Clive Palmer’s political entity, Trumpet of Patriots, is probing potential manipulation of its how-to-vote advisories following reports that supporters were encouraged to back Climate 200-endorsed independents in a number of electoral districts. Palmer has asserted that this isn’t the first incident of alleged hacking against Trumpet of Patriots, yet without revealing any concrete evidence of such interference.
On Saturday, Palmer declared that Trumpet of Patriots would put incumbents from Labor and Liberal in their respective last preferences, aimed at dismantling the two-party dominance and enhancing Australia’s stature. Shortly thereafter, the party’s full how-to-vote guidance appeared online, indicating supporters should rank Climate 200-backed candidates as second or third preferences in areas such as Flinders, Monash, Wannon, Forrest, Berowra, and Lyne.
The decision drew criticism from Trumpet of Patriots candidate Jason Smart, who labeled it as “alarming and vindictive.” He urged voters to position him at the bottom of the polling card as a form of protest, stating he only joined the race under assurances that teal, Labor, and Green candidates would be the bottom choices in how-to-vote strategies. Smart’s declaration came with a strong message, emphasizing his refusal to be swayed by Palmer’s political ambitions.
This controversy within the right-wing sphere has sparked debate, with conservative and anti-windfarm groups inquiring into why Trumpet of Patriots seemed to be endorsing progressive independents. Just as early voting commenced on Tuesday, Palmer announced an investigation into the alleged manipulation of the party’s voting guides, indicating that this was not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of hacking.
The unfolding event led to an immediate response with Palmer ofing to rectify what he termed “tampering” of their how-to-vote resources by printing new instructions in the coming days. He strongly stated that the tampered how-to-vote cards would be corrected promptly.
The Guardian Australia reached out to Palmer’s team for comments, and it was revealed that a total of 18 how-to-vote cards, including those that recommended second or third preferences for Climate 200-backed candidates, were taken off the party’s website as a response.
Pundits like psephologist Kevin Bonham speculate that the Trumpet of Patriots might not even achieve the 4% vote share that Palmer’s former party, United Australia, reached in 2022, which would likely be insufficient to secure a seat independently. Bonham predicts the party’s performance to be around 0.5% in most constituencies.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/22/clive-palmer-claims-how-to-vote-cards-interfered-with-after-backlash-over-teal-preferences
