View source for Liberal Party of Australia

{{Short description|Australian centre-right political party}}
{{About|the modern federal Liberal Party|state/territory Liberal Party articles|List of state divisions of the Liberal Party of Australia|the Liberal party active in Australia from 1909 to 1916|Liberal Party (Australia, 1909)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| logo             = Liberal Party of Australia logo.svg
| logo_size        = 170px
| colorcode        = {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}
| abbreviation     = {{nowrap|{{hlist|LP|LIB|LPA<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/party-codes.htm |title = Political party name abbreviations & codes, demographic ratings and seat status |publisher = [[Australian Electoral Commission]] |date = 18 January 2016 |access-date = 8 September 2018 |archive-date = 26 May 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220526111842/https://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/party-codes.htm |url-status = live }}</ref>}}}}
| leader1_title    = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia|Leader]]
| leader1_name     = [[Peter Dutton]]
| leader2_title    = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia#Federal deputy leaders|Deputy Leader]]
| leader2_name     = [[Sussan Ley]]
| leader3_title    = Senate Leader
| leader3_name     = [[Simon Birmingham]]
| leader4_title    = Deputy Senate Leader
| leader4_name     = [[Michaelia Cash]]
| leader5_title    = [[President of the Liberal Party of Australia|President]]
| leader5_name     = [[John Olsen]]
| founder          = [[Robert Menzies]]{{efn|Menzies is the party's most prominent co-founder, having been the party's first and [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia#Federal leaders by time in office|longest serving]] leader. Furthermore, he is often cited as the "founder"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/taking-liberties-with-menzies-politics-betrays-his-life-and-legacy-20221023-p5bs2u.html |title=Taking liberties with Menzies' politics betrays his life and legacy |last=Brandis |first=George |author-link=George Brandis |date=24 October 2022 |publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=6 January 2023 |quote=One of the most important differences between the Liberal Party and the Labor Party is a historical one. Labor traces its roots to the trade union movement of the late 19th century; it does not point to any one great figure as its founder. The Liberal Party, by contrast, is unquestionably the creation of a single man, Robert Menzies – its founder and longest-serving leader and Australia’s longest-serving prime minister. Both sides of politics acknowledge this: Paul Keating, in a savage speech, once spoke of his desire "to destroy Menzies’ creation". |archive-date=15 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115225856/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/taking-liberties-with-menzies-politics-betrays-his-life-and-legacy-20221023-p5bs2u.html |url-status=live }}</ref> or "father" of the party.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-03/robert-menzies-wouldnt-recognise-the-liberal-partys-policies/100509358 |title=Robert Menzies wouldn't recognise the Liberal Party's employment policies today |last=Hutchens |first=Gareth |date=3 October 2021 |website= |publisher=ABC News |quote=It's why the "father" of the Liberal Party, Robert Menzies, would hardly recognise his party's economic policies today. |access-date=6 January 2023 |archive-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106123607/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-03/robert-menzies-wouldnt-recognise-the-liberal-partys-policies/100509358 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/malcolm-frasers-political-manifesto-would-make-good-reading-for-the-morrison-government-102187 |title=Malcolm Fraser's political manifesto would make good reading for the Morrison government |last=Walker |first=Tony |date=28 August 2018 |website= |publisher=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |quote=Menzies’ "forgotten people" were defined as those caught between a union-dominated Labor Party and a conservative establishment. What the father of the Liberal Party had in mind was the artisan and small business class, broadly defined. |access-date=6 January 2023 |archive-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106123608/https://theconversation.com/malcolm-frasers-political-manifesto-would-make-good-reading-for-the-morrison-government-102187 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| founded          = {{start date and age|df=y|13 October 1944}}{{efn|The Liberal Party acknowledges the party's formation date to be 13 October 1944,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-history |title=Our History |date= 12 June 2013|website=liberal.org.au |publisher=Liberal Party of Australia |access-date=31 December 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025131733/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-history |archive-date=25 October 2022 }}</ref> which was the first day of a three-day meeting called the "Conference of Representatives of Non-Labour Organisations" in [[Canberra]].<ref name="Forming the Liberal Party of Australia-1944">{{cite web|url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/partypol/1197811/upload_binary/1197811.pdf|title=Forming the Liberal Party of Australia – Record of the Conference of Representatives of Non-Labor Organisations|date=16 October 1944|access-date=27 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127005013/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/partypol/1197811/upload_binary/1197811.pdf|archive-date=27 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Party History">{{cite web|title= Formation of the Liberal Party of Australia |work= Party History |publisher= Liberal Party of Australia—Queensland Division |url=http://www.qld.liberal.org.au/history/formation.aspx |access-date=11 April 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070426002837/http://www.qld.liberal.org.au/history/formation.