Not surprised that the Palmer United Party candidate for Fremantle Teresa van Lieshout has been dumped. She, like Clive Palmer himself, is not exactly a team player.

This was obvious right from the start. Almost immediately after being endorsed as his candidate she was publicly questioning the party's asylum seeker policy.

Ms van Lieshout, a teacher and author, told The Australian that Mr Palmer was entitled to his ideas but she thought asylum boats should be stopped and taken directly to Christmas, Nauru and Manus islands.

"I totally respect his view and I'm a very big promoter of freedom of speech. He has that view but I don't think it's going to resolve the problem," Ms van Lieshout said.

She said she would continue speaking according to her conscience, regardless of the party line. "I'm not a person who's going to be told what to do. That's not democracy."

It's amazing she made it this far when you think about it. Neither of the major parties would allow such open dissent over a major element of their platform -- particularly from such a new recruit. The fact that Ms van Lieshout kept her position as long as she did shows what a shambolic operation the Palmer United Party actually is.

Clearly, it has been very hastily put together from an ideological point of view. Same with the selection of candidates. More embarrassing events like this are sure to occur before long.

Palmer himself weighed in on the fiasco yesterday, calling her an opportunist. Ironic, since that's exactly the criticism so frequently levelled at him!

That said, Ms van Lieshout is definitely a fascinating and eccentric figure. I first learned of her after I saw banners promoting her West Australian Party. They were so striking and unusual that I actually took some photos of them, included below.

Not sure if they're still up. But her passionate and defiantly unorthodox character certainly comes through in them, don't you think?







UPDATE: Ms van Lieshout has posted a video on YouTube in which she pours scorn on Palmer's party for their decision to dump her. Watch even some of it and it's very clear why they made that decision. She clearly has an inordinately high regard for her own abilities, claiming that they won't be able to win with without her. (Still, I don't think she's as narcissistic as either Julia Gillard or Kevin Rudd!)

Looks like the Australian Protectionist Party have now taken her under their wing. But it won't be long before they too decide to dump her. Just a hunch I have ...