Kate SlackThe Players: The Liberal Party of Australia: A Major Party
June 23rd 2010 00:08
Some History
During the late 1880s and early 1900s there were a number of small non-Labor parties occupying Australia’s political landscape. Robert Menzies, leader of the United Australia Party who had been Prime Minister from 1939-1941 convened a meeting of representatives from 18 of these non-Labor parties while he was leader of the opposition in 1944. That meeting held in Canberra and a subsequent meeting held in Albury resulted in the formation of The Liberal Party of Australia which was formally announced in February 1945. Bound by the belief that The post-war Australian Labor Party implemented restrictive policies and limited personal freedoms, the Liberal Party of Australia united to form a new political force in Australia. In coalition with the Country Party, The Liberal Party of Australia was first elected to federal government in 1949. Led by Sir Robert Menzies (for 17 years), and then by Harold Holt, Sir John Gorton, and Sir William McMahon the Liberals held government for 23 consecutive years.
Some Ideology
The Liberal Party of Australia are said to sit to the right of centre on the political spectrum. Ideologically they prescribe to the tenants of conservative liberalism, liberal conservatism, and new right. The amalgamation of these three forms of ideology result in policies that are generally: tough on crime; strict on illegal immigration and less tolerant of multiculturalism; and traditional in relation to social and ethical issues. The Liberals are most concerned with liberty and freedom of enterprise. They are very committed to Australia’s alliance with the United States but are divided on the issue of republicanism – some are minimalist republicans while others including Toby Abbott, remain true to Sir Robert Menzies’s cause and are devout Monarchists.
Operation
The Liberal Party consists of two clearly defined ‘wings’: the Organisational Wing; and, the Parliamentary Wing. The Organisational wing does not dictate policy but is responsible for consulting with the community and advising the Parliamentary wing in relation to policies. While Sir Robert Menzies was adamant that the Liberal Party’s divisions – the State branches - as a part of the Organisational wing were to be responsible for: policy platforms and policy formation; recruiting pre-selection candidates; campaigning and fundraising, under John Howard responsibility for these matters, particularly the formation of policy was more heavily concentrated at a national level. The Parliamentary wing consists of all of the State, Territory and Federal Parliamentarians who determine policy guided by the party platform. The Federal Secretariat is the Liberal Party’s national headquarters and is headed by the Federal Director who is responsible for the overall co-ordination of the Liberal party at the national level and divisional levels. The Liberal Party also consists of a number of committees who are responsible for defining and continuously moulding the party’s organisational objectives and policies. To band all of these groups together is the Federal Council – the coordinating body of the Liberal Party which consists of eight representatives from each State, four from the ACT, the State Parliamentary leader, a representative of the Young Liberal Movement, and the Women’s Section, the Federal Parliamentary leader and Federal office bearers. The Federal Executive is a smaller group consisting of the Federal office bearers, the Divisional Presidents, and the Federal Parliamentary Leadership group which meets more regularly than the Federal Council. While the Liberal Party of Australia is a dominant party, in order for them to hold office they often form a Coalition government with The National Party. The Nationals generally dominant the vote in Australia’s country and rural areas particularly in Queensland.
To follow?
At the time of its inception The Liberal Party was hailed by Sir Robert Menzies to be the party of the ‘forgotten people’; Australia’s middle class. However, due to the decline of class based voting patterns, the emergence of the Australian Democrats and the choice of voters from the left-leaning middle class to vote Labor, the Liberals have found their electoral niche in socially conservative working class voters as well as business people.
