List of historical political parties in Australia

Last updated

This article lists historical political parties in Australia.

Contents

These are Australian political parties which are no longer registered with any federal, state or territory political bodies, and can thus no longer contest elections. Historical names of defunct and current parties are not included in the list as they are not separate entities.

Major parties

Federal parliamentary parties

Political party Period Main ideology Position Political alliance(s)Maximum seats [lower-alpha 1]
Senators House Reps.
NP Nationalist 1917–1931 Nationalism
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right to right-wing Nationalist–Country coalition
34 / 36
53 / 75
UAP Logo of the United Australia Party.svg United Australia 1931–1945 Liberal conservatism Centre-right United Australia–Country coalition
26 / 36
34 / 76
FT Free Trade 1901–1909 Economic liberalism Centre-right
17 / 36
28 / 75
P Protectionist 1901–1909 Liberalism
Protectionism
Centre
11 / 36
31 / 75
L Liberal 1909–1917 Liberalism Centre to centre-right Liberal Union
7 / 36
38 / 75
NL National Labor 1916–1917 Nationalism Centre-left
9 / 36
14 / 75
LL Lang Labor 1931–1950 Economic nationalism (Langism) Centre-left
3 / 36
9 / 74
LU Liberal Union 1922–1925 Liberalism Centre
5 / 75

Notes:

  1. The party's seats is determined by the party's maximum number of seats acquired during its tenure.

State parliamentary parties

New South Wales

Political party Period Main ideology Position Leader Political alliance(s)Seats [lower-alpha 1]
Councillors [lower-alpha 2] MLAs
NP Nationalist 1916–1931 Nationalism
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right to right-wing Thomas Bavin [lower-alpha 3] Nationalist–Progressive coalition (1921)
Nationalist–Country coalition (1927–1930)
58 / 74
52 / 90
LR Liberal Reform 1901–1917 Liberalism
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right Charles Wade [lower-alpha 3]
56 / 69
45 / 90
PP Protectionist 1887–1901 Protectionism
Liberalism
Centre George Dibbs [lower-alpha 3]
23 / 84
66 / 137
PP Progressive 1901–1907 Protectionism
Liberalism
John See [lower-alpha 3]
21 / 62
42 / 125
LL Lang Labor 1931–1950 Langism Centre-left Jack Lang
51 / 114
29 / 90
PP Progressive 1920–1927 Conservatism
Agrarianism
Centre-right Nationalist–Progressive coalition (1921)
3 / 93
15 / 90
DP Democratic 1920–1925 Catholic interests Centre to centre-left
1 / 90
PILP Protestant Independent Labour 1923–1940s Labourism
Protestantism
Social democracy
Centre-left
1 / 90

Notes:

  1. The party's seats is determined by the party's maximum number of seats acquired during its tenure.
  2. The New South Wales Legislative Council was appointed by the Governor between 1855 and 1933.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Longest-serving party leader.

Queensland

Political party Period Main ideology Position Leader Political alliance(s)Seats [lower-alpha 1]
Councillors [lower-alpha 2] MLAs
CPNP Country and Progressive National 1925–1936 Conservatism Centre-right Arthur Edward Moore
43 / 72
NPQ National [lower-alpha 3] 1915–2008 Conservatism
Agrarianism
Economic liberalism
Centre-right to right-wing Frank Nicklin [lower-alpha 4] National–Liberal coalition
49 / 89
LPQ Qld Liberal Party logo.pdf Liberal [lower-alpha 5] 1943–2008 Liberalism
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right Gordon Chalk [lower-alpha 4] National–Liberal coalition
30 / 82
QLP Queensland Labor 1944–1977 Social democracy
Anti-communism
Centre-left Vince Gair [lower-alpha 4]
25 / 75
UP United [lower-alpha 6] 1917–1925 Nationalism
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right to right-wing Charles Taylor [lower-alpha 4]
1 / 58
22 / 72
CCA City Country Alliance 1999–2003 Nationalism
Social conservatism
Right-wing Bill Feldman
6 / 89
UAQ United Australia 1936–1944 Liberalism
Conservatism
Centre-right Hugh Russell
4 / 62
NCP Northern Country 1919/20–1923 Agrarianism
3 / 72
QCP Colourised version of the logo used by the CPA.svg Communist [lower-alpha 7] 1921–1991 Communism
Marxism–Leninism
Far-left Jack Henry
1 / 62
PILP Protestant Independent Labour 1923–1940s Labourism
Protestantism
Social democracy
Centre-left
1 / 62
NQL North Queensland Labor 1944–1977 Social democracy
Populism
Centre-left Tom Aikens
1 / 75
QP Queensland 2010–2012 Regionalism Centre-right to right-wing Aidan McLindon
1 / 89
NQF North Queensland First 2019–2021 North Queensland statehood
Regionalism
Centre-right Jason Costigan
1 / 93

