Clive Palmer's short political career

GOODBYE CLIVE

2012

* April: Announces he will seek LNP pre-selection for the Brisbane seat of Lilley, held for Labor by former treasurer Wayne Swan.

2013

* April: Announces he will contest the Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax, held by the LNP.

* May: Sets up the Palmer United Party after falling out with Campbell Newman's LNP state government.

* September: Narrowly wins Fairfax by 53 votes, making it federal parliament's most marginal seat.

2014

* July: PUP senators Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus and Dio Wang sworn in to parliament. They support axing the carbon tax, but save the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Climate Change Authority.

* September: PUP senators help government scrap the mining tax.

* November: Lambie quits PUP to sit as an independent.

2015

* March: Lazarus quits PUP to sit as an independent.

2016

* January: Palmer's Queensland Nickel goes into voluntary administration.

* April: Administrators announce liquidation of QN, accusing Palmer of taking money out of the company for private use. Government forced to use taxpayer money to pay hundreds of workers their entitlements.

* May 4: Announces he will not re-contest Fairfax at the July 2 election.

* May 23: Announces he will not contest a Senate seat at the July 2 poll. Twenty-one of his 30 PUP candidates who ran in 2013 say they will not recontest. Mr Palmer says he wants to enjoy his life and has given his service.