Formed in 1977 by a disaffected Liberal, Don Chipp, the Australian Democrats was once the most successful minor political party in Australian history.
Whilst it never won a House of Representatives seat, since 1981 it held or shared the balance of power in the Senate for around twenty years.
It is the only party to have elected not one, but five different women as leader.
More recently, the party suffered a debilitating internal split, leadership instability and plummeting opinion poll ratings. Following the 2007 election, it lost all its representation in the Senate.
Party Information
- History of the Australian Democrats
- National Constitution and Regulations
- Leaders of the Australian Democrats 1978-2008
Archived News Items
2003
- Dec 07: Bartlett Apologises To Ferris, Public And Democrats
- Dec 06: Democrats Leader ‘Stands Aside’ Over Drunken Incident In Senate Chamber
- Aug 20: Andrew Bartlett: The Policy Agenda And Future Of The Australian Democrats
- Jan 23: Democrats Oppose Troops To Iraq, Demand Recall Of Parliament
2002
- Dec 20: NSW Democrats Christmas Card
- Oct 05: Andrew Bartlett Elected Leader Of Australian Democrats
- Aug 23: Senator Brian Grieg Appointed Interim Leader Of Australian Democrats
- Aug 21: Senator Natasha Stott Despoja’s Resignation Speech
- Jun 25: Meg Lees Under Attack By Democrats; Senate Numbers At Stake
- Jun 24: Meg Lees Reponse To Allegations Of Disloyalty
- Jun 24: Letter To Meg Lees From Democrats’ Acting President
2001
- Aug 08: Stott Despoja Outlines ‘Changing Politics’ Theme
- Apr 11: Stott Despoja and the Future of the Australian Democrats
- Apr 07: Australian Democrats Announce Results of Leadership Ballot
- Apr 07: Stott Despoja Wins Leadership of Australian Democrats
- Jan 20: Senator Meg Lees’ Speech to 2001 National Conference
Archived Posts
- Sen. Andrew Bartlett (Greens-Qld) – Maiden Speech December 5, 2017
- A Cautionary Tale: Senate Votes In The 2013 Federal Election June 11, 2016
- Stott Despoja, Former Democrats Leader, Appointed Ambassador For Women And Girls December 16, 2013
- Current Federal Parliamentary Party Leaders September 17, 2007
- Don Chipp, Founder Of Australian Democrats, Dies At 81 August 29, 2006
- Democrats Attack Howard Amendments To Electoral Laws June 16, 2006
- Voluntary Student Unions Bill: Speech By Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja December 9, 2005
- Election Funding Payments: 2004 Federal Election December 9, 2004
- Condolences For Former Senator Janine Haines – House Of Representatives November 29, 2004
- Democrats Leader Andrew Bartlett Addresses The National Press Club September 28, 2004
- People And Parliament Still In The Dark On FTA: Democrats February 9, 2004
- Bartlett Apologises To Ferris, Public And Democrats December 7, 2003
- Andrew Bartlett ‘Stands Aside’ Over Drunken Incident In Senate Chamber December 6, 2003
- Democrats Renew Call For Royal Commission On Child Abuse May 23, 2003
- Minor Parties Oppose US Free Trade Agreement May 5, 2003
- Democrats Support Breast-Feeding In Senate May 1, 2003
- Democrats Call On Hollingworth To Step Down May 1, 2003
- British Media Tougher On Responsibilities: Democrats March 5, 2003
- The Case Against War: Bartlett Puts Australian Democrats View February 25, 2003
- The Ten Motions That Sank Stott Despoja August 21, 2002
- Laurie Oakes, Cheryl Kernot And The Unreported Story July 3, 2002
- Laurie Oakes Reveals Kernot-Evans Affair; Crean Demands Explanation July 3, 2002
- Cheryl Kernot, Former Democrats Leader, Says She Still Has A Labor Heart July 1, 2002
