

The billionaire spent millions on a mass advertising campaign, however, the minor party failed to pick up a single lower house seat.

Clive Palmer has admitted he is now “too old for politics” following the Trumpet of Patriots failed election campaign.

The billionaire spent millions on a mass advertising campaign, however, the minor party failed to pick up a single lower house seat and is looking unlikely to pick up any seats in the Senate.

The party only picked up 1.85 per cent of the primary vote, with One Nation outperforming it on 6.17 per cent, the Australian Electoral Commission said.

Mr Palmer told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that “he was not really disappointed with the outcome”, and said the Trumpet of the Patriots might not return in three years’ time.

“I’m 71 and I’m getting too old for politics,” he said.

Clive Palmer, Chairman and party spokesman for Trumpet of Patriots addresses the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I’d rather spend time helping the tens of thousands that are homeless and hungry in this country … that’s why I’ve donated $5m to Foodbank.”

Voters across the country shared frustration over the party’s mass text campaign.

The party sent out over 17 million texts and had received over 10,000 complaints as a result, he said.

However, Mr Cliver said he didn’t believe it impacted their results.

“Ten thousand is pretty minimal compared to 17 million and the people who were complaining were not going to vote for us anyway,” he said.

The only current representative of a Palmer-backed party is UAP Senator Ralph Babet.

But Mr Palmer said while Mr Babet was still in parliament he would want to continue the UAP “in some form”.

“If we had run as the United Australia Party we would have done better,” he said.

“I can’t see us winning anything in the Senate.”