Australia’s Political Parties

Australian Commonwealth Political Parties

The history of each of todays main political parties in Australia.

Liberal Party of Australia 1944 – current www.liberal.org.au
Leaders and original Party Names

1889 Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association

• 1889 – 1896 Henry Parkes
• 1896 – 1909 George Reid

1901 Protectionist Party

• 1901 – 1903 Edmund Barton
• 1903 – 1909 Alfred Deakin

1909 Commonwealth Liberal Party

---

Sponsor ai10

---

• 1909 – 1913 Alfred Deakin
• 1913 – 1916 Joseph Cook

1917 Nationalist Party of Australia

• 1917 – 1922 William Morris Hughes
• 1922 – 1929 Stanley Bruce
• 1929 – 1931 John Latham

1931 United Australia Party

• 1931 – 1939 Joseph Lyons (Labor Premier of Tasmania: 25 October 1923 ?? 15 June 1928
• 1939 – 1941 Robert Menzies
• 1941 – 1943 Billy Hughes
• 1943 – 1944 Robert Menzies

1944 Liberal Party of Australia

• 1944 – 1966 Robert Menzies
• 1966 – 1967 Harold Holt
• 1967 – 1971 John Gorton
• 1971 – 1972 William McMahon
• 1972 – 1974 Billy Snedden
• 1975 – 1983 Malcolm Fraser
• 1983 – 1985 Andrew Peacock
• 1985 – 1989 John Howard
• 1989 – 1990 Andrew Peacock
• 1990 – 1994 Dr. John Hewson
• 1994 – 1995 Alexander Downer
• 1995 – 2007 John Howard
• 2007 – 2008 Dr. Brendan Nelson
• 2008 – 2009 Malcolm Turnbull
• 2009 – present Tony Abbott

Australian Labor Party 1901 – current www.alp.org.au
Leaders

• 1891 – 1901 Only State based.
• 1901 – 1907 Chris Watson
• 1907 – 1915 Andrew Fisher
• 1915 – 1916 Billy Hughes
• 1916 – 1922 Frank Tudor
• 1922 – 1928 Matthew Charlton
• 1928 – 1935 James Scullin
• 1935 – 1945 John Curtin
• 1945 – 1951 Ben Chifley
• 1945 – 1945 Frank Forde
• 1951 – 1960 Herbert Evatt
• 1960 – 1967 Arthur Calwell
• 1967 – 1977 Gough Whitlam
• 1977 – 1983 Bill Hayden
• 1983 – 1991 Bob Hawke (elected unopposed after Hayden resigned)
• 1991 – 1996 Paul Keating (Keating challenged Bob Hawke in 1991 and won)
• 1996 – 2001 Kim Beazley (elected unopposed after Keating resigned)
• 2001 – 2003 Simon Crean (elected unopposed after Beazley resigned)
• 2003 – 2005 Mark Latham ( 47 votes to 45 : against Beazley on 2 December 2003.)
• 2005 – 2006 Kim Beazley (elected on 28 January 2005 after Latham resigned)
• 2006 – 2010 Kevin Rudd (49 votes to 39 against Beazley on 4 December 2006)
• 2010 – 2013 Julia Gillard (challenged Kevin Rudd and won)
• 2013 – 2013 Kevin Rudd (challenged Julia Gillard and won)
• 2013 –

National Party of Australia 1920 – current www.nationals.org.au
Leaders and original Party Names

1920 Australian Country Party

• 1920 – 1921 William James McWilliams
• 1921 – 1939 Sir Earle Page
• 1939 – 1940 Archie Cameron
• 1940 – 1958 Sir Arthur Fadden
• 1958 – 1971 Sir John McEwen
• 1971 – 1984 Doug Anthony

1975 National Country Party

• 1971 – 1984 Doug Anthony

1982 National Party of Australia

• 1971 – 1984 Doug Anthony
• 1984 – 1989 Ian Sinclair
• 1989 – 1990 Charles Blunt
• 1990 – 1999 Tim Fischer
• 1999 – 2005 John Anderson
• 2005 – 2007 Mark Vaile
• 2007 – Warren Truss