Infosheet 22 - Political parties

POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Australia’s system of government is based on the existence of political parties. While the members of the House of Representatives are individually elected to represent constituents within each electoral division, in most cases members belong to and support a political party.

Parties and the formation of government

The party (or coalition of parties) which has the support of the majority of members of the House forms the government. The party (or coalition of parties) with the greatest number of non-government members in the House forms the official opposition. Each parliamentary party (that is, all members and senators of the party) elects its own leader—the leaders of the government and opposition parties become the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, respectively.

A ‘hung Parliament’ is said to exist when no single party or coalition of parties has a majority of seats in the House of Representatives. A minority government can be formed when a party (or coalition) which does not have a majority of seats in its own right is able to achieve a majority on the floor of the House with support from independent members or minor parties.

Between 1901 and 1910, allegiances to party were more fluid than they would later become; governments were minority governments and were made and unmade on the floor of the House. Since 1910, Australia has generally had majority governments under which either the Australian Labor Party or a coalition of non-Labor parties has held office.

The House of Representatives Chamber

The main political parties in the House of Representatives

There are three main parties represented in the House of Representatives:

  • the Australian Labor Party: the Labor Party is Australia’s oldest political party, established federally in 1901.[1]
  • the Liberal Party of Australia: the present Liberal Party was formed in 1944. It united many of the non-Labor political parties and organisations in Australia.
  • the Nationals: the Country Party was formed in 1920, was renamed the National Country Party in 1975 and the National Party of Australia in 1982. Since 2003 it has been known as the Nationals.

When forming government, the Liberal Party and the Nationals (under various names) have done so as a coalition since the 1949 general election.

In 2008 the Queensland branches of the Liberal Party and the Nationals merged to form the Liberal National Party of Queensland. Liberal National Party candidates elected to the Federal Parliament have continued to sit as Liberals or Nationals.

Minor parties and independents

Independent members are not affiliated with any political party. Some independent members begin their career as members of a political party but leave for various reasons.

As at June 2025, the 48th Parliament will include 13 crossbench members—10 independent members, and one member each from the Australian Greens, Centre Alliance and Katter’s Australian Party.

Table 1 provides a historical overview of party affiliations in the House since 1901.

Parties and the operation of the House of Representatives

Parliamentary activity involves the parliamentary wings of the political parties—that is, the elected representatives. The extra-parliamentary or organisational wings of the political parties have no role in the formal parliamentary structure and workings of the Parliament.

Political parties are not formally recognised in the standing orders of the House. However, in many respects the functioning of the House is based on the relationship between government and opposition—that is, the opposing political parties (see Infosheet No. 19 The House, government and opposition). The working arrangements and conduct of business reflect this division. This can be seen in the physical layout of the Chamber, with government Members sitting to the right of the Speaker’s Chair and opposition Members to the left. Another example is the practice that opportunities for Members to speak in the House are alternated between government and non‑government Members.

Party meetings

The major parties have designated party rooms in Parliament House. For the 48th Parliament, these parties are the Australian Labor Party (government), the Liberal Party and the National Party of Australia (the official opposition) and the Australian Greens Party.

Parties have meetings in sitting weeks, usually at times when the House is not sitting, where all members of the party in the Parliament (that is, senators and members) meet together. These meetings are a forum for communication between backbenchers and party leaders, internal party discussion of party policy, parliamentary activity and tactics, the resolution of internal party disputes and the election of officers.

The proceedings of party meetings are regarded as confidential, and details of discussions are not normally made public.

Party committees

Both the government and the opposition parties have backbench committees to assist them in the consideration of legislative proposals and other issues of political significance. These committees provide backbenchers with the opportunity to discuss matters and influence party policy or decisions in particular subject areas. They are different from parliamentary committees.

Party whips

All parties have whips whose main function is to act as administrative officers to their parliamentary parties. Although whips, especially the Chief Government Whip, have duties in relation to the proceedings of the House, they occupy essentially party positions. Outside the Chamber, the whips may be required to provide support for such matters as party meetings and consultations, party committees, arranging party nominations to parliamentary committees and organising any party balloting which may be required. For more information, see Infosheet No. 19 The House, government and opposition.

Parties in the Senate

The system of proportional representation used to elect Senators results in more opportunity for the election of minority parties and independents. This has meant that minor parties with a significant and often influential Senate presence may have no or little representation in the House (for example, previously the Democratic Labor Party and the Australian Democrats).

