An independent politician is a person who has served in a political office while not affiliated to any political party. Many of these have either resigned or been expelled from membership in political parties, and some have gone on to form their own political parties over time. In some cases members of parliament sit as an Independent while still holding party leadership. This can be for a multitude of reasons including Expulsion from party room, deregistration of party and suspension of membership.
Background
In Australia, the federal and state governments all operate on a bicameral parliament, with a House of Representatives and a Senate each. Control of each house is formed by either a majority parliament, where a single party or a coalition of parties, holds enough seats to hold power through an electoral term in their own right. When a party is unable to win enough seats in an election, this is known as a "hung parliament", the larger parties are required to meet with smaller third parties and independents in order to make compromises and agreements in order to have a majority of seats, known as forming a minority government. Most elections in Australian history have resulted in Majority governments. In every case where there have been minority governments, the balance of power has been predominantly in the hands of Independent members of parliament, meaning the individual is not attached to, or affiliated with, a political party.
There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent:
Parties only run a single candidate in the House of Representatives, in order to limit campaign costs and complexity. Some candidates attempt to become a candidate for a party in the pre-selection stage, and are unsuccessful. Instead of putting their support behind the successful pre-selectees, some choose to transition their efforts into an independent candidacy for office.
Some independent politicians come from party backgrounds, and have either voluntarily withdrawn from parties due to factional or values-based misalignment or in protest of certain political actions, or have been removed by the party for similar reasons.
Some independent politicians may not find enough common ground with the parties available, either from the positioning on the political spectrum, or the effectiveness in fulfilling their electoral mandate, and believe that standing apart from a party will prove more effective.
All politicians in Australia are still required to fulfil their obligations, if elected, regardless of whether they are independent or are part of a political party. All are also afforded the opportunity to speak on behalf of their electorate or district, if a member of the house of representatives, or state or region, if a member of the senate.
Federal
Before 2022 independents were not often elected to the federal Parliament of Australia. Historically independents were more commonly elected to state parliaments. In 2022 seven new independents were elected to the House of Representatives of whom only one was previously active in one of the traditional political parties; many of these were known as teal independents, a loose collective of social progressives challenging moderate Liberal seats. Historically, many independents were former members of one of Australia's main parties, the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. On 16 July 2013 a political party named the Australian Independents was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. It was deregistered on 4 February 2016.[1]
As the member for the Australian Capital Territory, could only vote on matters directly affecting the Territory. Previously the Nationalist member for Herbert in Queensland from 1925 to 1928.
Senators elected as independents are quite rare. In modern politics, independent Brian Harradine served from 1975 to 2005 with considerable influence at times. Nick Xenophon was an elected independent Senator from his election to the Senate at the 2007 federal election. Xenophon was re-elected for another six-year term at the 2013 federal election.[2] He was re-elected at the 2016 double dissolution election under the Nick Xenophon Team. DLP Senator John Madigan became an independent Senator in September 2014,[3] but failed to be re-elected at the 2016 election. PUP Senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus became independent Senators in November 2014 and March 2015.[4][5] At the 2016 election, Lazarus lost his seat and Lambie was re-elected under the Jacqui Lambie Network. In the 2022 election, former rugby player David Pocock was elected as an independent Senator from the ACT, becoming the first independent Senator from a territory and the first non-major party member of parliament from the ACT.[6]
On 21 May 1977, a referendum to amend Section 15 of the Constitution was approved to require future Senate casual vacancies to be filled by a member of the party represented by the former senator at the time of their election, if the state parliament chooses to fill the vacancy. However, this requirement does not apply to independent senators.
Appointed by the Nuclear Disarmament Party to fill the vacancy caused by Robert Wood's disqualification, and refused to resign to allow Wood to return to the Senate; subsequently expelled from the NDP. Contested 1990 election under the ticket "Irina Dunn's Environment Independents".
Resigned from the Labor Party to accept the Liberal Party's nomination as Deputy President of the Senate. Sponsored the registration of the "Queensland First" political party but retired in 1999.
Resigned from the National Party in March 2002. Re-elected as an independent in 2003 and 2007. Resigned from parliament in August 2008 to contest the Lyne federal by-election.
Expelled from the Labor Party on 8 November 2006 after being charged with child sex offences. Resigned from parliament under threat of an expulsion vote on 13 November.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party in August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Recontested the 2015 election as an independent and lost.
Resigned from Liberal party in March 2016 after his campaign manager was charged with electoral offences, He re-joined the party in 2017. Retired in 2019.
Expelled from One Nation in October 2000. Founded One Nation NSW in 2001. Resigned from One Nation NSW in December 2004 and served out his term as an independent.
Resigned from The Greens in 2018 after he was accused of sexual violence. Ran as an Independent in 2019 but failed to win re-election. Joined the Legalize Cannabis Party in 2022 and won a seat in the Legislative Council in 2023.
Former member of the Call to Australia party, Christian Democratic party, Christ in government (Fred Nile Alliance) and the Seniors United Party of Australia, he sat as an independent in 2022 before forming the Revive Australia Party.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 1940 after winning the seat as an Independent Labor candidate. Re-elected as an independent until he was readmitted to the Labor Party in 1956.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 2004 after being charged with drink-driving offences. Readmitted in 2005, but expelled again in 2006 after further charges were laid.
Resigned from the Democratic Labour Party in June 2017 to join the Australian Conservatives. Resigned from the Australian Conservatives in August 2018.
Resigned from the Labor Party in 1972 after losing preselection for the 1972 election, re-elected as an independent in 1972 and 1974, readmitted to the Labor Party in 1977.
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in May 2010 and sat as an independent until his new party, The Queensland Party, was formally registered in August
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in August 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in October 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Resigned from the Labor Party in April 1996. Resigned from the Legislative Council in November to contest a Legislative Assembly seat at the 1996 election.
Resigned from the Liberal Party in July 2008. He sat as an independent for a period before recontesting that year's election as a Family First Party candidate.
Was elected as a member of the Nationals in 2021, resigned from The Nationals in 2021 after he was suspended from the party due to criminal sex charges being laid against him.
Was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2023 but was suspended and expelled from the Labor Party before he could take his position due to him breaching a violence order, he joined One Nation in 2024.
Originally elected as a Labor MP in 1997, she became an independent in 2017 after losing Labor pre-selection, Lost seat after trying to Newland in 2022.
Appointed to a casual vacancy following the resignation of Independent No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon. Re-elected on an Independent Nick Xenophon Team ticket in 2014. Became purely independent in 2017.
Resigned from the Labor Party to support the sale of ETSA in August 1998. Founded the SA First party in March 1999. Disbanded party and returned to sitting as an independent in 2002. Defeated in 2006.
Resigned from the ALP in August 2009 and sat as an independent before joining the CLP in September 2011. Re-elected as a CLP member in 2012. Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent for two weeks before joining the Palmer United Party. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.
Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent before joining the Palmer United Party two weeks later. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.