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 26 April 2007}}</ref><ref name="Ian Hancock">{{cite web |author=Ian Hancock |title=The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/ian-hancock/the-origins-of-the-modern-liberal-party |access-date=11 April 2007 |work=Harold White Fellowships |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606011050/http://www.nla.gov.au/grants/haroldwhite/papers/ihancock.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The name and objectives were adopted at the conference, with the party constitution and organisation being decided two months later at the [[#Party Foundation|Albury Conference]] (15–16 December 1944). The only other date that has been cited for the founding of the party is 31 August 1945.}}
| predecessor      = {{nowrap|[[United Australia Party|United Australia]]}}
| successor        = 
| headquarters     = [[R. G. Menzies House]], [[Barton, Australian Capital Territory|Barton]], [[Australian Capital Territory]]
| newspaper        = 
| think_tank       = [[Menzies Research Centre]]
| student_wing     = [[Australian Liberal Students' Federation|Liberal Students' Federation]]
| youth_wing       = [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]]
| womens_wing      = [[Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia|Federal Women's Committee]]
| wing1_title      = Overseas wing
| wing1            = Australian Liberals Abroad<ref name="Australian Liberals Abroad-2013">{{cite web | url=https://www.liberal.org.au/australian-liberals-abroad | title=Australian Liberals Abroad | date=12 June 2013 | access-date=21 September 2023 | archive-date=24 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924223942/https://www.liberal.org.au/australian-liberals-abroad | url-status=live }}</ref>
| membership_year  = {{nowrap|2020}}
| membership       = {{increase}}70,000–80,000<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-12 |title=Our Structure |url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=Liberal Party of Australia |language=en-au |archive-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518082808/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Anne |title=Party hardly: why Australia's big political parties are struggling to compete with grassroots campaigns |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/13/party-hardly-why-australias-big-political-parties-are-struggling-to-compete-with-grassroots-campaigns |website=The Guardian |access-date=28 March 2021 |language=en |date=13 December 2020 |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722044942/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/13/party-hardly-why-australias-big-political-parties-are-struggling-to-compete-with-grassroots-campaigns |url-status=live }}</ref>
| ideology         = <!-- Don't change the phrases 'liberalism', 'conservatism', and 'liberal conservatism' without Talk.-->
{{ublist|class = nowrap
| [[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Australia|Australian]])
| [[Liberalism]] ([[Liberalism in Australia|Australian]])
| [[Liberal conservatism]]
| '''Factions:''' <br>
| [[Centrism]]
| [[Economic liberalism]]
| [[Right-wing populism]]
}}
| position         = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]] to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]{{cref|A}}
| footnotes        = {{cnote|A|The right-wing branch is found in the [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]] faction, in which a plurality of federal Liberal party politicians belong to.<ref name="Bourke-2018"/>{{not in source|date=July 2024}}<ref name="Patrick-2023"/><ref name="Pimenta-2023"/>}}
| national         = [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal–National Coalition]]
| regional         = {{nowrap|[[Asia Pacific Democrat Union]]}}
| continental      =
| international    = [[International Democracy Union]]
<!-- Pointless to leave this here now, perhaps this can be expanded on below  
| european         = [[European Conservatives and Reformists Party]] (regional partner, until 2022) -->| affiliation1_title = 
| affiliation1     =
| affiliation2_title =
| affiliation2     =
| colours          = {{colorbox|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}} [[Blue]]
| slogan           =
| anthem           =
| blank1_title     = [[Governing body]]
| blank1           = [[#Organisation|Federal Council]]
| blank2_title     = Party branches
| blank2           = {{hlist|[[Liberal Party of Australia (A.C.T. Division)|ACT]]|[[Norfolk Liberals|NI]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|NSW]]|[[Country Liberal Party|NT]]|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Qld]]{{efn|The [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] was formed as a merger of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party and the National Party. It mainly functions at the state-level.}}|[[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)|SA]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)|Tas]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Vic]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Western Australian Division)|WA]]}}
| blank3_title     =
| blank3           =
| blank4_title     =
| blank4           =
| seats1_title     = [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|40|151|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{NoteTag|Including the 15 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| seats2_title     = [[Australian Senate|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|24|76|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{NoteTag|Including the 4 LNP Senators who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| seats3_title     = State and territorial governments
