POLITICS: Clive Palmer announcing the launch of his United Australia Party. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: The Courier-Mail
STANDING in front of a party name he hasn?t even registered, mining billionaire Clive Palmer today told the nation he plans to become Australia's next prime minister.
Repeatedly dodging questions about whether he intends to give up his businesses interests and how much he intends to invest in his unofficially launched political party, Mr Palmer claimed he would field candidates for 150 Lower House seats, a senate team in every state and territory – all while swooping in to claim Fairfax on the Sunshine Coast.
To the left of him, images of conservative icons like Robert Menzies rotated, while a grinning, slightly younger Clive Palmer stood with two thumbs to his right.
But the mining magnate may not even be able to lay claim to the “United Australia Party” name he hopes will lure voters at ballot boxes in September.
The Courier-Mail revealed the United Australia Party is yet to appear on the Australian Electoral Commission’s current register of political parties.
Meanwhile, a small, relatively unknown outfit has managed to sneak in their application for the similar-sounding “Uniting Australia Party” and progressed it to the point of it being open to public objection.
When contacted about the matter on Wednesday by The Courier-Mail, Mr Palmer had not even heard of the fledgling party.
But he hopes his trademarking of the UAP will defeat their bid to secure their name.
A legal battle, however, is unlikely to sway the AEC.
Mr Palmer today acknowledged that while he has unofficially launched his United Australia Party, he is yet to finalise his federal application to the Australian Electoral Commission.
"It's being in preparation," he told The Courier-Mail.
When asked if he would pursue a legal battle with those behind the "Uniting Australia Party" registration, he said only that "they have no right to use the name".
Just minutes earlier, he told media in Brisbane that he had a comprehensive plan to topple the Gillard Government at the federal election and keep Opposition Leader Tony Abbott from the top job.
"I’m running to be the prime minister of Australia," Mr Palmer said.
"I am standing because I think I can offer better service to the community than anyone else."
He insisted he had “no personal interest” in becoming Prime Minister and told the press conference he had “made enough money”.
Later, he declined to say whether any of that money would be reinvested in his political party.
Mr Palmer said the Australian public were tiring of both major political parties.
He went on to say that his policies would be similar to the LNP’s with differences in just a handful of areas.
A key policy point involved not only repealing the carbon tax – but making any changes retrospective.
The billionaire refused to drill down into the finer mechanics of how his party intended to untangle the complex legislative changes retrospectively without seriously disrupting the Australian economy.
When asked what he planned to do if his bid for Fairfax were unsuccessful he said he wasn’t sure. He suggested “taking up bowls”.
“What are you doing on the weekend?” he asked the media present.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd, a Queensland MP, said he was surprised that Mr Palmer had waited until just five months before the September poll to unveil his true intentions.
"Anyone in Australia can stick their hand up and have a go, it’s democracy," Mr Rudd told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program.
"But the thing with Clive is why on earth are you doing it now? If you are going to run and you are going to put a lot of money in behind your campaign, at least the Australian people have the right to put you under some scrutiny about what policies you would take to an election and whether they should be supported or not.
“I think this last minute stunt like Clive has got in mind is not good because people want to know what you would change."
Mr Palmer, the founder of Queensland resource giant Mineralogy, has previously been a massive donor to the Liberal National Party, but relinquished his membership last year due to differences.
Last night he confirmed he would seek to re-form the United Australia Party, which was dissolved in 1945.
The former life member of the Liberal National Party said the new UAP would contest 127 lower house seats in the September federal election, and stand for all seats in the Senate.
Julia Gillard this morning lashed Mr Palmer for claiming neither big political party cared about indigenous infant mortality.
"That claim is complete rubbish from Mr Palmer," the Prime Minister told ABC Radio in Darwin.
"We’ve been very focused on indigenous mortality rates, child mortality … so the facts are always good to acquaint yourself with and I suggest Mr Palmer acquaint himself with those facts."
On Mr Palmer’s plan to enter politics, Ms Gillard said it was a matter entirely for him.
"It’s all a question for Mr Palmer and the appropriate party registration processes," she said.
- additional reporting by Lanai Scarr, AAP
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