Media release
Cancel both Liberal and Labor with a third force: Palmer
Clive Palmer has mounted a challenge in the High Court of Australia to ensure the United Australia Party (UAP) will be a third force in the 2025 Federal Election.
Mr Palmer said Labor and the Liberals were rigging the election by supporting a draconian and unconstitutional Electoral Act aimed at eliminating competition.
Senator Ralph Babet said that as a serving Senator, he found it undemocratic that the Electoral Act would ban the party from contesting the election.
The Electoral Act states that a deregistered party that seeks re-registration can only contest the election after next.
Section 135(3) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act (the Act) states: "Where a political party is deregistered under subsection (1), that party, or a party that has a name that so nearly resembles the name of the deregistered party that it is likely to be confused with or mistaken for that name, is ineligible for registration under this Part until after the general election next following the deregistration."
Mr Palmer said the party would seek a declaration from the High Court of Australia that section 135(3) is unconstitutional.
"We don't believe the provisions of the Electoral Act are conducive to running a free and fair election as our Constitution demands. With that in mind, we have taken the matter to the High Court of Australia," Mr Palmer said.
Senator Ralph Babet said the party was taking the battle head-on.
"I have lodged an application to re-register the United Australia Party and candidate nominations are now open. United Australia Party will field candidates in all upper and lower house seats," Senator Babet said.
Mr Palmer said the United Australia Party had 82,000 members and they were being denied the right to vote for who they wanted.
"Labor is running scared. There will be a third force in the next election and it will be well supported. I am calling for all parties to join together to kick out the uni-party of Labor /Liberals which has destroyed our economy and increased our cost of living."
"The Liberals and Labor need to be cancelled," Mr Palmer said.
"Before the last election we told the Australian public that interest rates would rise, inflation and the cost of living would go through the roof and life would get a lot more difficult for most Australians. And we were right."
"Our country is barely recognisable. In just a few short years our standard of living has plummeted thanks to poor government policies and Ministers who are out of their depth," Mr Palmer said.
"The Coalition are no better and are simply one half of what appears to be a uni-party with Labor. The Government intends to introduce censorship and destroy Australians free speech.
"The time is now for a real alternative. You don't need a crystal ball to see into the future with Labor and the Coalition – more hard times, more and more control over your lives, more government overreach and more pandering to global elites.
"To vote for them again this time around simply locks this in forever. The 2025 election is critical to the future of the nation and your family.
"In preparation for the next election we are now calling on members to nominate for candidate positions with the United Australia Party," Mr Palmer said.