Notes:

  1. The party's seats is determined by the party's maximum number of seats acquired during its tenure.
  2. Members of the Queensland Legislative Council were appointed by the Governor. In 1922 it was abolished.
  3. The party held several names over its duration. By its dissolution it was named the "Queensland National Party" or the "National Party of Queensland".
  4. 1 2 3 4 Longest-serving party leader.
  5. The party was established as the "Queensland People's Party" however later merged with the federal Liberal Party and changed its name to align with the federal branch.
  6. The party was originally called the "National Party", also called the "Nationalist Party". However by its dissolution was named the "United Party".
  7. Also known as the "Queensland Communist Group" in its early years.

Other states

NamePeriodIdeology
Western Australian Liberal Party 1911–1917
Liberal and Democratic Union 1906–1910
Liberal Federation 1923–1932
Liberal Union 1910–1923

Other represented parties

Federal

NamePeriodIdeology
Australian Conservatives 2017–2019 Conservatism
Economic liberalism
Australia Party 1969–1970 Anti-conscription
Social liberalism
Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party 2013–2016Against anti-hooning laws
Australian Party 1929–1931 Populism
Anti-communism
Australian Progressive Alliance 2003–2005
Country Progressive Party 1926–1930
Democratic Labour Party 1955–1974 ; 2010–2014Pro-Catholic
Social conservatism
Christian right
Derryn Hinch's Justice Party 2016–2019 Justice reform, Anti-paedophilia
Family First Party 2005–2011, 2014–2017 Social conservatism
Christian right
Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party 2019–2020 National conservatism
Right-wing populism
Glenn Lazarus Team 2015–2016
Industrial Socialist Labor Party 1919–1921 Socialism
Labor (Non-Communist) 1940–1941 Labour politics
Anti-communism
Liberal Union 1922–1925
Liberal Country Party 1937–1943
Liberal Movement 1972–1977 Social liberalism
Progressivism
Majority Labor Party 1922–1923
National Alliance 1974–1977
National Liberal Party 1974–1974
Nuclear Disarmament Party 1984–1985, 1987–1988, Nuclear disarmament
Progress Party 1975–1981 Libertarianism
Anti-socialism
Progressive Party 1920–1927Socially conservative
Agrarian socialism
Queensland Labor Party 1957–1962
Revenue Tariff Party 1903–1903
Rex Patrick Team 2020–2022
Tim Storer Independent SA Party 2018–2019
Unite Australia Party 1986–1990
Victorian Farmers' Union 1916–1920Pro Farmers
Western Australian Party 1906–1906

State/territory only

NameState/territoryPeriodIdeology
A Better Future For Our Children New South Wales1995–2003
Abolish Self Government Coalition Australian Capital Territory1992–1995
Australian Liberal Party Victoria1927–1932
Australian Sex Party Victoria2014–2017 Civil libertarianism
Sex positivity
Centre Party Tasmania1969–1972
Christian Democratic Party New South Wales1981–2022 National conservatism
Christian right
City Country Alliance Queensland2000–2001
Communist Party of Australia Queensland1944–1949 Communism
Marxism-Leninism
Country-National Organisation Queensland1941–1944
Democratic Party New South Wales1922–1925Pro-Catholic
Dignity Party South Australia2010–2018Disability rights
Executive Country Party Western Australia1923–1924
Family Team Australian Capital Territory1979–1986Social conservatism
Hare-Clark Independence Party Australian Capital Territory1991–1992
Illawarra Workers Party New South Wales1987–1988
Independent Labor Group New South Wales1959–1977
Independents Group Australian Capital Territory1989–1995
Lang Labor (SA) South Australia1931–1934
Liberals for Forests Western Australia2001Anti-logging
New Conservative Group Australian Capital Territory1991–1992Conservatism
New Country Party Western Australia2003–2005
New Liberal Movement South Australia1976–1977
No Self-Government Party Australian Capital Territory1989–?
North Queensland Labor Party Queensland1944–1977Socialism
Northern Country Party Queensland1920–1923
Northern Territory Nationals Northern Territory1987–1990
One Nation NSW New South Wales2000 – 2007 Australian nationalism
Protectionism
Protestant Labor Party New South Wales1925–1927
South Australia1927–1930
Queensland1938–?
Redistribution Liberals Victoria1924–1926
Reform the Legal System New South Wales1999–2007
Residents Rally Australian Capital Territory1989–1992
SA First South Australia1999–2002
Single Tax League South Australia1930–1941 Georgism
Socialist Labor Party New South Wales1920–1921 De Leonism
Territory Alliance Northern Territory2019–2020
Transport Matters Party Victoria2018–2022Taxi industry advocacy, Transport issues
Unity Party New South Wales1999–2007 Centrism
Multiculturalism
Victorian Liberal Party Victoria1954–1955
Vote 1 Local Jobs Victoria2014–2018

