Clive Palmer says he never wanted to win Parliament seat

Mining magnate and Queensland MP Clive Palmer has reportedly claimed he "had other plans" for 2014 and only ran for Parliament at his wife's urging.

The head of the Palmer United Party told an electrical and communication industry luncheon that he had deliberately tried to avoid being elected and that Parliament was no fun, the reported.

However, he said he would see his term through.

"Once you’re elected you can’t run away from that responsibility," he said.

He said he intentionally chose to run for the House of Representatives, not the Senate, as he thought the chances of being elected to the former body were lower.

The Palmer United Party was a surprise success story of the 2013 election, winning the balance of power in the Senate.

The party has been able to delay the introduction of the government's unpopular Medicare co-payment policy, with Mr Palmer previously declaring it "dead and buried".

However, some of its representatives have attracted criticism since they began their sitting terms.

Tasmanian PUP Senator Jacqui Lambie has previously proclaimed Australia needs to bring back national service and prepare for a war with China.

The party's Queensland parliamentary leader Alex Douglas also quit last month as he accused PUP of encouraging a "jobs for the boys" mentality.

Mr Palmer himself has been criticised for spending 17 of the 58 sitting days since election away from Parliament, but he has previously said he is of most use to his constituents outside the House.