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|3|8|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| seats4_title     = State and territorial lower house members
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|165|465|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| seats5_title     = State upper house members
| seats5           = {{Composition bar|41|155|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| symbol           =
| flag             =
| flag_title       = Party flag<ref>{{cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Richard |date=14 April 2021 |title=Liberals' flag fiasco |url=https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/liberals-flag-fiasco/news-story/43fa20d2d1b1e1dea0e4af7309909945 |work=[[The Australian]] |access-date=31 December 2022 |archive-date=31 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231040116/https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/liberals-flag-fiasco/news-story/43fa20d2d1b1e1dea0e4af7309909945 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.canningspurple.com.au/short-history-political-party-branding-liberals/ |title=A short history of political party branding – Liberals |last=Wilkinson |first=Jamie |date=27 June 2016 |website=news.canningspurple.com.au |publisher= |access-date=13 January 2023 |archive-date=13 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113183947/https://news.canningspurple.com.au/short-history-political-party-branding-liberals/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| flag_alt         = 
| website          = {{URL|https://www.liberal.org.au/}}
| country          = Australia
}}
The '''Liberal Party of Australia''' is a [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]<ref name=factions1 /><ref name=factions2 /> [[list of political parties in Australia|political party in Australia]].<ref>{{cite book |first = Irial |last = Glynn |title = Asylum Policy, Boat People and Political Discourse: Boats, Votes and Asylum in Australia and Italy |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TPtjDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA2 |year = 2016 |publisher = Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn = 978-1-137-51733-3 |page = 2 |access-date = 9 August 2020 |archive-date = 24 January 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230124090828/https://books.google.com/books?id=TPtjDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA2 |url-status = live }}</ref> It is one of the two [[Major party|major parties]] in [[politics of Australia|Australian politics]], the other being the [[Australian Labor Party]]. The Liberal Party was founded in 1944 as the successor to the [[United Australia Party]]. Historically the [[List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office#Political parties by time in office|most successful political party]] in Australia’s history, the Liberal Party is now in [[Opposition (Australia)|opposition]] at a federal level, although it presently holds government in [[Tasmania]],  [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]] at a sub-national level.

The Liberal Party is the dominant partner in the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] with the [[National Party of Australia]]. At the federal level, the Liberal Party has been in coalition with the National Party (under various names) in both government and opposition since its creation, with only brief interruptions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House |first=Canberra |title=Infosheet 22 - Political parties |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_22_-_Political_parties |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=www.aph.gov.au |language=en-AU |archive-date=11 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311050520/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_22_-_Political_parties |url-status=live }}</ref> The Coalition was most recently in power from the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]] to the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 federal election]], forming the [[Abbott government|Abbott]] (2013–2015), [[Turnbull government|Turnbull]] (2015–2018) and [[Morrison government|Morrison]] (2018–2022) governments. The current party leader is [[Peter Dutton]], who replaced former prime minister [[Scott Morrison]] as leader after the Coalition's defeat at the 2022 federal election. Two past leaders of the party, Sir [[Robert Menzies]] and [[John Howard]], are Australia's two [[List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office|longest-serving Prime Ministers]].

The Liberal Party has a federal structure, with [[List of state divisions of the Liberal Party of Australia|autonomous divisions]] in all six [[States of Australia|states]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]] (ACT). The [[Country Liberal Party]] (CLP) of the [[Northern Territory]] is an affiliate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|title=Our structure|publisher=Liberal Party of Australia|access-date=30 August 2020|quote=There is one Division for each of the six states, as well as the Australian Capital Territory. The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is an affiliate of the Liberal Party. Each of the Liberal Party’s seven Divisions is autonomous and has their own constitutions.|archive-date=18 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518082808/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|url-status=live}}</ref> Both the CLP and the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party]] (LNP), the Queensland state division, were formed through mergers of the local Liberal and National parties. At state and territory level, the Liberal Party is in office in two states and one territory. The party is in opposition in the states of [[New South Wales]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[South Australia]], and [[Western Australia]], and in the ACT.

