The mining magnate’s ‘Trumpet of Patriots’ party failed to win a single seat in the 2025 federal election, despite a record-breaking ad blitz and a maligned nationwide SMS campaign.
Key Takeaways
- Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots secured just 1.85% of the national vote and failed to win a single seat in the House of Representatives.
- Despite reportedly spending up to $60 million on advertising – including over $6 million on YouTube and Meta – Palmer’s new party made no electoral gains.
- In the hours after the election, the party’s lead candidate Suellen Wrightson locked all her social media accounts after receiving just 3.3% of the vote in Hunter.
- Over 17 million unsolicited campaign text messages were sent, drawing thousands of complaints but no legal consequences under current exemptions for political candidates.
- Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese secured re-election, becoming the first Australian prime minister since John Howard to win consecutive terms.
- Peter Dutton became the first federal opposition leader in Australian history to lose his own seat, marking a catastrophic night for the Coalition
Key Background
Palmer, who is worth an estimated $3.4 billion and ranked 18th on Forbes Australia’s 50 Richest list for 2025, launched the Trumpet of Patriots in February after failing to re-register his previous political vehicle, the United Australia Party.
The mining magnate promised to bring a Trump-style populist agenda to Canberra, vowing to “drain the swamp,” slash public spending, and legally define gender as binary.
The party’s branding also borrowed heavily from Trump’s campaign playbook, complete with “Make Australia Great Again” caps.
At the time, he said he was willing to spend “whatever is required” to defend freedom of speech – though critics argued his SMS-heavy strategy alienated voters rather than inspiring them. In response to the backlash over both the texts and YouTube ads, Palmer told News Corp “the advertising supports a lot of journalists and newspapers and it creates a lot of debate”.
And while the Trumpet party ran candidates in all 150 lower house seats and across the Senate, it failed to convert that scale into support.
Big Number
$60 million – How much Clive Palmer claims he spent on his 2025 campaign, making it one of the most expensive efforts by an individual in Australian political history.
Crucial Quote
“It doesn’t worry me, I earn more than that [$60 million] every couple of months,” Palmer told News Corp in the wake of Saturday’s election result.
Tangent
Palmer has never been shy about putting his fortune behind big ideas – whether that’s a political party or a full-scale replica of the Titanic.
After shelving the project twice, the mining billionaire revived his Titanic II plans for a third time in March last year, saying it was “a lot more fun than sitting at home counting [his] money.”
The ship is designed to mirror the original – right down to the grand staircase, third-class stew, and four decorative smokestacks. In March last year, he suggested passengers will be encouraged (though not required) to dress in early 1900s fashion as they retrace the doomed liner’s maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.