Parties without representation

NamePeriodIdeology
All for Australia League 1931–1932
Australian Nationalist Party 1958–1958 Anti-immigration
Australian National Alliance 1978–1981 Anti-immigration, Anti Asian
Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated (1996-2004) (2010-2015), 2016-2022 White nationalism
Anti-immigration
Anti-islam
Protectionism
Australian Affordable Housing Party 2016–2022 Affordable housing
Australian Protectionist Party 2011–2015 Anti-immigration
Anti-islam
Protectionism
Australian National Socialist Party 1962–1968 Nazism
White supremacy
Australian Commonwealth Party 1972–1972
Australian Values Party 2021–2023 Veterans' rights
Australian Sports Party 2013–2015
Australian Antipaedophile Party 2015–2016
Advance Australia Party 1988-2005 Nationalism
Populism
Australians Against Further Immigration 1989–2008 Anti-immigration
Nationalism
Australian Better Families 2018–2021 Men's rights
Australian Conservative Party 1989–1991
Australia's Indigenous Peoples Party 1993–1999
Australian People's Party 2014–2021 Australian nationalism
Economic nationalism
Australian Progressives 2014–2022 Progressivism
Australian Women's Party 1995–2003 Feminism
Australian Recreational Fishers Party 2016–2017 Recreational fishers' interests
Australian Reform Party 1997–2002 Gun rights
Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party 2006–2014Fishing rights
4Change 2007–2010
Australia's First Nations Political Party 2011–2015 Indigenous rights
Australian Bill of Rights Group 1995-1999 Bill of Rights
Australian Defence Movement 1940
Australian Marijuana Party 1970s-1980s Marijuana legalisation
Australian Motorist Party 2007-2012?Motorist rights
Australian Defence Veterans Party 2015–2017Veterans' rights
Australian Workers Party 2017–2021 Modern Monetary Theory
Social democracy
Australian Cyclists Party 2013–2017
Aussie Battler Party 2018–2019 Right-wing populism
Bullet Train for Australia 2013–2017
Centre Party 1933-1935 Fascism
Commonwealth Party 1943–1944
Commonwealth Centre Party 1961–1961
Conservative Party of Australia 1984–1998
Combined New Australia Party 1990–1990
Confederate Action Party of Australia 1992–1993 Far right
Country Party (South Australia) 1917–1932
Curtin Labor Alliance 2001–2005
Carers Alliance 2007–2015
Communist Alliance 2009–2012 Communism
CountryMinded 2014–2018 Agrarianism
Consumer Rights & No-Tolls 2016–2018
Defence of Government Schools 1966–1985
Engineered Australia Plan Party 1982–1983
Deadly Serious Party 1980s–1988
Defence and Ex-Services Party 1986–1989Veterans' rights
Earthsave 1996–1999
Democratic Socialist Electoral League 1998–2001 Socialism Social Democracy
Drew Pavlou Democratic Alliance 2021–2023Pro-Taiwan, Anti China
Daylight Saving for South East Queensland 2008-2012
Douglas Credit Party 1930s, 1960s-1970s Social credit
Drug Law Reform Australia 2013-2017
Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy Australia 2007-2010Pro Nuclear power in Australia.
Ex-Service, Service and Veterans PartyVeterans' rights
Farmers and Producers Political Union 1904–1910
Freedom and Prosperity Party 2009-2015
FREE Australia Party 2010–2014
Fair Land Tax - Tax Party 2010-2014
Family Law Reform Party 1996-1999
Fluoride Free WA 2017-2019Oppose mandatory Water fluoridation
Flux Party 2016-2022Issue-based Direct democracy
Federal ICAC Now 2020-2023Federal ICAC advocacy, Anti-corruption
Gamers 4 Croydon 2009–2010
Grey Power 1983–1994
Great Australians Party 2003–2006
Hear Our Voice 2007–2010
Health Australia Party 2013–2022 Anti-vaccination
Human Rights Party 1999-2007
Hope Party Australia 1997–2006
Industrial Labor Party 1936–1939
Independent EFF 1987–1999
Informed Medical Options Party 2016–2023Anti-vaccination
Liberal Party (1922) 1922–1922
Liberal Democratic Party 1943–1944
Mature Australia Party 2014–2017
Middle Class Party 1943–1943
Liberal Reform Group 1966–1969
Lower Excise Fuel and Beer Party 2001–2004Beer Party, Anti GST
The Local Network 2021–2023