The party's ideology has been referred to as [[Liberalism in Australia|liberal]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Hancock |first=Ian |date=1994 |title=The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/ian-hancock/the-origins-of-the-modern-liberal-party |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606011050/http://www.nla.gov.au/grants/haroldwhite/papers/ihancock.html |archive-date=6 June 2011 |access-date=4 September 2021 |quote=History of Liberalism in Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Steketee |first=Mike |date=2021-03-12 |title=The revolt of the Liberal moderates |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7164490/the-revolt-of-the-liberal-moderates/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426073936/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7164490/the-revolt-of-the-liberal-moderates/ |archive-date=26 April 2022 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Australia's Welfare Wars Revisited: The Players, the Politics and the Ideologies |date=2007 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=9780868409917 |editor=Philip Mendes |page=123}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pMSTxLmZaw0C&pg=PA103 |title=Keywords in Australian Politics |date=2006 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=9780521672832 |editor1=Rodney Smith |page=103 |quote=The ideology of the Liberal Party has in fact always been a mixture of conservatism, '''social liberalism''' and classical or neo-liberalism ... |access-date=19 March 2023 |editor2=Ariadne Vromen |editor3=Ian Cook |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141105/https://books.google.com/books?id=pMSTxLmZaw0C&pg=PA103 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Conservatism in Australia|conservative]],<ref>{{cite book|author=James C. Docherty|title=The A to Z of Australia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBhD9KuhhXkC&pg=PA186|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-1-4616-7175-6|page=186|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141110/https://books.google.com/books?id=PBhD9KuhhXkC&pg=PA186|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=John R. |year=1967 |title=The Emergence of the Liberal Party of Australia |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |url-status=live |journal=The Australian Quarterly |publisher=JSTOR |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=7–27 |doi=10.2307/20634106 |jstor=20634106 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904081835/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |archive-date=4 September 2021 |access-date=4 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |last=Massola |first=James |date=2021-03-20 |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322020317/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |archive-date=22 March 2021 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> [[liberal conservatism|liberal-conservative]],<ref>{{cite journal |title=Right-Wing Politicians Prefer the Emotional Left |author1=Nicole A. Thomas |author2=Tobias Loetscher |author3=Danielle Clode |author4=Mike Nicholls |journal=[[PLOS ONE]] |year=2012 |volume=7 |issue=5 |page=4 |quote = The Liberal Party of Australia has an ideology in line with liberal conservatism and is therefore right of centre. |citeseerx=10.1.1.270.2043 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0036552 |pmid=22567166 |pmc=3342249 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...736552T |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Nicole A. Thomas |author2=Tobias Loetscher |author3=[[Danielle Clode]] |author4=[[Mike Nicholls]] |year=2012 |title=Right-Wing Politicians Prefer the Emotional Left |journal=[[PLOS ONE]] |volume=7 |issue=5 |page=4 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...736552T |citeseerx=10.1.1.270.2043 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0036552 |pmc=3342249 |pmid=22567166 |quote=The Liberal Party of Australia has an ideology in line with liberal conservatism and is therefore right of centre. |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[conservative liberalism|conservative-liberal]],<ref>{{cite book |author1=Peter Starke |author2=Alexandra Kaasch |author3=Franca Van Hooren |title=The Welfare State as Crisis Manager: Explaining the Diversity of Policy Responses to Economic Crisis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BtMQsESYcWwC&pg=PA191 |year=2013 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-137-31484-0 |page=191 |access-date=9 November 2015 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141054/https://books.google.com/books?id=BtMQsESYcWwC&pg=PA191 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]].<ref>{{cite book |first = Kuo-Tsai |last = Liou |title = Handbook of Economic Development |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cxxJkKYAzioC&pg=PA357 |year = 1998 |publisher = CRC Press |isbn = 978-1-4616-7175-6 |page = 357 |access-date = 15 September 2020 |archive-date = 26 March 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141113/https://books.google.com/books?id=cxxJkKYAzioC&pg=PA357 |url-status = live }}</ref> The Liberal Party tends to promote [[economic liberalism]]<ref name="auto"/> and [[social conservatism]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Dennis Raphael|title=Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International Experiences|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zjh4lQAbPrYC&pg=PA66|year=2012|publisher=Canadian Scholars' Press|isbn=978-1-55130-412-0|page=66|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141117/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zjh4lQAbPrYC&pg=PA66|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]] faction of the Liberal Party has also been referred to as [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]],<ref name="Bourke-2018">{{cite news |last1=Bourke |first1=Latika |date=19 January 2018 |title='Arrogantly ignored': Right-wing Liberals hit back at Ruddock 'unity' ticket |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/arrogantly-ignored-rightwing-liberals-hit-back-at-ruddock-unity-ticket-20180119-h0ko6b.