The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a fusion of the Free Trade (Anti-socialist) Party and the Protectionist Party in 1909 by the second prime minister, Alfred Deakin, in response to Labor's growing electoral prominence.
The Commonwealth Liberal Party merged with several Labor dissidents (including Billy Hughes) to form the Nationalist Party of Australia in 1917.
Except for a few short periods, the Liberal Party and its predecessors have operated in similar coalitions at federal level since the 1920s.
Roosevelt's "fireside chats" of the 1930s—in which he spoke of the middle class as the "backbone of Australia" but as nevertheless having been "taken for granted" by political parties. Menzies called a conference of conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling Australian Labor Party, which met in Canberra on 13 October 1944 and again in Albury, New South Wales in December 1944.
That party, in turn, merged with Labor dissidents to form the UAP in 1931. The UAP had been formed as a new conservative alliance in 1931, with Labor defector Joseph Lyons as its leader.
With Australia still suffering the effects of the Great Depression, the newly formed party won a landslide victory at the 1931 Election, and the Lyons Government went on to win three consecutive elections.
Jeff Kennett led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained Premier until 1999. In South Australia, initially a Liberal and Country Party affiliated party, the Liberal and Country League (LCL), mostly led by Premier of South Australia Tom Playford, was in power from the 1933 election to the 1965 election, though with assistance from an electoral malapportionment, or gerrymander, known as the Playmander.
Lyons' death in 1939 saw Robert Menzies assume the Prime Ministership on the eve of war.
Menzies served as Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941 but resigned as leader of the minority World War II government amidst an unworkable parliamentary majority.
Abbott led the party to the 2010 federal election, which saw an increase in the Liberal Party vote and resulted in the first [parliament] since the 1940 election. Through 2010, the party remained in opposition at the Tasmanian and South Australian state elections and achieved state government in Victoria.
Menzies served as Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941 but resigned as leader of the minority World War II government amidst an unworkable parliamentary majority.
In New South Wales, the party merged with the Commonwealth Party to form the Democratic Party, In Queensland the state party was absorbed into the Queensland People's Party. From 1942 onward Menzies had maintained his public profile with his series of "The Forgotten People" radio talks—similar to Franklin D.
The UAP, led by Billy Hughes, disintegrated after suffering a heavy defeat in the 1943 election.
It was founded in 1944 as the successor to the United Australia Party. The Liberal Party is the larger and dominant party in the Coalition with the National Party of Australia.
Roosevelt's "fireside chats" of the 1930s—in which he spoke of the middle class as the "backbone of Australia" but as nevertheless having been "taken for granted" by political parties. Menzies called a conference of conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling Australian Labor Party, which met in Canberra on 13 October 1944 and again in Albury, New South Wales in December 1944.
Menzies' Child: The Liberal Party of Australia 1944–1994, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales. Jaensch, Dean (1994) The Liberals, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales. Nethercote, John (ed.)(2001), Liberalism and the Australian Federation, Federation Press, Annandale, New South Wales.
Outlining his vision for a new political movement, Menzies said: The formation of the party was formally announced at Sydney Town Hall on 31 August 1945.
By September 1945 there were more than 90,000 members, many of whom had not previously been members of any political party. In New South Wales, the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party replaced the Liberal Democratic Party and Democratic Party between January and April 1945.
==External links== Liberal Party of Australia official site Liberal Party of Australia ephemera digitised and held by the National Library of Australia Records of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party held at the University of Melbourne Archives 1945 establishments in Australia International Democrat Union member parties Liberal parties in Australia Liberal conservative parties Political parties established in 1945
In Queensland, the Queensland People's Party did not become part of the Liberal Party until July 1949, when it became the Queensland division of the Liberal Party. ===Menzies Era=== After an initial loss to Labor at the 1946 election, Menzies led the Liberals to victory at the 1949 election, and the party stayed in office for a record 23 years— the longest unbroken run ever in government at the federal level.
They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five Opposition Leaders, until Steven Marshall led the party to victory in 2018. The dual aligned Country Liberal Party ruled the Northern Territory from 1978 to 2001. The party has held office in Western Australia intermittently since 1947.
In Queensland, the Queensland People's Party did not become part of the Liberal Party until July 1949, when it became the Queensland division of the Liberal Party. ===Menzies Era=== After an initial loss to Labor at the 1946 election, Menzies led the Liberals to victory at the 1949 election, and the party stayed in office for a record 23 years— the longest unbroken run ever in government at the federal level.