Love Australia or Leave 2016–2022 Anti-Islam
Anti-immigration
Mutual Party 2014–2015
Libertarian Party of Australia
Multicultural Progress Party 2014
National Defence League 1891–1910
National Party (South Australia) 1917–1923
One Parliament for Australia 1943–1943
National Humanitarian Party 1983–1984
No Hoo Haa Party 2002–2011
Natural Law Party 1990–1997
National Front of Australia 1977–1984 Anti-immigration
One Australia Movement 1986–1992Christian politics
One Australia Party 1995–1999
No GST Party 2001-2004Anti GST
No Aircraft Noise 1995-1999
No Land Tax Campaign 2014-2015
National Action 1982-1991 White supremacy
Fascism
National Socialist Party of Australia 1967-1970s White supremacy
Nazism
New England New State Movement
Online Direct Democracy 2007–2020 Digital direct democracy
Outdoor Recreation Party (Stop the Greens) 1996–2017
Pangallo Independents Party
Pirate Party Australia 2008–2021 Pirate politics
E-democracy
Protestant People's Party 1946–1949
Queensland Labor Party 1957–1962
Progressive Conservative Party 1980–1980 White nationalism
Anti-immigration, Anti Asian
Pensioner and Citizen Initiated Referendum Alliance 1982–1996
Party! Party! Party! 1989–1989 Joke
People Power Party 2006–2006 Progressivism'
People Power Victoria – No Smart Meters 2014–2017
Pauline's United Australia Party 2007–2010 Protectionism
Social conservatism
Services and Citizens' Party 1943–1944
Services Party of Australia 1946–1946
Smokers' Rights Party 2012–2017
Social Democratic Party 1980–1983 Social democracy
Socialist Equality Party 2010–2022 Orthodox Trotskyism
Anti-capitalism
Referendum First Group 1984–1984
Republican Party of Australia 1982–2021 Republicanism
Reclaim Australia: Reduce Immigration 1996–1999 Anti-immigration
Save the RAH 2010–2010
Restore the Workers' Rights Party 2007–2011 Workers rights
Trade unionism
Save Our State 1990–2010
Seniors United Party of Australia 2015–2021 Pensioners' interests
State Labor Party 1940–1944 Communism
State Labor Party 1940–1944 Communism
Stop Population Growth Now 2014–2019?Opposition to Overpopulation, Anti-immigration
Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party 1989–1989 Joke
Surprise Party 1989–1989 Joke
United Christian Party 1972–1983Christian politics
United Tasmania Group 1972–1990 Green politics
Environmentalism
Tasmania Senate Team1992-1996 Regionalism
Tasmania First Party 1996-2006 Regionalism
Gun rights
Taxi Operators Political Service 1997-2001
The Basics Rock 'n' Roll Party 2014
The Australian Mental Health Party 2016–2020 Mental health advocacy
The Women's Party 2019–2021 Representation parity
Liberal feminism
TNL (political party) 2019–2023 Social liberalism
Victorian Socialist Party 1906–1932 Socialism
Entryism
Voluntary Euthanasia Party 2013–2021 Voluntary euthanasia
Voice for the West 2014–2015
Yellow Vest Australia 2015–2020 Anti-islam
Right-wing populism
Rise Up Australia Party 2013–2019 Anti-islam
Right-wing populism
Young Australia National Party 1909–1915Pro-White Australia
WikiLeaks Party 2013–2015Pro Julian Assange
What Women Want 2007–2010 Women's rights

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Australia</span> Head of government of Australia

The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is accountable to federal parliament under the principles of responsible government. The prime minister is the chair of the federal cabinet and the national cabinet and a member of the federal executive council. The current prime minister is Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party, who assumed the office on 23 May 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Australia</span> Legislative branch of Australian government

The Parliament of Australia is the legislative body of the federal level of government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch, the Senate and the House of Representatives. It combines elements from the UK Parliament and the US Congress.

