Canberra Liberals

Last updated

Canberra Liberals
Liberal Party of Australia (A.C.T. Division)
Leader Leanne Castley
Founded27 January 1949;75 years ago (1949-01-27)
Headquarters4/50 Geils Court, Deakin ACT 2600
Youth wing Young Liberals
Women's wing Liberal Women's Council
Norfolk Island wing Norfolk Island Interest Branch
Ideology
Political position Centre-right to right-wing
National affiliation Liberal Party of Australia
Colours  Blue
Legislative Assembly
9 / 25
House of Representatives
0 / 3
(ACT seats)
Senate
0 / 2
(ACT seats)
Website
canberraliberals.org.au
Twitter logo of Canberra Liberals prior to 2021 Logo Canberra Liberals.jpg
Twitter logo of Canberra Liberals prior to 2021

The Canberra Liberals, officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (Australian Capital Territory Division), is the division of the Liberal Party of Australia in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The party has been in opposition in the ACT Legislative Assembly for much of its existence, but held power with the support of minor parties and independents between 1989 and 1991 and again between 1995 and 2001. [1] It is currently the only state or territory division of either major party to be unrepresented in the Federal Parliament.

Contents

History

The first Liberal branch in Canberra was formed in order to field a candidate in the newly created Division of Australian Capital Territory at the 1949 federal election. The first meeting of the branch was held at the Albert Hall on 27 January 1949. The inaugural meeting of the Canberra women's branch was held on 29 June 1949. By 1961, there were three branches of the Liberal Party in the ACT, and a branch of the Young Liberals was created around the same time. [2]

The party held a number of seats in the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly throughout its existence. In the first election under self-government in 1989 the Liberal Party won four seats. [3] The Liberals were led in the Assembly by Trevor Kaine, initially in opposition but in December 1989 the party formed a coalition known as the Alliance with the Residents Rally that lasted from December 1989 until June 1991 when a dispute over school closures broke up the coalition and returned the parties to opposition. [4] Kaine was briefly replaced as leader by Gary Humphries, [5] but regained the position a month later. [6] Two years later he was replaced by Kate Carnell. [7]

At the 1995 election the Liberals won 7 seats [8] and Carnell formed a minority government with the support of independent members Michael Moore and Paul Osborne. Carnell served as Chief Minister until October 2000 when she resigned in advance of a no confidence motion over the increased costs of the Canberra Stadium. [9] She was succeeded by Humphries but the party lost power in the 2001 election. [10] It has been in opposition ever since, having installed and removed multiple leaders including Brendan Smyth, Bill Stefaniak, Zed Seselja, Jeremy Hanson, Alistair Coe and Elizabeth Lee. [11] The current leader of the party is Leanne Castley. [12]

In the 2022 federal election, Seselja, who was the sole Canberra Liberals parliamentarian in federal parliament, lost his Senate seat to independent David Pocock. [13] This left the Canberra Liberals with no representation in the 47th Parliament. A review into the territory division's defeat at the election would be headed by former WA Liberal leader Mike Nahan and former Victorian Liberal senator Helen Kroger. The review would include an examination of the Canberra Liberals and its electoral performance among different voter segments, and would propose strategies to regain federal representation. [14]

Leadership

Leaders

#Leader
(birth–death)
ElectorateTerm startTerm endTime in officeChief Minister (term)
Liberal Placeholder.png Jim Leedman
(born 1938)
1966 30 October 1974 c. 8 years, 122 daysN/A
Liberal Placeholder.png Peter Hughes
(born 1932)
Canberra 30 October 1974 3 January 19772 years, 65 days
Liberal Placeholder.png Jim Leedman
(born 1938)
Canberra 20 January 1977 10 December 1988 11 years, 325 days
Trevor Kaine and John Langmore (cropped).jpg Trevor Kaine
(1928–2009)
10 December 1988 12 June 1991 2 years, 193 days
Follett (1989–1989)
Himself(1989–1991)
Follett (1991–1995)
Gary John Joseph Humphries.jpg Gary Humphries
(born 1958)
12 June 1991 22 July 1991 31 days
Trevor Kaine and John Langmore (cropped).jpg Trevor Kaine
(1928–2009)
22 July 1991 21 April 1993 1 year, 273 days
Kate Carnell.jpg Kate Carnell
(born 1955)
Molonglo
(1995–2000)
21 April 1993 17 October 20007 years, 179 days
Herself(1995–2000)
Gary John Joseph Humphries.jpg Gary Humphries
(born 1958)
Molonglo 18 October 2000 25 November 20022 years, 38 daysHimself(2000–2001)
Stanhope
(2001–2011)
Brendan Smyth Wanniassa head.jpg Brendan Smyth
(born 1959)
Brindabella 25 November 200216 May 20063 years, 172 days
Bill Stefaniak.png Bill Stefaniak
(born 1952)
Ginninderra 16 May 200613 December 20071 year, 211 days
Zed Seselja.jpg Zed Seselja
(born 1977)
Molonglo
(2004–2012)
Brindabella
(2012–2013)
13 December 2007 11 February 2013 5 years, 60 days
Gallagher
(2011–2014)
Jeremy Hanson 2016.jpg Jeremy Hanson
(born 1967)
Molonglo
(2008–2016)
Murrumbidgee
(2016–present)
11 February 2013 25 October 2016 3 years, 257 days
Barr
(2014–)
Alistair Coe at 2CC in 2016.jpg Alistair Coe
(born 1984)
Yerrabi 25 October 2016 27 October 2020 4 years, 2 days
Elizabeth Lee MLA (cropped).jpg Elizabeth Lee
(born 1979)
Kurrajong 27 October 2020 31 October 2024 4 years, 4 days
Liberal Placeholder.png Leanne Castley
(born 1974)
Yerrabi 31 October 2024 Incumbent43 days