Australia experienced prolonged economic growth during the post-war boom period of the Menzies Government (1949–1966) and Menzies fulfilled his promises at the 1949 election to end rationing of butter, tea and petrol and provided a five-shilling endowment for first-born children, as well as for others.
In 1949, the Liberals appointed Dame Enid Lyons as the first woman to serve in an Australian Cabinet.
Anti-communism was a key political issue of the 1950s and 1960s.
The Labor Party split over concerns about the influence of the Communist Party over the Trade Union movement, leading to the foundation of the breakaway Democratic Labor Party whose preferences supported the Liberal and Country parties. In 1951, during the early stages of the Cold War, Menzies spoke of the possibility of a looming third world war.
The Menzies Government entered Australia's first formal military alliance outside of the British Commonwealth with the signing of the ANZUS Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States in San Francisco in 1951.
The Menzies Government formalised Australia's alliance with the United States in 1951 and the party has remained a strong supporter of the mutual defence treaty. 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.
The Government was re-elected again at the 1954 election; the formation of the anti-Communist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the consequent split in the Australian Labor Party early in 1955 helped the Liberals to secure another victory in December 1955.
In 1954, the Menzies Government signed the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty (SEATO) as a South East Asian counterpart to NATO.
The Government was re-elected again at the 1954 election; the formation of the anti-Communist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the consequent split in the Australian Labor Party early in 1955 helped the Liberals to secure another victory in December 1955.
The Liberals were in power in Victoria from 1955 to 1982.
John McEwen replaced Arthur Fadden as leader of the Country Party in March 1958 and the Menzies-McEwen Coalition was returned again at elections in November 1958—their third victory against Labor's H.
In 1958, the government replaced the Immigration Act's arbitrarily applied European language dictation test with an entry permit system, that reflected economic and skills criteria.
Anti-communism was a key political issue of the 1950s and 1960s.
The Coalition was narrowly returned against Labor's Arthur Calwell in the December 1961 election, in the midst of a credit squeeze.
In 1962, Menzies' Commonwealth Electoral Act provided that all Indigenous Australians should have the right to enrol and vote at federal elections (prior to this, indigenous people in Queensland, Western Australia and some in the Northern Territory had been excluded from voting unless they were ex-servicemen).
Menzies stood for office for the last time at the November 1963 election, again defeating Calwell, with the Coalition winning back its losses in the House of Representatives.
Jeff Kennett led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained Premier until 1999. In South Australia, initially a Liberal and Country Party affiliated party, the Liberal and Country League (LCL), mostly led by Premier of South Australia Tom Playford, was in power from the 1933 election to the 1965 election, though with assistance from an electoral malapportionment, or gerrymander, known as the Playmander.
Menzies went on to resign from parliament on 26 January 1966. Menzies came to power the year the Communist Party of Australia had led a coal strike to improve pit miners' working conditions.
Holt's government introduced the Migration Act 1966, which effectively dismantled the White Australia Policy and increased access to non-European migrants, including refugees fleeing the Vietnam War.
Holt remained Prime Minister until 19 December 1967, when he was declared presumed dead two days after disappearing in rough surf in which he had gone for a swim.
Holt also called the 1967 Referendum which removed the discriminatory clause in the Australian Constitution which excluded Aboriginal Australians from being counted in the census – the referendum was one of the few to be overwhelmingly endorsed by the Australian electorate (over 90% voted "Yes").
By the end of 1967, the Liberals' initially popular support for the war in Vietnam was causing increasing public protest. ===Gorton Government=== The Liberals chose John Gorton to replace Holt.
Historically, Liberal Governments have been responsible for the carriage of a number of notable "socially liberal" reforms, including the opening of Australia to multiethnic immigration under Menzies and Harold Holt; Holt's 1967 Referendum on Aboriginal Rights; John Gorton's support for cinema and the arts; selection of the first Aboriginal Senator, Neville Bonner, in 1971; and Malcolm Fraser's Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976.
The LCL's Steele Hall governed for one term from the 1968 election to the 1970 election and during this time began the process of dismantling the Playmander.
The Gorton government experienced a decline in voter support at the 1969 election.
