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Liberal Party of Australia
*** Shopping-Tip: Liberal Party of Australia
:''This article concerns the modern Australian political party. For the Australian Liberal party active from 1909 to 1916, see
Commonwealth Liberal Party.''
{{Infobox_Australian_Political_Party |
party_name = Liberal Party of Australia |
party_logo =
Image:Liberalpartyofaus.jpg |
party_wikicolourid = Liberal |
leader =
John Howard |
foundation =
1945 |
ideology =
Liberal conservatism liberal conservative |
headquarters = Cnr Blackall & Macquarie St
Canberra Barton ACT 2600 |
holds_government =
Australia Federal (in
Coalition (Australia) Coalition)|
website = [http://www.liberal.org.au Liberal Party of Australia]|
international =
International Democrat Union
}}
The '''Liberal Party of Australia''' is an
Australian Liberal conservatism liberal conservative political party. The Liberal party of Australia was formed in
December of
1944. Its formal announcement was in
February of
1945. Since its foundation in
1945 it has been the dominant party of the centre-right in Australia and competes with the centre-left
Australian Labor Party for political office, both at the Federal level and in the Australian states and territories.
The Liberal Party was founded on
February,
1945, after
Robert Menzies called a conference in
1944 of Conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling
Australian Labor Party. The Liberal Party absorbed several former conservative parties, principally the
United Australia Party. The
Australian Women's National League, a powerful Conservative women's organisation, also merged with the new party. A Conservative youth group Menzies had set up, the
Young Nationalists, was also merged into the new party. It became the Liberal Party's youth division, the
Young Liberals (Australia) Young Liberals.
In federal politics, the Liberal Party has held power since winning government in
1996, and governs in its
Coalition (Australia) traditional coalition with the
National Party of Australia National Party. In state politics, however, the reverse applies: the Liberals and Nationals are in
opposition (Australia) opposition in all Australian states and territories.
Policies
The Liberal Party is generally an advocate of
economic liberalism and support of
free market free markets. However, during the Menzies era the party was quite interventionist in its economic policy and maintained Australia's high tarriff levels. It should be noted that at this time, the Liberal's coalition partner, the
National Party of Australia Country Party had considerable influence over the Government's economic policies. Since the
1980s the party has moved further to the Right economically, developing a strong
New Right element in its platforms and policies.
Socially, the Liberal Party is a
Social conservatism conservative party, although it has a minority socially
Social liberalism liberal wing. It generally takes a tough line on law and order issues at Federal and State levels. It has also strongly supported Australia's traditional alliances with the
United States and the
United Kingdom, sometimes at the cost of relations with Australia's Asian neighbours. In terms of
immigration policy, the Liberal Party under
John Howard has had the highest intake of migrants (chiefly refugees and skilled workers) in Australia's history, but has also extended the initial bi-partisan régime introduced by
Australian Labor Party Labor of
mandatory detention in Australia mandatory detention in place for people entering the country without following the proper procedures, usually to claim
political asylum.
History
The Liberals' immediate predecessor was the
United Australia Party, formed in
1931. The UAP, led by Menzies, disintegrated after suffering a heavy defeat in the
1943 elections. More broadly, the party's ideological ancestry stretched back to the anti-Labor groupings in the first Commonwealth Parliaments. The
Commonwealth Liberal Party was a fusion of the non-Labor parties in
1909 in response to Labor's growing electoral prominence. Menzies deliberately chose the name "Liberal" in reference to this, and in claiming inheritance from
Alfred Deakin.
In
1949 Menzies led the Liberals to victory, and they stayed in office for a record 23 years. After the retirement of Menzies in
1966 and the death of his successor,
Harold Holt, in
1967, the Liberals went into decline, and were defeated by Labor under
Gough Whitlam in
1972. After the
Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 dismissal of 1975 they returned to office under the Prime Ministership of
Malcolm Fraser, and stayed in power for eight years. Losing government in
1983 to the ALP led by Bob Hawke, the Liberals lost five elections in a row under four different leaders before returning to power in
1996 under
John Howard.
