Clive Palmer loses High Court challenge to re-register United Australia Party for federal election

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Clive Palmer has lost a High Court challenge to re-register the United Australia Party ahead of this year’s federal election. The ruling means UAP candidates will not have the party’s name listed on ballot papers. Patrick Bell reports.

Transcript

00:00The United Australia Party was voluntarily deregistered after the last federal election,

00:08and under the law couldn't re-register within the same electoral cycle.

00:12Mr Palmer argued the law was unconstitutional.

00:15Alongside UAP Senator Ralph Babette and the party's National Director, they argued the

00:21restriction on the party's name and logo appearing on ballot papers infringed on the

00:26implied freedom of political communication and restricted voters' choice.

00:31But the High Court has sided with the Commonwealth, which argued the benefits of party registration

00:36also come with responsibilities between elections, such as disclosing donations, and no party

00:43should be able to escape those obligations.

00:46Lawyers for the Commonwealth also stressed the restrictions only take effect when a party

00:51chooses to deregister.

00:53By the party's own admission during the case, the ruling makes it less likely that UAP candidates

00:59will succeed at this year's election.

01:02The court has ordered Mr Palmer and the other plaintiffs to pay the costs of the case, but

01:07it hasn't published its reasons, given the urgency of making a decision before the election

01:12is called.

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