- Meg Lees Under Attack By Democrats; Senate Numbers At Stake June 25, 2002
- Stott Despoja Comments On Leaked Letter From Lees June 25, 2002
- Democrats’ National Management Committee Minutes June 24, 2002
- Democrats Demand Loyalty From Lees June 24, 2002
- Meg Lees’ Letter To Democrats National President June 24, 2002
- Democrats Call For Increase In Foreign Aid May 11, 2002
- Democrats: You Do Not Have The Right To Remain Silent April 29, 2002
- Howard Comments On Issues, Incumbency And Leadership In South Australian Election February 10, 2002
- Election Funding Payments: 2001 Federal Election December 6, 2001
- The Sharp End: The Day After The Night Before November 11, 2001
- The Sharp End: Encounters With MPs (Members Of The Public) November 4, 2001
- The Sharp End: The Party Faithful October 28, 2001
- The Sharp End: Nominations, Lotto And Preferences October 21, 2001
- The Sharp End: Targeting The Voters October 14, 2001
- Ari Sharp – Kooyong Democrats Leaflet – 2001 October 8, 2001
- The Sharp End: The Work Of The Local Candidate October 7, 2001
- The Sharp End: Everything Has Changed Since August October 1, 2001
- The Sharp End: A Candidate’s Story September 30, 2001
- Ari Sharp, 18, Chosen As Democrats Candidate In Kooyong June 15, 2001
- Stott Despoja Calls For Constitutional and Political Reforms May 10, 2001
- Stott Despoja Defeats Lees To Take Democrats Leadership; Youngest Ever Party Leader In Australia April 7, 2001
- Democrats’ Leadership Contest Causing Bitterness March 12, 2001
- Democrats’ Leader Meg Lees Faces Challenge February 27, 2001
- Bill Of Rights: Australian Democrats Bill October 1, 2000
- Labor Wins Isaacs By-Election With 7.75% Primary Swing August 12, 2000
- Making The Bastards Honest: Democrats’ Accountability Package August 1, 2000
- Kernot Embarrassment A Dilemma For Beazley February 1, 2000
- Australian Democrats National Constitution And Regulations January 15, 2000
- Democrats Reject Reith’s Anti-Union Bill November 30, 1999
- Cheryl Kernot’s Political Future In Doubt November 9, 1999
- Preamble Referendum: Howard-Ridgeway Urge A YES Vote November 3, 1999
- Howard’s Commitments to Meg Lees on the GST June 22, 1999
- Andrew Bartlett Statement Opposing the GST Package June 14, 1999
- Meg Lees Responds To Brian Harradine’s Opposition To The GST May 14, 1999
- Meg Lees On Parliamentary Reform: The Baby And The Bathwater February 22, 1999
- Election Funding Payments: 1998 Federal Election November 27, 1998
- VCEpolitics.com: 1998 Federal Election – Week 6 Aftermath October 4, 1998
- 1998 Federal Election: Australian Democrats Advertisements October 1, 1998
- Kernot Quits Democrats To Join Labor October 15, 1997
- Kernot: The Leadership Test – Australia In The Next 20 Years January 17, 1997
- Senator Natasha Stott Despoja (Dem-SA) – First Speech May 1, 1996
- Keep The Bastards Honest: Australian Democrats Leaflet (1996) February 25, 1996
- 1996 Federal Election News: Jan 27-Feb 23 January 27, 1996
- Australia’s Economic Independence: Speech By Cheryl Kernot January 20, 1996
- ‘Give A Damn’ – Janine Haines Australian Democrats Advertisement March 20, 1990
- 1987 Federal Election: Australian Democrats TV Advertisement July 10, 1987
- 1984 Post-Election Analysis: McMullan, Henderson And Butman April 15, 1985
- Final Television Broadcasts: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
- Don Chipp On His Faith In Bob Hawke March 2, 1983
- Norm Gallagher Jailed; Fraser Prepares For Policy Speech; Don Chipp’s Senate Campaign February 15, 1983
- Don Chipp Resigns From The Liberal Party March 24, 1977