Billionaire’s High-Stakes Court Battle Over Election Laws Could Change Australia’s Political Landscape
Ralph Babet, leader of the UAP, is challenging election laws he claims are unconstitutional, aiming to secure his party’s participation in the 2025 elections.
Ralph Babet, Clive Palmer, United Australia Party, High Court, Australia
Brisbane: So, Ralph Babet, the leader of the United Australia Party, is taking the Commonwealth to court. He’s not happy about some election laws that he and Clive Palmer, the billionaire behind the party, say are unconstitutional.
Palmer claims the government is trying to rig the 2025 election with these laws. They say the rules are too strict and unfair, especially for parties that have been deregistered.
The UAP was deregistered last year, but Babet insists they’re still planning to run in the next election. However, the law says they can’t contest until 2028, which is a real bummer for them.
Palmer argues that these laws make it hard for parties to run fair elections. He’s hoping the High Court will act quickly on this before the next vote.
He also mentioned that their party name is trademarked, and he thinks the laws are just a way to keep them from competing. Palmer believes everyone should have the right to run for office, no matter their political views.
They filed a writ with the High Court, saying the current laws give an unfair advantage to registered parties. Babet is asking the court to declare these provisions invalid so they can participate in the next election.
Palmer is worried that these laws could stop Babet from running and wants to make sure they can field candidates across the board. He thinks the cost of living issues are a big deal and that minor parties will be watching their case closely.
He’s looking forward to the court case, hoping it will show Australians they can participate in elections freely. Palmer drew a comparison to Russia, saying that restricting who can run is dangerous for democracy.
Babet, who was elected to the Senate in 2022, believes their party has a strong base of 82,000 members who deserve a say in elections. He’s calling for unity among parties to challenge the current political landscape.