Off the back of lockdowns, vaccine mandates and a, some might have tipped self-proclaimed “Freedom Fighter” Clive Palmer to have sweeping success in the federal election with his United Australia Party (UAP).
But despite what looked like millions of views under his YouTube videos and money that could buy him online engagement on Facebook, and real life engagement with his billboards, his big spending failed to translate to big wins.
So what went wrong? And, what did the UAP get from its pricey endeavours?
So, how'd the United Australia Party fare?
With a new leader at the helm — Liberal MP turned UAP leader, Craig Kelly — the party pledged to fight for “freedom”.
Mining magnate and party chairman Clive Palmer was by his side as Mr Kelly made big promises to enact an Australian Bill of Rights, outlaw lockdowns and vaccine mandates, and invest superannuation funds locally, among other things.
During election week, the UAP leader said the party was gunning for all 151 lower house seats across the nation.
Instead, the UAP got none. Incumbent Mr Kelly was easily rolled by his Liberal replacement in the electorate of Hughes and Mr Palmer failed in his bid for a Queensland seat in the Senate.
United Australia Party (UAP) chairman Clive Palmer (left) and UAP leader Craig Kelly during the United Australia Party's campaign launch in the Sunshine Coast on 16 April 2022. Source: AAP / DARREN ENGLAND/AAPIMAGE
In the Senate, the UAP candidate for Victoria, Ralph Babet, will likely scrape into the sixth and final seat, thanks to the Liberal Party, which preferenced the UAP second.
Deej Babet, who uses the first name Ralph, is a real estate agent.
His brother, Matt Babet, ran for the lower house in the electorate of Bruce in Victoria, which remained a safe Labor seat.
(left to right) UAP candidate for Bruce, Matt Babet, UAP leader Craig Kelly and UAP Senate candidate for Victoria, Ralph Babet. Credit: Matt Babet Facebook
His candidate profile also likens mandates to "segregation" and voices distrust in the major parties.
In Victoria, the UAP had a swing of 1.47 per cent, securing 3.95 per cent of the Senate vote. But this still left it far behind The Greens who secured the fifth seat with 13.18 per cent of the vote in the state.
Elsewhere, while the UAP saw some positive swings in some jurisdictions (1.81 per cent gain in NSW, 0.58 per cent gain in Queensland, 0.36 per cent gain in Western Australia, 0.14 per cent loss in the ACT, 1 per cent loss in Tasmania and a 0.04 per cent loss in South Australia), the party was never really in contention anywhere else.
Even the Legalise Cannabis Party, on its election campaign, came closer to pinching the sixth Senate spot in Queensland from Pauline Hanson.
More ads ≠ more votes
Political marketing expert from the Australian National University, Dr Andrew Hughes, said political ads are "like preaching to the converted".
"They work on those people who are loyal followers. They're the ones most likely to believe the messaging and reinforce habits. For the rest of us, no it does not work," he added.
A vandalised United Australia Party billboard on Sydney's Parramatta Road. Credit: Reddit Sydney thread
Instead, he argues that heavy advertising dragged the public's perception of the party.
Regardless, Mr Palmer said the huge spend was worth it.
“I think it was. You can’t put a price on liberty. Good ideas are what matters for this country,” he told reporters outside Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
“Governments may come and go but freedom goes on forever,” he added.
YouTube paid ads inflated views and perception of the party
The UAP has racked up millions of views on YouTube videos, exceeding the number of views from both major parties combined. But that doesn't mean millions were searching for the party's content.
According to the YouTube analytics tool Social Blade, for most of August last year, the page was averaging a total weekly view count of a thousand to two thousand views. By September this had jumped to four million.
Google’s political transparency report shows that the UAP has spent $23,897,250 since November 2020 sponsoring its videos to run as ads appearing before and during other videos on YouTube. If a viewer watched a UAP ad for at least 30 seconds, it's counted as a view.
A screenshot of the Google Transparency report tracking the spending of Clive Palmer's United Australia Party on YouTube.
"It made people actually believe that they're very popular, even the media, non-followers, but more importantly the party followers," said Dr Hughes.
"It's the old theory, 'if I see someone stopping a behaviour, then I'm less likely to behave that way myself.'
"That view count reinforces loyal followers that their behaviour is correct."
Dr Hughes said without the reinforcement, the UAP might not have had as many people stick around.
Splitting the vote with Pauline Hanson and other fringe parties
Greg Melleuish, a professor of politics and history at the University of Wollongong, said the existence of multiple right-leaning minor parties also watered down the vote.
"The problem is that Palmer is competing with other parties for the protest votes on the right," said Professor Melleuish.
"If you add them all up they could rival The Greens - but they were split too much."
(left to right) United Australia Party chairman Clive Palmer, Independent federal MP Bob Katter, Liberal Democrats’ senate candidate Campbell Newman and, One Nation’s Pauline Hanson on the Sky News 'Mavericks Debate'. Credit: Sky News Australia
"This is a problem with the parties on the right compared to The Greens — they're all built around personalities," he said.
Professor Melleuish said the campaign strategy also fell short because it failed to hone in on a particular electorate. Instead, it saw the support the UAP scattered across Australia.
"They were able to pick up some support in Labor electorates in Victoria, they might have been affected by the lockdowns, but it wasn't very large," he said.
"If you're going to spend, what? $100 million to pick up a few thousand votes in a safe Labor seat it's a bit of a waste of money, isn't it?"
The Feed sought comment from the United Australia Party on its election spending and results but had not received a response at time of publication.