At the state level, the Liberals have been dominant for long periods in all states except
Queensland, where they have been subordinate to the
National Party of Australia National Party (not to be confused with the old Nationalist Party). The Liberals were in power in
Victoria (Australia) Victoria from
1955 (the election in which they defeated John Cain Sr) to
1982 (in which they were defeated by the last Labor Premier's son,
John Cain John Cain Jr) and in
South Australia (under several names) from
1932 to
1965. Since the
1980s, however, the Liberals have become increasingly unsuccessful in state elections. The most radically conservative Liberal premier,
Jeff Kennett of
Victoria (Australia) Victoria, was defeated in
1999, and
as of 2006, no Australian state or territory government is run by the Liberal-National Coalition.
Throughout their history, the Liberals have been the party of the
middle class (whom Menzies, in the era of the party's formation called "the forgotten people"), though such class-based voting patterns are no longer as clear as they once were. In the 1970s a left-wing middle class emerged that no longer voted Liberal. One effect of this was the success of a breakaway party, the
Australian Democrats, founded in
1977 by former Liberal minister
Don Chipp and members of minor liberal parties; other members of the left-leaning section of the middle-class became Labor supporters. On the other hand, the Liberals have done increasingly well among socially conservative
working class voters in recent years. In country areas they either compete heavily or have a truce with the Nationals, depending on various factors.
Strong opposition to
socialism and
communism in Australia has long been a Liberal preoccupation and
raison d'etre. Anti-communism was successfully exploited through the
1950s and
1960s by
Robert Menzies and his political successors. Menzies went so far as to unsuccessfully attempt to ban the
Communist Party of Australia Communist Party in
1951. Menzies was an ardent royalist, devoted towards maintaining Australia as a
constitutional monarchy. Nowadays, the party is divided, with some Liberals, such as
Peter Costello, being minimalist
Australian republicanism republicans while others, such as
John Howard and
Tony Abbott remain devout
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy monarchists. The Liberals have also positioned themselves as the party most committed to the alliance with the
United States.
Domestically, Menzies presided over a fairly regulated economy in which utilities were publicly owned, and commercial activity was highly regulated through centralised
wage-fixing and high
tariff protection. It was not until the late
1970s and through their period out of power federally in the
1980s that the party came to be dominated by what was known as the "New Right" - a
Margaret Thatcher Thatcher-inspired or
neo-liberal group who advocated market deregulation, privatisation of public utilities, and reductions in the size of government programs and thus, tax cuts. This program has been largely implemented since the election of the Howard government in 1996, although certain reforms were pre-empted by the Hawke/Keating Labor governments of the 1980's/early 1990's.
Socially, the party has wavered between what is termed "small-l
liberalism" and social
conservatism. The current leader,
John Howard Howard, is in most respects socially conservative. His most likely successor,
Peter Costello, is potentially more liberal on some issues. Other Liberal state and federal governments have also been more liberal, particularly in Victoria and South Australia.
The Liberal Party's organisation is dominated by the six state divisions, reflecting the party's original commitment to a federalised system of government (a commitment which was strongly maintained by all Liberal governments until
1983, but has been to a large extent abandoned by the Howard government, which has shown strong centralising tendencies). Menzies deliberately created a weak national party machine and strong state divisions. Party policy is made almost entirely by the parliamentary parties, not by the party's rank-and-file members, although Liberal party members do have a degree of influence over party policy.
In the
Australian legislative election, 2004 2004 Federal elections the party strengthened its majority in the
Australian House of Representatives Lower House and, with its
Coalition (Australia) coalition partners, became the first federal government in twenty years to gain an absolute majority in the
Australian Senate Senate. They will therefore be able to pass legislation without the need to negotiate with independents or minor parties, with only internal dissent within the Coalition presenting an obstacle to the implementation of the decisions of the Liberal cabinet.
While the party holds government federally, it does not in any of the states or territories. Furthermore, it does not officially contest most local government elections, although many members do run for office in local government as independents; the most notable current example being the
List of Mayors and Lord Mayors of Brisbane Lord Mayor of Brisbane,
Campbell Newman.