Deputy Leaders

Deputy LeaderDate startedDate finishedDeputy Chief Minister
Tony De Domenico 19929 January 19971995-1997
Gary Humphries 9 January 199731 January 19971997
Trevor Kaine 31 January 199717 February 19971997
Gary Humphries 17 February 199717 October 20001997-2000
Brendan Smyth 17 October 200025 November 20022000-2001
Bill Stefaniak 25 November 20022004
Richard Mulcahy 200416 May 2006
Jacqui Burke 16 May 200613 December 2007
Brendan Smyth 13 December 200711 February 2013
Alistair Coe 11 February 201325 October 2016
Nicole Lawder 25 October 201627 October 2020
Giulia Jones 27 October 2020January 2022
Jeremy Hanson February 20227 December 2023
Leanne Castley 7 December 202331 October 2024
Jeremy Hanson 31 October 2024Incumbent

Electoral performance

Legislative Assembly

ElectionLeaderVotes %Seats+/–PositionStatus
1989 Trevor Kaine 21,08814.87
4 / 17
Increase2.svg 4Increase2.svg 2ndOpposition
1992 45,20329.03
6 / 17
Increase2.svg 2Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
1995 Kate Carnell 66,89540.48
7 / 17
Increase2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1stMinority
1998 68,22137.83
7 / 17
Steady2.svg 0Steady2.svg 1stCoalition
2001 Gary Humphries 60,39031.64
7 / 17
Steady2.svg 0Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
2004 Brendan Smyth 71,08334.81
7 / 17
Steady2.svg 0Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
2008 Zed Seselja 66,86131.56
6 / 17
Decrease2.svg 1Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
2012 86,03238.90
8 / 17
Increase2.svg 2Increase2.svg 1stOpposition
2016 Jeremy Hanson 89,63236.72
11 / 25
Increase2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 2ndOpposition
2020 Alistair Coe 90,95533.81
9 / 25
Decrease2.svg 2Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition
2024 Elizabeth Lee 91,65233.45
9 / 25
Steady2.svg 0Steady2.svg 2ndOpposition

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References

  1. CONSTITUTION of the LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA (AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY DIVISION) Archived 21 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine , as amended November 2018
  2. "Our History". Canberra Liberals. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  3. "List of elected candidates - 1989 Election". Elections ACT. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  4. "'The accidental chief minister': Trevor Kaine 25 years on". Canberratimes.com.au. 12 December 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  5. "15 Jun 1991 - Kaine defers to Humphries after all - Trove". Trove.nla.gov.au. 15 June 1991. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  6. "21 Jul 1991 - Humphries ditched - Trove". Trove.nla.gov.au. 21 July 1991. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  7. "22 Apr 1993 - The ten-minute coup that stopped a hemorrhage - Trove". Canberra Times (Act : 1926 - 1995). Trove.nla.gov.au. 22 April 1993. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  8. "List of elected candidates - 1995 Election". Elections ACT. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  9. "ACT's controversial former chief minister Kate Carnell has returned to the main game selling a forceful message". Canberratimes.com.au. 31 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  10. "Liberals Analysis. ACT Election Guide 2004". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  11. Green, Antony. "Election Preview". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  12. "Leanne Castley elected Canberra Liberals leader". The Canberra Times. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  13. "David Pocock officially declared first independent senator for the ACT, unseating Liberal Zed Seselja". ABC News. 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  14. "Review into Canberra Liberals election defeat to tackle independents 'challenge'". Riotact. 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.