Gorton's government kept Australia in the Vietnam War but stopped replacing troops at the end of 1970. Gorton maintained good relations with the United States and Britain, but pursued closer ties with Asia.
The LCL's Steele Hall governed for one term from the 1968 election to the 1970 election and during this time began the process of dismantling the Playmander.
In the 1970s a left-wing middle class emerged that no longer voted Liberal.
In 1971, Defence Minister Malcolm Fraser, resigned and said Gorton was "not fit to hold the great office of Prime Minister".
Bonner was chosen by the Liberal Party to fill a Senate vacancy in 1971 and celebrated his maiden parliamentary speech with a boomerang throwing display on the lawns of Parliament.
Historically, Liberal Governments have been responsible for the carriage of a number of notable "socially liberal" reforms, including the opening of Australia to multiethnic immigration under Menzies and Harold Holt; Holt's 1967 Referendum on Aboriginal Rights; John Gorton's support for cinema and the arts; selection of the first Aboriginal Senator, Neville Bonner, in 1971; and Malcolm Fraser's Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976.
The McMahon Government ended when Gough Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party out of its 23-year period in Opposition at the 1972 election. The economy was weakening.
McMahon maintained Australia's diminishing commitment to Vietnam and criticised Opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, for visiting Communist China in 1972—only to have the US President Richard Nixon announce a planned visit soon after. During McMahon's period in office, Neville Bonner joined the Senate and became the first Indigenous Australian in the Australian Parliament.
Bonner went on to win election at the 1972 election and served as a Liberal Senator for 12 years.
Billy Snedden led the party against Whitlam in the 1974 federal election, which saw a return of the Labor government.
When Malcolm Fraser won the Liberal Party leadership from Snedden in 1975, Gorton walked out of the Party Room. ===Fraser years=== Following the 1974–75 Loans Affair, the Malcolm Fraser led Liberal-Country Party Coalition argued that the Whitlam Government was incompetent and delayed passage of the Government's money bills in the Senate, until the government would promise a new election.
When Malcolm Fraser won the Liberal Party leadership from Snedden in 1975, Gorton walked out of the Party Room. ===Fraser years=== Following the 1974–75 Loans Affair, the Malcolm Fraser led Liberal-Country Party Coalition argued that the Whitlam Government was incompetent and delayed passage of the Government's money bills in the Senate, until the government would promise a new election.
Whitlam refused, yet Fraser insisted leading to the divisive 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
The deadlock came to an end when the Whitlam government was controversially dismissed by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr on 11 November 1975 and Fraser was installed as caretaker Prime Minister, pending an election.
Fraser won in a landslide at the resulting 1975 election. Fraser maintained some of the social reforms of the Whitlam era, while seeking increased fiscal restraint.
His government included the first Aboriginal federal parliamentarian, Neville Bonner, and in 1976, Parliament passed the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976, which, while limited to the Northern Territory, affirmed "inalienable" freehold title to some traditional lands.
Historically, Liberal Governments have been responsible for the carriage of a number of notable "socially liberal" reforms, including the opening of Australia to multiethnic immigration under Menzies and Harold Holt; Holt's 1967 Referendum on Aboriginal Rights; John Gorton's support for cinema and the arts; selection of the first Aboriginal Senator, Neville Bonner, in 1971; and Malcolm Fraser's Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976.
Liberal minister Don Chipp split off from the party to form a new social liberal party, the Australian Democrats in 1977.
Fraser won further substantial majorities at the 1977 and 1980 elections, before losing to the Bob Hawke-led Australian Labor Party in the 1983 election. ===Federal opposition, state success=== A period of division for the Liberals followed, with former Treasurer John Howard competing with former Foreign Minister Andrew Peacock for supremacy.
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.
They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five Opposition Leaders, until Steven Marshall led the party to victory in 2018. The dual aligned Country Liberal Party ruled the Northern Territory from 1978 to 2001. The party has held office in Western Australia intermittently since 1947.
David Tonkin, as leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, became Premier at the 1979 election for one term, losing office at the 1982 election.
By 1983, the Australian economy was suffering with the early 1980s recession and amidst the effects of a severe drought.
Fraser won further substantial majorities at the 1977 and 1980 elections, before losing to the Bob Hawke-led Australian Labor Party in the 1983 election. ===Federal opposition, state success=== A period of division for the Liberals followed, with former Treasurer John Howard competing with former Foreign Minister Andrew Peacock for supremacy.
