Political parties

What is a political party?

A political party is an organisation that represents a particular group of people or set of ideas. Australians can form new political parties or choose to join a political party whose ideas and aims they support. Party members can:

• suggest ideas for party policies
• help pre-select – choose – party candidates for local, state and federal elections
• assist with election campaigns.

Parliamentary political parties

Political parties aim to have members elected to the Australian Parliament so they can share their views and contribute to decisions made in Parliament. Political parties who have members elected to Parliament are called parliamentary political parties.

A coalition is formed when 2 or more political parties agree to work together to create a bigger group in Parliament. Parties that have formed a coalition generally vote the same way, although each party keeps their own identity and usually holds separate party meetings. Parties only work as a coalition when they have enough ideas and goals in common to be able to work together effectively.

Parties or coalitions who have enough members elected to form government or opposition are called major parties. Parties that do not have enough members elected to form government or opposition are called minor parties.

Australian Parliament current numbers

DPS AUSPIC/Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

Australian Parliament current numbers

DPS AUSPIC/Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

Description

This image shows the current number of senators in the Senate and members in the House of Representatives from each party.

The current number of senators in the Senate from each party:

Government – 25 senators

• Australian Labor Party

Opposition – 30 senators

• Liberal Party of Australia
• The Nationals
• Liberal National Party of Queensland
• Country Liberal Party

Minor parties – 17 senators

• Australian Greens (11) 
• Pauline Hanson's One Nation (2)
• Jacqui Lambie Network (1)
• United Australia Party (1)
• Australia's Voice (1)
• Gerard Rennick People First (1)

Independents – 4 senators

 

The current number of members in the House of Representatives from each party:

Government – 77 members

• Australian Labor Party

Opposition – 53 members

• Liberal Party of Australia
• Liberal National Party of Queensland
• The Nationals

Minor parties – 6 members

• Australian Greens (4) 
• Centre Alliance (1)
• Katter's Australian Party (1)

Independents – 13 members

Copyright information

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

You are free to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work.

Attribution – you must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Non-commercial – you may not use this work for commercial purposes.

No derivative works – you may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

Waiver – any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.

Party meetings

During sitting weeks, each parliamentary party has a meeting where they decide how the party will work as a team. In party meetings, members may:

• debate and make decisions about party policies
• discuss how the party will vote on bills or issues in parliament
• decide which party members will give speeches on bills or ask questions during Question Time
• elect positions such as the party leader, ministers or shadow ministers and the whips
• sort out any disagreements to make sure party members work and vote together.

These meetings are only for party members and are confidential.

Party discipline

Parliamentary parties are influential because their members work as a team. Generally, they vote the same way on issues and bills in Parliament. The more members that a party has in Parliament, the more powerful they will be when they vote together. Some of this power and influence could be lost if members of the party publicly disagree with each other, especially if they vote against their party in Parliament. Voting against your party is called ‘crossing the floor’.

Each political party has its own rules about how they vote in Parliament. Parties may suspend members or even expel them from the party if they cross the floor. However, some parties may allow (but not encourage) members to vote against the party.

Registering a political party

Anyone can start a political party. However, before a political party can enter a candidate in an election, it must be officially registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. It also must meet certain terms under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, such as having a written constitution and at least 1500 members who are on the electoral roll or have at least one member of the party who is a member of Parliament. The written constitution of a party contains rules about how it works and how it is organised.

How to form a political party

Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

How to form a political party

Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

Description

How to form a political party:

1. Party constitution: name the party and write a party constitution
2. Members: have at least 1500 members or a member of the Australian Parliament
3. Register: apply for registration with the Australian Electoral Commission.

Copyright information

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

You are free to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work.

Attribution – you must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Non-commercial – you may not use this work for commercial purposes.

No derivative works – you may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

Waiver – any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.