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.

History

The Liberals' immediate predecessor was the United Australia Party, formed in 1932. The UAP, led by Menzies, had become politically irrelevant after its defeat in the 1943 elections.

Related Topics:
United Australia Party - 1932 - 1943

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More broadly, the party's ideological ancestry stretched back to the anti-Labor groupings in the first Commonwealth Parliament. 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.

Related Topics:
Commonwealth Liberal Party - 1909 - Alfred Deakin

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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 they were defeated by Labor under Gough Whitlam in 1972. They returned to power in 1975 under the Prime Ministership of Malcolm Fraser, and stayed in office 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.

Related Topics:
1949 - 1966 - Harold Holt - 1967 - Gough Whitlam - 1972 - Malcolm Fraser - 1983 - 1996 - John Howard

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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 (not to be confused with the old Nationalist Party). The Liberals were in power in 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 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, was defeated in 1999, and as of 2005, no Australian state or territory government is run by the Liberal-National Coalition.

Related Topics:
Queensland - National Party - Victoria - 1955 - 1982 - John Cain Jr - South Australia - 1932 - 1965 - 1980s - Jeff Kennett - 1999 - As of 2005

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Throughout their history, the Liberals have been the party of the middle-class, though such class-based voting patterns are no longer as clear as they once were. In the 1970s a left-wing middle-class emerged, which 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. On the other hand, the Liberals have done increasingly well among working-class voters in recent years. In country areas they either compete heavily or have a truce with the Nationals, depending on various factors.

Related Topics:
Australian Democrats - 1977 - Don Chipp

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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 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 republicans while others, such as John Howard and Tony Abbott remain devout monarchists. The Liberals have also positioned themselves as the party most committed to the alliance with the United States.

Related Topics:
Socialism - Communism - 1950s - 1960s - Robert Menzies - Communist Party - 1951 - Constitutional monarchy - Peter Costello - Republicans - John Howard - Tony Abbott - Monarchists - United States

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Domestically, Menzies presided over a paternalistic state 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 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. The Liberal Party has largely achieved its political goals on the economic front, to date.

Related Topics:
1970s - 1980s - Thatcher - Neo-liberal

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Socially, the party has wavered between what is termed "small-l liberalism" and social conservatism. The current leader, 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.

Related Topics:
Liberalism - Conservatism - Howard - Peter Costello

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The Liberal Party's organisation is dominated by the six state divisions, reflecting the party's commitment to a federalised system of government (perhaps their most strongly held policy and certainly one of the few that has remained since the party's creation). 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.

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In the 2004 Federal elections the party strengthened its majority in the Lower House and, with its coalition partners, became the first federal government in twenty years to gain an absolute majority in the 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.

Related Topics:
2004 Federal elections - Lower House - Coalition - Senate

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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 Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Campbell Newman.

Related Topics:
Lord Mayor of Brisbane - Campbell Newman

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