Liberal Federal Leaders from present to the 1945 founding of the Liberal Party
*
John Howard since 1995 (Prime Minister since 1996)
*
Alexander Downer 1994-1995
*
John Hewson Dr John Hewson 1990-1994
*
Andrew Peacock 1989-1990
*
John Howard 1985-1989
*
Andrew Peacock 1983-1985
*
Malcolm Fraser 1975-1983 (Prime Minister 1975-83)
*
Billy Snedden 1973-1975
*
William McMahon 1971-1972 (Prime Minister 1971-72)
*
John Gorton 1968-1971 (Prime Minister 1968-71)
*
Harold Holt 1966-1967 (Prime Minister 1966-67)
*
Robert Menzies 1945-1966 (Prime Minister 1949-66)
List of Liberal Party of Australia leaders by time served
Current Liberal State Parliamentary Leaders
*
Peter Debnam (New South Wales)
*
Robert Doyle (Victoria)
*
Bob Quinn (Australian politician) Bob Quinn (Queensland)
*
Paul Omodei (Western Australia)
*
Rob Kerin (South Australia, Premier 2001-02)
*
Rene Hidding (Tasmania)
New South Wales Liberal Premiers
*
John Fahey (politician) John Fahey (New South Wales 1992-95)
*
Nick Greiner (New South Wales 1988-92)
*
Robert Askin (New South Wales 1965-75)
Queensland Liberal Premiers
*
Gordon Chalk (Queensland 1 August 1968 - 8 August 1968)
Western Australian Liberal Premiers
*
Richard Court (Western Australia 1993-2001)
*
Charles Court (Western Australia 1974-82)
*
David Brand (Western Australia 1959-71)
South Australian Liberal Premiers
*
Rob Kerin (South Australia, 2001-02)
*
John Olsen (South Australia 1996-2001)
*
Dean Brown (South Australia 1993-96)
*
David Tonkin (South Australia 1979-82)
*
Steele Hall (South Australia 1968-70)
*
Thomas Playford IV Tom Playford (South Australia 1938-65)
Tasmanian Liberal Premiers
*
Tony Rundle (Tasmania 1996-98)
*
Ray Groom (Tasmania 1992-96)
*
Robin Gray (Tasmania 1982-89)
Victorian Liberal Premiers
*
Jeff Kennett (Victoria 1992-99)
*
Lindsay Thompson (Victoria 1981-82)
*
Rupert Hamer (Victoria 1972-81)
*
Henry Bolte (Victoria 1955-72)
See also
*
History of Australia
*
Liberalism
*
Conservatism
*
List of political parties in Australia
Further reading
*Gerard Henderson, ''Menzies' Child: The Liberal Party of Australia 1944-1994'', Allen and Unwin, 1994
*Dean Jaensch, ''The Liberals'', Allen and Unwin, 1994
*John Nethercote (ed), ''Liberalism and the Australian Federation'', Federation Press, 2001
*Marian Simms, ''A Liberal Nation: The Liberal Party and Australian Politics'', Hale and Iremonger, 1982
*Graeme Starr, ''The Liberal Party of Australia: A Documentary History'', Drummond/Heinemann, 1980
Sources
*How will humanity survive the 21st century? (January 22, 2005). ''The Canberra Times'', p. 16.
External links
-
Liberal Party of Australia official site
-
The Liberal Party is anything but (critical commentary by a former political adviser to the Howard Government)
-
Liberal Party of Australia ephemera digitised and held by the National Library of Australia
{{Australian political parties}}
Category:Conservative parties
Category:Political parties in Australia
Category:Liberal-conservative parties
Category:International Democrat Union
de:Liberal Party of Australia
es:Partido Liberal de Australia
eo:Liberala Partio de AÅstralio
fr:Parti libéral d'Australie
pl:Liberal Party of Australia
ru:ЛиберальнаÑ? партиÑ? Ð?вÑ?тралии
*** Shopping-Tip: Liberal Party of Australia
