Clive Palmer applies to trademark ‘teal’ and ‘Clive and Pauline Party’

Billionaire Clive Palmer has applied to trademark the terms “teal” and “Clive and Pauline Party”, sparking condemnation from independent MPs.

Applications submitted to IP Australia reveal the founder of the United Australia Party applied to trademark “teal”, “teals”, “the teal party” and “AusTeal” on December 2 and sought to trademark “The Clive and Pauline Party” on November 18.

Billionaire Clive Palmer.Credit: Glenn Hunt

A spokesperson for the billionaire declined to say why these applications were made.

Independent politicians were confused and frustrated by Palmer’s attempt to trademark phrases associated with the Climate 200 group.

The upcoming federal election could be the last one in which Palmer, who spent over $100 million at the previous election on his United Australia Party, can spend large amounts on trying to sway votes before new donation laws come into effect, capping what any individual or party can spend.

In November, Palmer made headlines again when he pledged to take federal Labor’s proposed donation cap of about $800,000 on spending in each federal electorate to the High Court.

The bill continues to be negotiated over the summer because an agreement between the major parties could not be achieved in the last parliamentary sitting period of 2024.

With several polls predicting a close race, the prospect of a minority government will give MPs on the crossbench more bargaining power.

Teal independents such as Kooyong MP Monique Ryan were not aware of Palmer’s applications until contacted by this masthead.

“I would have thought Clive Palmer would have a full dance card in 2025 re-registering his own party, fighting fraud charges and rebuilding the Titanic,” she said.

“Having said that, there’s no doubt that he and Pauline would make a lovely couple.”

In March, Palmer appealed to the High Court to halt prosecutions for alleged fraud and dishonesty brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The matters are still unresolved.

Monique Ryan said she did not know Clive Palmer was trying to trademark “teal”. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

A spokesperson for One Nation leader Pauline Hanson disputed suggestions the two Queenslanders would merge their parties, despite Palmer’s application to trademark “The Clive and Pauline Party”.

“There’s no risk of a Clive and Pauline Party, so unless there’s another Pauline, there’s no party,” he said.

Independent member for Wentworth Allegra Spender also questioned the legitimacy of Palmer’s application: “Antics like this are exactly why people are fed up with politics as usual.”

North Sydney MP Kylea Tink said Palmer’s attempt to trademark a colour reveals he does not understand the teal movement.

“This movement is about so much more than a word made up by the media and I expect actions like this will just spur new communities on.”

Trademarking a colour such as teal is possible, says Lisa Egan, an intellectual property partner at law firm Mills Oakley, but for any application to be successful, the phrase needed to be distinctive to whatever good or service it applied to, and it could not be too similar to something already on the register.

IP Australia typically takes about two to three months to determine if something can trademarked, meaning the decision could be known as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls the next election, which must be held no later than late May.

The authority will also consider any objections.

“The process can be very drawn out,” Egan said.

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