Party History

The Australian Democrats Party was formed in 1977 under the leadership of former Federal Minister Don Chipp. The party brought under one umbrella people who believed that Australian politics should be about more than ruthless political machinations.

Many wanted to see no repeat of the 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam Government, and the Senate’s blocking of supply that preceded it.

Some came from the old Australia Party, itself a product of the anti-Vietnam war movement and small business, and some came from the South Australian Liberal Movement, a progressive ‘small L’ reform group.

Many came from the environment movement, including the co-founder of the Tasmanian Wilderness Society Norm Sanders. All were united in the view that Australia needed a party based on the principles of ‘honesty, tolerance and compassion”.

From the very start, the Democrats message resonated in Queensland, then still under the police state of the Bjelke-Petersen Government, and in 1977 the Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) Inc. The Queensland Democrats were involved in the long campaigns for a better civil society, the right to march, and for accountability and respect for the law by police and politicians.

Queenslanders have elected a Democrats Senator in every election since 1980, and several times we have come close to winning seats in the Queensland parliament. Our State has produced three Australian Democrats leaders. These proud beginnings, and our unwavering advocacy of justice, equality and environmental and social fairness, are a major reason why our party has been so well-supported in Queensland.

With no Upper House in Queensland, it has been much harder for the Democrats to make their presence felt at a state level. Even so, in 1980 and in 1995, the Democrats very nearly won seats in the State Parliament. Democrats have been elected to various local councils and student unions in Queensland and held senior roles in other community organisations.