Polye had first entered Parliament in the 2002 general election, as a member of the National Alliance Party, whose leader Sir Michael Somare became Prime Minister.

The members of his faction reconstituted themselves as the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Rural Party, ahead of the June 2012 general election.

The party would seek to promote a "diversified economy", and, in terms of foreign policy, would "modernise strategic partnerships".

[citation needed] He added: "I want a policy to improve the salary, working and living conditions for all professional public servants, a rural and urban housing scheme, strengthening the village court system through improving salaries and living conditions, strengthening existing delivery systems by DSIP, promoting gender equity, free education for all ages and to support technical skills.

[4] In March 2014, Don Polye was dismissed from Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's government, for not abiding by Cabinet solidarity.