Clive Palmer, chairman of the Trumpet of Patriots party, has raised concerns regarding potential tampering of his party’s how-to-vote cards, announcing an investigation just weeks before the upcoming federal election. Palmer indicated that the cards had been altered, though he did not specify the nature of the tampering. He assured that reprints would be issued to accurately represent the party’s stance.
In a recent statement, Palmer mentioned, “It has become apparent that a number of our how-to-vote cards have been interfered with.” This is not the first instance of alleged interference; he noted that the party has faced hacking and disruption of communications previously. The investigation is independent of the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Trumpet of Patriots advises voters to prioritise its candidates while placing Labor and Liberal candidates last in their voting choices. However, some discord has emerged within the party. Jason Smart, the candidate for Flinders, expressed disappointment after discovering that the how-to-vote cards recommended his opponent, independent Ben Smith, over conservative candidates, which he felt was contradictory to prior assurances from Palmer.
Smart stated he felt “blindsided” by the situation, asserting that he believed the Green, Teal, and Labor candidates would be listed last, as previously confirmed by Palmer. In light of these developments, he urged voters to “put me last” on their ballots.
Palmer’s motivation for placing major party candidates at the end of the cards is to dismantle what he refers to as the “two-party duopoly,” claiming that both the Liberal and Labor parties exhibit nearly identical policies, leading to public frustration.
Meanwhile, Ralph Babet, the party’s sole senator, reiterated on social media that the Trumpet of Patriots is not collaborating with the Greens or Teals. It is worth noting that the United Australia Party (UAP), which Palmer previously led, was voluntarily deregistered in September 2022. As a result, candidacies under the UAP name will not appear on ballots.
With early voting now underway and election day set for May 3, the Trumpet of Patriots is actively seeking to clarify its position amid these controversies. 9news.com.au has reached out to the party for further comments on the matter.