Receiving unsolicited text messages from political parties could become a thing of the past in Australian federal politics if billionaire Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party is elected at the May general election.
“When elected [the] United Australia Party will ban unsolicited political text messages, which Labor and Liberal have allowed,” Queensland’s richest man said in a bulk text message dated Jan. 17. The text messages are understood to have been sent to an unknown number of cell phones from as early as Jan. 11.
While many who commented seemed confused and upset about how UAP obtained their personal cell phone numbers, there were several who expressed support for the UAP’s alternative to the two-party monopoly held by the ruling centre-right Liberal Party and their left-leaning opposition, the Australian Labor Party.
Many people also responded to the campaign on the UAP Facebook page.
“Cannot wait for real change and common sense policies that serve the majority,” supporter Keegan Prior said on Facebook.
Another supporter, Troy Turner, said“ ”It’s your time to shine Clive. You have my support 100 percent.”
Others simply wanted to know how they could find out more about the UAP’s policies. “How can we contact you? I would like to know what your policies are regarding taxes, fuel prices, electricity prices and sustainable energy, failing education,” one comment read.
“We'll be running text messages as we get closer to the election because it’s a way of stimulating debate in our democracy,” Palmer told the ABC.
Burston said that while he did not consider such text messages “offensive,” he acknowledged that “some people may be offended.” He agreed with Clive’s view that going forward, such unsolicited political text messages should be banned and that he would do so if reelected, along with the UAP to the federal government, at the next election.
Burston added that another option he would consider was “rather than ban them, just allow people to unsubscribe,” according to the ABC.
“It’s something that you can just delete or ignore. Same as Facebook, if you get abusive or un-useful messages on Facebook you can just ignore them or delete them,” Burston told the ABC.
