Clive Palmer is continuing his campaign against the Electoral Commission Queensland, this time accusing it of "unconstitutional behaviour".
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Mr Palmer said the independent ECQ was "obviously heavily influenced by the Newman government" after it asked the Palmer United Party to complete its electoral returns, detailing the names and addresses of 500 paid-up members, in order to maintain its registration as per the state's Electoral Act.
Yeerongpilly MP Carl Judge's recent resignation left the party without a MP in the Queensland Parliament. The ECQ said there was nothing unusual in the request to the Palmer party, which last year was asked to provide a list of members to the federal electoral commission ahead of the federal election.
PUP handed in its list of members just ahead of the ECQ deadline. The ECQ has since been carrying out its checks of the submitted names, ensuring they are paid up members. Mr Palmer said that was "unnecessary and in my view, unconstitutional"
"The ECQ already has more than enough proof that we have the requisite Queensland members," he said in a statement.
"It is just another tactic by the LNP Government to interfere with democracy.
"This move by the ECQ is obviously being heavily influenced by the Newman Government and signals that a Queensland election is on the cards before Christmas.
"It is a tactic by the LNP hierarchy to have the Palmer United Party de-registered because of the threat it poses the government.
"The Palmer United Party is committed to getting to the truth for the people of Queensland and the government doesn't like it."
A spokesman for the ECQ said it was carrying out "well established procedures for conducting membership audits of political parties and organisations who are applying for registration as political parties".
The current PUP membership audit is being conducted entirely in accordance with these existing procedures and many organisations have been through this process in the past," he said.
PUP is not alone – the Greens underwent the process in September 2010. Premier Campbell Newman has repeatedly ruled out going to an election before 2015.