Significant parties historically

There have been many other political parties that have run in federal general elections since 1901, most of which no longer exist.

Previous government parties

Historical parties which have formed government are:

  • Protectionist Party, 1889–1909. Formed first federal government with Labor Party support
  • Free Trade Party, 1889–1909. Renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906
  • Commonwealth Liberal Party, 1909–16. Formed from the Anti-Socialist Party and elements of the Protectionist Party (also called ‘the Fusion’)
  • National Labor Party, November 1916–February 1917. Formed from elements of the Labor Party
  • Nationalist Party, 1917–31. Formed from merger of the National Labor Party and Commonwealth Liberal Party
  • United Australia Party, 1931–45. Formed from Nationalist Party, Australian Party (former Nationalists) and elements of the Labor Party. Predecessor to the modern Liberal Party.

Other parties represented in the House

Since the formation of the Liberal–National coalition in 1949, the House of Representatives has been dominated by members of the three major political parties.

In the past 30 years, the other parties represented in the House have been:

  • Country Liberal Party (part of the Liberal–Nationals coalition—1996, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2013
  • One Nation—1997
  • Australian Greens—2002, 2010–present
  • Nationals (Western Australia)—2010
  • Katter’s Australia Party—2013–present
  • Palmer United Party—2013
  • Centre Alliance, formerly Nick Xenophon Team—from 2016–present
  • United Australia Party—2021.

Further information on political parties in the House of Representatives since 1901 is displayed in Tables 1 and 2 below.

For more information

House of Representatives Practice, 7th edn, Department of the House of Representatives, Canberra, 2018, pp. 52-58.

House of Representatives website: www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members.

About the House website: www.aph.gov.au/athnews.

X: @AboutTheHouse | Bluesky: @aboutthehouse.bsky.social |

Facebook: Aboutthehouseau | Instagram: @abouttheHouse

Images courtesy of AUSPIC.

[1] Established in colonial Parliaments from 1891. ‘Labour’ until 1912.

KEY TO TABLE 1

Party strengths indicated are those after general elections and do not allow for by-elections, changes in affiliation between elections or as a result of elections declared void and recontested.

  1. The Free Trade Party was renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906.
  2. Members of the Liberal and Country League (South Australia) included from 1946.
  3. The Country Party was formed after the 1919 election from Members returned under endorsement of primary producers’ organisations. In 1975 party name changed to National Country Party of Australia. In 1982 party name changed to National Party of Australia and in 2003 to the Nationals.
  4. Revenue Tariff Party.
  5. Includes 4 Independent Protectionists and 2 Western Australia Party.
  6. Derived from elements of former Protectionists and Anti‑Socialists. Also referred to during election as ‘Fusion’.
  7. Formed by elements of Labor Party and former Liberals.
  8. Independent Nationalist.
  9. From 1922 total figure includes a Member for the Northern Territory who did not have full voting rights until 1968.
  10. Country Progressive.
  11. Includes 3 Independent Nationalists and one Country Progressive.
  12. Formed by elements of the Labor Party and former Nationalists.
  13. NSW Labor.
  14. Independent United Australia Party.
  15. Non-communist Labor.
  16. Includes one Liberal Country.
  17. From 1949 includes a Member for the ACT who did not have full voting rights until 1966.
  18. In 1955 during the Australian Labor Party split, 7 members from Victoria formed the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), and sat as a minor party. All 7 members lost their seats in the general election later that year.
  19. Although the Labor Party had the same number of seats as the coalition parties (62), two of its Members (Northern Territory and the ACT) did not have full voting rights.
  20. Includes one seat filled at a supplementary election held after the first meeting of the new House.
  21. Includes one Australian Greens and one Nationals (Western Australia).
  22. Includes one Australian Greens, one Katter’s Australia Party and one Palmer United Party.

This table is based on the table at Appendix 10 of House of Representatives Practice (7th edn). Note that early records and subsequent histories do not always agree on party affiliation. Members of the 48th Parliament have not yet been sworn in.

