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Tasmanian election victory on track: PUP

Clive Palmer claims internal polling shows his Palmer United Party (PUP) will win majority government at the Tasmanian state election.

Mr Palmer says a phone poll of 500 Tasmanians last weekend shows the PUP will win 13 of the state’s 25 lower house seats.

“Our polling shows the Palmer United Party is heading for victory on March 15 and our state leader Kevin Morgan will be the next premier of Tasmania,” Mr Palmer said in a statement.

“We have the major parties running scared and this polling shows the strong support for the Palmer United Party, which defied some predictions to make an outstanding debut at the September federal election.”

The claim comes a day after a ReachTEL poll commissioned by the Liberal Party put the PUP’s support at 4.8 per cent statewide.

The PUP is not releasing detailed figures, but denied the statement was a publicity stunt.

“It’s random and it’s across the state of Tassie and 500 people approximately,” a spokesperson told AAP.

“The figures are very consistent across the state which would indicate that Tasmanians are certainly not happy with the major parties and the status quo.”

The spokesperson said similar internal polling had predicted the surprise election to the senate of the PUP’s Jacqui Lambie at the federal election last September.

“Our numbers proved very close to the mark,” he said.

The claim came as the Tasmanian Liberal opposition continued an attack on the PUP’s candidates.

The Liberals have accused one candidate, Mark Grewar, of racism in social media posts and another, Steve Green, of links to conspiracy theorists.

The opposition says Mr Green signed a Citizens Electoral Council petition comparing the Howard government’s anti-terrorism laws with Nazi Germany.

“The CEC is an extreme organisation that believes in worldwide conspiracies,” Liberals spokeswoman Vanessa Goodwin said.

“It is extraordinary that a candidate would associate himself with such views, yet Mr Green has.”

The PUP said it was preparing a response to the allegation.

The Tasmanian Liberals are campaigning on a promise of majority government after ruling out any agreement with a minor party.

But the state’s unique Hare-Clark electoral system means it is likely minor parties will be elected to the lower house.

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