The hallmarks of liberalism:
• Political liberalism
• Economic liberalism
• Cultural liberalism
• Political freedom
• Democratic capitalism
• Democratic education
• Free trade
• Individualism
• Laissez-faire
• Liberal democracy
• Liberal neutrality
• Negative/positive liberty
• Market economy
• Open society
• Popular sovereignty
• Individual rights
• Separation of church and state
With a conservative slant:
• Traditional
• Customary
• Natural law
• Private Property
• Social hierarchy
• Family values
• Social order
New Right
• Free market economy
• A reduction in the size of the welfare state
• Deregulation
• Privatisation
• Lower direct taxation
• Higher indirect taxation
During the late 1880s and early 1900s there were a number of small non-Labor parties occupying Australia’s political landscape. Robert Menzies, leader of the United Australia Party who had been Prime Minister from 1939-1941 convened a meeting of representatives from 18 of these non-Labor parties while he was leader of the opposition in 1944. That meeting held in Canberra and a subsequent meeting held in Albury resulted in the formation of The Liberal Party of Australia which was formally announced in February 1945. Bound by the belief that The post-war Australian Labor Party implemented restrictive policies and limited personal freedoms, the Liberal Party of Australia united to form a new political force in Australia. In coalition with the Country Party, The Liberal Party of Australia was first elected to federal government in 1949. Led by Sir Robert Menzies (for 17 years), and then by Harold Holt, Sir John Gorton, and Sir William McMahon the Liberals held government for 23 consecutive years.
Some Ideology
The Liberal Party of Australia are said to sit to the right of centre on the political spectrum. Ideologically they prescribe to the tenants of conservative liberalism, liberal conservatism, and new right. The amalgamation of these three forms of ideology result in policies that are generally: tough on crime; strict on illegal immigration and less tolerant of multiculturalism; and traditional in relation to social and ethical issues. The Liberals are most concerned with liberty and freedom of enterprise. They are very committed to Australia’s alliance with the United States but are divided on the issue of republicanism – some are minimalist republicans while others including Toby Abbott, remain true to Sir Robert Menzies’s cause and are devout Monarchists.
Operation
The Liberal Party consists of two clearly defined ‘wings’: the Organisational Wing; and, the Parliamentary Wing. The Organisational wing does not dictate policy but is responsible for consulting with the community and advising the Parliamentary wing in relation to policies. While Sir Robert Menzies was adamant that the Liberal Party’s divisions – the State branches - as a part of the Organisational wing were to be responsible for: policy platforms and policy formation; recruiting pre-selection candidates; campaigning and fundraising, under John Howard responsibility for these matters, particularly the formation of policy was more heavily concentrated at a national level. The Parliamentary wing consists of all of the State, Territory and Federal Parliamentarians who determine policy guided by the party platform. The Federal Secretariat is the Liberal Party’s national headquarters and is headed by the Federal Director who is responsible for the overall co-ordination of the Liberal party at the national level and divisional levels. The Liberal Party also consists of a number of committees who are responsible for defining and continuously moulding the party’s organisational objectives and policies. To band all of these groups together is the Federal Council – the coordinating body of the Liberal Party which consists of eight representatives from each State, four from the ACT, the State Parliamentary leader, a representative of the Young Liberal Movement, and the Women’s Section, the Federal Parliamentary leader and Federal office bearers. The Federal Executive is a smaller group consisting of the Federal office bearers, the Divisional Presidents, and the Federal Parliamentary Leadership group which meets more regularly than the Federal Council. While the Liberal Party of Australia is a dominant party, in order for them to hold office they often form a Coalition government with The National Party. The Nationals generally dominant the vote in Australia’s country and rural areas particularly in Queensland.
To follow?
At the time of its inception The Liberal Party was hailed by Sir Robert Menzies to be the party of the ‘forgotten people’; Australia’s middle class. However, due to the decline of class based voting patterns, the emergence of the Australian Democrats and the choice of voters from the left-leaning middle class to vote Labor, the Liberals have found their electoral niche in socially conservative working class voters as well as business people.
The hallmarks of liberalism:
• Political liberalism
• Economic liberalism
• Cultural liberalism
• Political freedom
• Democratic capitalism
• Democratic education
• Free trade
• Individualism
• Laissez-faire
• Liberal democracy
• Liberal neutrality
• Negative/positive liberty
• Market economy
• Open society
• Popular sovereignty
• Individual rights
• Separation of church and state
With a conservative slant:
• Traditional
• Customary
• Natural law
• Private Property
• Social hierarchy
• Family values
• Social order
New Right
• Free market economy
• A reduction in the size of the welfare state
• Deregulation
• Privatisation
• Lower direct taxation
• Higher indirect taxation
| 90 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