 

TABLE 1: Party affiliations in the House of Representatives

Year of
election

Free Trade/ Anti‑Socialista

Protectionist

Nationalist

United Australia

Liberalb

Country/
National
c

Country
Liberals (NT)

Labor  Other Labor  Minor Party

Independent

Total

1901

28

31






14    

2

75

1903

25

26

 

 

 

 

 

23

   1d

 

75

1906

27

16

 

 

 

 

 

26    6e

 

75

1910

 

 

 

 

31f

 

 

43    

1

75

1913

 

 

 

 

38

 

 

37     

 

75

1914

 

 

 

 

32

 

 

42    

1

75

1917

 

 

53g

 

 

 

 

22    

 

75

1919

 

 

37

 

 

11

 

26    1h

 

75

1922

 

 

26

 

5

14

 

30     

1

76i

1925

 

 

37

 

 

14

 

24     

1

76

1928

 

 

29

 

 

13

 

32    1j

1

76

1929

 

 

14

 

 

10

 

47    4k

1

76

1931

 

 

 

40l

 

16

 

15   4m  

1

76

1934

 

 

 

33

 

14

 

18   9m  

1

75

1937

 

 

 

28

 

16

 

29    1n 

1

75

1940

 

 

 

23

 

14

 

32   4o  

2

75

1943

 

 

 

12

 

12p

 

49    

2

75

1946

 

 

 

 

17

12p

 

43    

3

75

1949

 

 

 

 

55

19

 

48     

1

123q

1951

 

 

 

 

52

17

 

54     

 

123

1954

 

 

 

 

47

17

 

59r     

 

123

1955

 

 

 

 

57

18

 

49     

 

124

1958

 

 

 

 

58

19

 

47     

 

124

1961

 

 

 

 

45

17

 

62s     

 

124

1963

 

 

 

 

52

20

 

52    

 

124

1966

 

 

 

 

61

21

 

41    

1

124

1969

 

 

 

 

46

20

 

59     

 

125

1972

 

 

 

 

38

20

 

67    

 

125

1974

 

 

 

 

40

21

 

66    

 

127

1975

 

 

 

 

68

23

 

36    

 

127

1977

 

 

 

 

67

19

 

38     

 

124

1980

 

 

 

 

54

20

 

51     

 

125

1983

 

 

 

 

33

17

 

75    

 

125

1984

 

 

 

 

45

21

 

82    

 

148

1987

 

 

 

 

43

19

 

86    

 

148

1990

 

 

 

 

55

14

 

78     

1

148

1993

 

 

 

 

49

16

 

80    

2

147

1996

 

 

 

 

75

18

1

49    

5

148

1998

 

 

 

 

64

16

 

67t     

1

148

2001

 

 

 

 

68

13

1

65    

3

150

2004

 

 

 

 

74

12

1

60     

3

150

2007

 

 

 

 

55

10

 

83    

2

150

2010

 

 

 

 

60

11

1

72   2u 

4

150

2013

 

 

 

 

74

15

1

55   3v 

2

150

2016

 

 

 

 

60

16

 

69  

2

150

2019

 

 

 

 

61

16

 

68   3

3

151

2022

 

 

 

 

43

15

 

77   6

10

151

2025

 

 

 

 

28

15

 

94   3

10

150

 

 TABLE 2: GOVERNMENT PARTIES—periods in office

Governing party (or coalition)

Duration in years

From

To

Protectionist

3.3

1/01/1901

27/04/1904

Labor

0.3

27/04/1904

18/08/1904

Free Trade/Protectionist

0.9

18/08/1904

5/07/1905

Protectionist

3.4

5/07/1905

13/11/1908

Labor

0.6

13/11/1908

2/06/1909

Liberal

0.9

2/06/1909

29/04/1910

Labor

3.2

29/04/1910

24/06/1913

Liberal

1.2

24/06/1913

17/09/1914

Labor

2.2

17/09/1914

14/11/1916

National Labor

0.3

14/11/1916

17/02/1917

Nationalist

6.0

17/02/1917

9/02/1923

Nationalist/Country

6.7

9/02/1923

22/10/1929

Labor

2.2

22/10/1929

6/01/1932

UAP/Country

9.8

6/01/1932

7/10/1941

Labor

8.2

7/10/1941

19/12/1949

Liberal/Country

23.0

19/12/1949

5/12/1972

Labor

2.9

5/12/1972

11/11/1975

Liberal/National

7.3

11/11/1975

11/03/1983

Labor

13.0

11/03/1983

11/03/1996

Liberal/National

11.7

11/03/1996

3/12/2007

Labor

5.8

3/12/2007

18/09/2013

Liberal/National

8.7

18/09/2013

23/05/2022

Labor

 

23/05/2022

present