The electoral system of Australia comprises the laws and processes used for the election of members of the Australian Parliament and is governed primarily by the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. The system presently has a number of distinctive features including compulsory enrolment; compulsory voting; majority-preferential instant-runoff voting in single-member seats to elect the lower house, the House of Representatives; and the use of the single transferable vote proportional representation system to elect the upper house, the Senate.

Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories are broadly similar to the electoral system used in federal elections in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Beattie</span> Australian politician

Peter Douglas Beattie is an Australian former politician who served as the 36th Premier of Queensland, in office from 1998 to 2007. He was the state leader of the Labor Party from 1996 to 2007.

One of the six founding states of Australia, Queensland has been a federated state subject to the Australian Constitution since 1 January 1901. It is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The constitution of Queensland sets out the operation of the state's government. The state's constitution contains several entrenched provisions which cannot be changed in the absence of a referendum. There is also a statutory bill of rights, the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019. Queensland's system of government is influenced by the Westminster system and Australia's federal system of government.

Elections in Australia take place periodically to elect the legislature of the Commonwealth of Australia, as well as for each Australian state and territory and for local government councils. Elections in all jurisdictions follow similar principles, although there are minor variations between them. The elections for the Australian Parliament are held under the federal electoral system, which is uniform throughout the country, and the elections for state and territory Parliaments are held under the electoral system of each state and territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Victoria</span> Bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria

The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. It has a fused executive drawn from members of both chambers. The parliament meets at Parliament House in the state capital Melbourne. The current Parliament was elected on 26 November 2022, sworn in on 20 December 2022 and is the 60th parliament in Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annabelle Rankin</span> Australian politician

Dame Annabelle Jane Mary Rankin was an Australian politician and diplomat. She was the first woman from Queensland elected to parliament, the first woman federal departmental minister, and the first Australian woman to be appointed head of a foreign mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Everingham</span> Australian politician

Paul Anthony Edward Everingham is a former Australian politician who was the head of government of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1977 to 1984, serving as the second and last Majority Leader (1977–1978) and the first Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 1978 to 1984. He represented the northern Darwin seat of Jingili in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1984. He was then elected to the federal House of Representatives, representing the Northern Territory between 1984 and 1987.

Government in Australia is elected by universal suffrage and Australian women participate in all levels of the government of the nation. In 1902, the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia became the first nation on earth to enact equal suffrage, enabling women to both vote and stand for election alongside men Women have been represented in Australian state parliaments since 1921, and in the Federal Parliament since 1943. The first female leader of an Australian State or Territory was elected in 1989, and the first female Prime Minister took office in 2010. In 2019 for the first time, a majority of members of the Australian Senate were women. At the time of its foundation in 1901, and again from 1952 to 2022, Australia has had a female monarch as ceremonial Head of State, while the first female Governor of an Australian State was appointed in 1991, and the first female Governor-General of Australia took office in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Dunstan</span> Australian politician

Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan, KCMG was an Australian politician who served as the 33rd premier of Victoria from 1935 to 1945, and previously as the 3rd deputy premier of Victoria for five days in March 1935. A member of the Country Party, now the National Party, his term as premier was the second-longest in the state's history and the longest of any third-party premier. He was the first person to hold the office of premier in its own right, and not an additional duty taken up by the Treasurer, Attorney-General or Chief Secretary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Collier</span> Western Australian politician

Philip Collier was an Australian politician who served as the 14th Premier of Western Australia from 1924 to 1930 and from 1933 to 1936. He was leader of the Labor Party from 1917 to 1936, and is Western Australia's longest-serving premier from that party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Australia</span> Political system of Australia

The politics of Australia operates under the written Australian Constitution, which sets out Australia as a constitutional monarchy, governed via a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition. Australia is also a federation, where power is divided between the federal government and the states and territories. The monarch, currently King Charles III, is the head of state and is represented locally by the Governor-General of Australia, while the head of government is the Prime Minister of Australia, currently Anthony Albanese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Senate</span> Upper house of Oklahomas legislature

The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Australian federal election</span>

The 1983 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election, following a double dissolution. The incumbent Coalition government which had been in power since 1975, led by Malcolm Fraser and Doug Anthony, was defeated in a landslide by the opposition Labor Party led by Bob Hawke.

A political family of Australia is a family in which multiple members are involved in Australian politics, particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple siblings may be involved.

References