Independent Labor (Australia)

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Independent Labor (or Independent Labour) is a description used in Australian politics, often to designate a politician who is an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member but not endorsed by the party at elections or if siting in a parliament, not a member of the Labor party room caucus. The label has also been used to describe candidate who identify with the labour movement, but not the ALP. [1]

Contents

The label is often used at local government elections, especially in states where the ALP does not endorse any candidates. However, registering a party or affiliation as an "Independent Labor" is not permitted in New South Wales under section 64 of the Electoral Act 2017, and the use of the term in electoral material is also considered an offence under section 180 of the act. [2] [3]

As of April 2024, the only MPs who are rank-and-file members of the Labor Party yet are not part of the party's parliamentary caucus are both members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly − Darren Cheeseman and Will Fowles, who were both removed from the parliamentary Labor Party following allegations of assault.

History

The first Independent Labour MP in federal politics was James Wilkinson, who was elected at the 1901 election. [4] He had been a member of the ALP previously, and rejoined the party in 1903. [5]

The Blackburn-Mutton Labor Party was formed in June 1947 by Doris Blackburn, the member for Bourke, and Charlie Mutton, the member for Coburg in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It was created as a guarantee company so that both MPs could keep describing themselves as Independent Labor after the ALP attempted to restrict the use of the word "Labor". [6] [7] The party later merged into the Progressive Labor Party. [8] [9]

The Independent Labor Group was a grouping in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1959 to 1977, after a number of Labor MLCs were expelled from the party for voting against the abolition of the Legislative Council, which was then party policy. [10] [11]

In more recent years, the label has been rarely used outside of local elections. Former MP Brenton Best nominated as an Independent Labor candidate in 2017, and Territory Labor MP Jeff Collins used the label after resigning from the party in 2019, before later joining Territory Alliance. [12] [13]

On 23 August 2021, former Tasmanian Labor leader David O’Byrne resigned from the party caucus to sit as an Independent Labor MP, which he continued to do so until resigning his ALP membership on 4 February 2024. [14] [15]

On 5 August 2023, Ringwood MP Will Fowles was asked to resign from the parliamentary Victorian Labor Party by then-Premier Daniel Andrews following allegations of a serious assault. [16]

Similar political descriptions

Australian politicians have also been elected under other independent labels, including Independent Liberal, Independent National, Independent Free Trade, Independent UAP and Independent Socialist. [17] [18]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The Age of Independence? Independents in Australian Parliaments" (PDF). Australasian Study of Parliament Group. p. 3.
  2. ↑ "Electoral Act 2017 No 66". legislation.nsw.gov.au. NSW Government. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "Regulation of electoral material and election conduct". NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Moreton – Australia 2022". The Tally Room.
  5. ↑ "Parliamentary Handbook". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  6. ↑ "Labor title at elections". The Age. 27 June 1947.
  7. ↑ "ALP move to prevent use of "Labor" by independents". The Sun News-Pictorial. 28 June 1947.
  8. ↑ "Breakaway Labor Party formed". The Argus. 10 October 1950.
  9. ↑ "Breakaway Labor Party formed". Border Morning Mail. 10 October 1950. A member of the organisation claims that the new party had already absorbed the Blackburn-Mutton group in Coburg, and was now forming new branches.
  10. ↑ "Mr Cyril Joseph Cahill". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  11. ↑ Clune, David. "The Modern Legislative Council Committee System" (PDF). Parliament of New South Wales. p. 8. the Coalition needed the support of an Independent Labor group from 1967-73 to control the Council as imposing a check on the Government
  12. ↑ "Brenton Best unloads on Labor after losing Braddon recount, eyes off next state election". ABC News. 4 April 2017.
  13. ↑ "Northern Territory Labor 'manufactured' leaks to drive out dissenters over budget crisis, politician says". ABC News. 22 December 2018.
  14. ↑ "David O'Byrne addressed parliament, calls on Labor to release Deegan report into his conduct". The Examiner. 24 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "Next move: Former Labor leader David O'Byrne makes big call on his political future". The Mercury.
  16. ↑ "Statement from the Premier". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "Mrs Moira Deeming". Parliament of Victoria.
  18. ↑ Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN   0730984095.
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