Fraser had promoted "states' rights" and his government refused to use Commonwealth powers to stop the construction of the Franklin Dam in Tasmania in 1982.
The Liberals were in power in Victoria from 1955 to 1982.
David Tonkin, as leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, became Premier at the 1979 election for one term, losing office at the 1982 election.
By 1983, the Australian economy was suffering with the early 1980s recession and amidst the effects of a severe drought.
Fraser won further substantial majorities at the 1977 and 1980 elections, before losing to the Bob Hawke-led Australian Labor Party in the 1983 election. ===Federal opposition, state success=== A period of division for the Liberals followed, with former Treasurer John Howard competing with former Foreign Minister Andrew Peacock for supremacy.
The Australian economy was facing the early 1990s recession.
Unemployment reached 11.4% in 1992.
Through 1992, Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating mounted a campaign against the Fightback package, and particularly against the GST, which he described as an attack on the working class in that it shifted the tax burden from direct taxation of the wealthy to indirect taxation as a broad-based consumption tax.
Jeff Kennett led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained Premier until 1999. In South Australia, initially a Liberal and Country Party affiliated party, the Liberal and Country League (LCL), mostly led by Premier of South Australia Tom Playford, was in power from the 1933 election to the 1965 election, though with assistance from an electoral malapportionment, or gerrymander, known as the Playmander.
Keating won a record fifth consecutive Labor term at the 1993 election.
The Liberals returned to power at the 1993 election, led by Premiers Dean Brown, John Olsen and Rob Kerin through two terms, until their defeat at the 2002 election.
An exception is the Brisbane City Council, where both Sallyanne Atkinson and Campbell Newman have been elected Lord Mayor of Brisbane. ===Howard Government=== Labor's Paul Keating lost the 1996 Election to the Liberals' John Howard.
Jeff Kennett led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained Premier until 1999. In South Australia, initially a Liberal and Country Party affiliated party, the Liberal and Country League (LCL), mostly led by Premier of South Australia Tom Playford, was in power from the 1933 election to the 1965 election, though with assistance from an electoral malapportionment, or gerrymander, known as the Playmander.
They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five Opposition Leaders, until Steven Marshall led the party to victory in 2018. The dual aligned Country Liberal Party ruled the Northern Territory from 1978 to 2001. The party has held office in Western Australia intermittently since 1947.
The Liberals returned to power at the 1993 election, led by Premiers Dean Brown, John Olsen and Rob Kerin through two terms, until their defeat at the 2002 election.
The Howard Government invoked the ANZUS treaty in response to the attacks and supported America's campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. 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.
The Morrison government has also beaten its 2020 Kyoto targets by 459 million tonnes, and are on track to beat the Paris commitment to reduce emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The Morrison government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic was internationally praised for its quick response whilst ensuring minimal damage to the Australian economy.
With John Howard as Prime Minister, Peter Costello as Treasurer and Alexander Downer as Foreign Minister, the Howard Government remained in power until their electoral defeat to Kevin Rudd in 2007. Howard generally framed the Liberals as being conservative on social policy, debt reduction and matters like maintaining Commonwealth links and the American Alliance but his premiership saw booming trade with Asia and expanding multiethnic immigration.
This ended after the 2008 Western Australian state election, when Colin Barnett became Premier of that state. ===After Howard=== Following the 2007 federal election, Dr Brendan Nelson was elected leader by the Parliamentary Liberal Party.
This ended after the 2008 Western Australian state election, when Colin Barnett became Premier of that state. ===After Howard=== Following the 2007 federal election, Dr Brendan Nelson was elected leader by the Parliamentary Liberal Party.
On 16 September 2008, in a second contest following a spill motion, Nelson lost the leadership to Malcolm Turnbull.
In Queensland, the Liberal and National parties merged in 2008 to form the new Liberal National Party of Queensland (registered as the Queensland Division of the Liberal Party of Australia).
On 1 December 2009, a subsequent leadership election saw Turnbull lose the leadership to Tony Abbott by 42 votes to 41 on the second ballot.
Abbott led the party to the 2010 federal election, which saw an increase in the Liberal Party vote and resulted in the first [parliament] since the 1940 election. Through 2010, the party remained in opposition at the Tasmanian and South Australian state elections and achieved state government in Victoria.
A West Australian Liberal, Ken Wyatt, became the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives in 2010. The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, stated the following in his 2019 victory speech; This is, this is the best country in the world in which to live.
At state and territory level, the Liberal Party is in office in three states: New South Wales since 2011, Tasmania since 2014 and South Australia since 2018.
In March 2011, the New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition led by Barry O'Farrell won government with the largest election victory in post-war Australian history at the State Election.
In March 2012, the new party achieved Government in an historic landslide, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman. In March 2013, the Western Australian Liberal-National government won re-election while the party won government in Tasmania in 2014 and lost their fourth election in a row at the South Australian election.
The Coalition has been in power since the 2013 federal election, forming the Abbott (2013–2015), Turnbull (2015–2018) and Morrison Governments. The Liberal Party has a federal structure, with autonomous divisions in all six states and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
In March 2012, the new party achieved Government in an historic landslide, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman. In March 2013, the Western Australian Liberal-National government won re-election while the party won government in Tasmania in 2014 and lost their fourth election in a row at the South Australian election.
It is those Australians that we have been working for, for the last five and a half years since we came to Government, under Tony Abbott's leadership back in 2013.
At state and territory level, the Liberal Party is in office in three states: New South Wales since 2011, Tasmania since 2014 and South Australia since 2018.
In March 2012, the new party achieved Government in an historic landslide, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman. In March 2013, the Western Australian Liberal-National government won re-election while the party won government in Tasmania in 2014 and lost their fourth election in a row at the South Australian election.
The New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition, however, managed to win re-election in March 2015.
In 2016 the Federal Liberals narrowly won re-election in July 2016 while the Liberal-affiliated Country Liberals suffered a historic defeat in the Northern Territory and Canberra Liberals lost their fifth election in a row in October 2016.
The pair were elected to their positions at the August 2018 Liberal leadership ballot, with Morrison and Frydenberg replacing Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop respectively.
At state and territory level, the Liberal Party is in office in three states: New South Wales since 2011, Tasmania since 2014 and South Australia since 2018.
They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five Opposition Leaders, until Steven Marshall led the party to victory in 2018. The dual aligned Country Liberal Party ruled the Northern Territory from 1978 to 2001. The party has held office in Western Australia intermittently since 1947.
Turnbull survived the challenge, winning 48 votes to Dutton's 35. A further spill was called by Turnbull, in which he declined to stand and the leadership of the party was decided in favour of Treasurer Scott Morrison, over Dutton. ====Morrison government==== In August 2018, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton unsuccessfully challenged Turnbull for the leadership of the Liberal Party.
Morrison went on to lead the Coalition to an unexpected victory in the 2019 election. Under Scott Morrison, the Liberal party won the 2019 Australian federal election by a considerable margin, defying almost all predictions from political pollsters.
Despite poor poll numbers in January 2020 due to what was described as poor leadership during the 2019/2020 Australian catastrophic bushfires, Morrison's management of the pandemic has seen a resurgence in supportive poll numbers. === Ideology and factions === The contemporary Liberal Party generally advocates economic liberalism.
A West Australian Liberal, Ken Wyatt, became the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives in 2010. The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, stated the following in his 2019 victory speech; This is, this is the best country in the world in which to live.
As of 2020, his body has still not been found. Holt increased Australian commitment to the growing War in Vietnam, which met with some public opposition.
The Morrison government has also beaten its 2020 Kyoto targets by 459 million tonnes, and are on track to beat the Paris commitment to reduce emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. The Morrison government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic was internationally praised for its quick response whilst ensuring minimal damage to the Australian economy.
Despite poor poll numbers in January 2020 due to what was described as poor leadership during the 2019/2020 Australian catastrophic bushfires, Morrison's management of the pandemic has seen a resurgence in supportive poll numbers. === Ideology and factions === The contemporary Liberal Party generally advocates economic liberalism.
Membership of the electoral college consists of head office delegates, branch officers, and elected delegates from branches. ===Federal parliamentary leaders=== === State and territory divisions === For a brief period between 27 October 2020 (appointment of Elizabeth Lee as leader of Canberra Liberals) and 12 November 2020 (resignation of Deb Frecklington as leader of the LNP), five Liberal Party state and territory divisions were led by women, the highest number in Liberal Party history.
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