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212195641/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/arrogantly-ignored-rightwing-liberals-hit-back-at-ruddock-unity-ticket-20180119-h0ko6b.html |archive-date=12 February 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref><ref name="Patrick-2023">{{cite news |last1=Patrick |first1=Aaron |date=2 April 2023 |title=Conservatives used to think Aston was the Liberals' future |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/conservatives-used-to-think-aston-was-the-liberals-future-20230402-p5cxbw |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403132808/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/conservatives-used-to-think-aston-was-the-liberals-future-20230402-p5cxbw |archive-date=3 April 2023 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Massola |first1=James |author-link=James Massola |date=9 April 2023 |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410122913/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |archive-date=10 April 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref><ref name="Pimenta-2023">{{cite web |last=Pimenta |first=David |date=10 November 2023 |title=Two sides of the same 'West': the radical right wing in Australia and Portugal |url=https://theloop.ecpr.eu/two-sides-of-the-same-west-the-radical-right-wing-in-australia-and-portugal/ |website=theloop.ecpr.eu |publisher=[[European Political Science Review]] |access-date=1 March 2024 |archive-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302191146/https://theloop.ecpr.eu/two-sides-of-the-same-west-the-radical-right-wing-in-australia-and-portugal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Right-wing populism|right-wing populist]].<ref name="auto"/>

==History==
===Party foundation===
{{Main|Lyons government|Menzies government (1939–1941)}}
{{See also|United Australia Party}}
The Liberals' immediate predecessor was the [[United Australia Party]] (UAP). More broadly, the Liberal Party's ideological ancestry stretched back to the anti-Labor groupings in the first Commonwealth parliaments. The [[Commonwealth Liberal Party]] was a fusion of the [[Free Trade Party|Free Trade (Anti-socialist) Party]] and the [[Protectionist Party]] in 1909 by the second prime minister, [[Alfred Deakin]], in response to [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]'s growing electoral prominence. The Commonwealth Liberal Party merged with several Labor dissidents (including [[Billy Hughes]]) to form the [[Nationalist Party of Australia]] in 1917. That party, in turn, merged with Labor dissidents to form the UAP in 1931.

The UAP had been formed as a new conservative alliance in 1931, with Labor defector Joseph Lyons as its leader. The stance of Lyons and other Labor rebels against the more radical proposals of the Labor movement to deal the [[Great Depression]] had attracted the support of prominent Australian conservatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/lyons/before-office.aspx |title=Before office—Joseph Lyons—Australia's PMs—Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320053310/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/lyons/before-office.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> With Australia still suffering the effects of the Great Depression, the newly formed party won a landslide victory at the 1931 Election, and the [[Lyons government]] went on to win three consecutive elections. It largely avoided [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian pump-priming]] and pursued a more conservative fiscal policy of debt reduction and balanced budgets as a means of stewarding Australia out of the Depression. Lyons' death in 1939 saw [[Robert Menzies]] assume the Prime Ministership on the eve of war. Menzies served as [[Menzies government (1939–1941)|Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941]] but resigned as leader of the minority [[World War II]] government amidst an unworkable parliamentary majority. The UAP, led by Billy Hughes, disintegrated after suffering a heavy defeat in the [[1943 Australian federal election|1943 election]].  In New South Wales, the party merged with the [[Commonwealth Party (New South Wales)|Commonwealth Party]] to form the [[Democratic Party (1943)|Democratic Party]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17869825|title="Democratic Party" Formed|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=25 November 1943|access-date=29 November 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803093444/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17869825|url-status=live}}</ref> In Queensland [[United Australia Party – Queensland|the state party]] was absorbed into the [[Queensland People's Party]].<ref>John Laverty, 'Chandler, Sir John Beals (1887–1962)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/chandler-sir-john-beals-9724/text17171 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803064854/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/chandler-sir-john-beals-9724/text17171 |date=3 August 2020 }}, published first in hardcopy 1993. Retrieved 22 June 2018.</ref>

From 1942 onward Menzies had maintained his public profile with his series of "The Forgotten People" radio talks—similar to [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[fireside chats]] of the 1930s—in which he spoke of the middle class as the "backbone of Australia" but as nevertheless having been "taken for granted" by political parties.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1750/ |title=Menzies' Forgotten People Speech—Australian History, Australian Prime Ministers |publisher=Dl.nfsa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304024519/https://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1750/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm |title=The Forgotten People—Speech by Robert Menzies on 22 May 1942. Liberals.Net: Liberal Party of Australia |publisher=Liberals.net |date=22 May 1942 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303104048/http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Menzies called a conference of conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling Australian Labor Party, which met in Canberra on 13 October 1944 and again in [[Albury]], [[New South Wales]] in December 1944.<ref name="Forming the Liberal Party of Australia-1944"/><ref name="Party History"/><ref name="Ian Hancock"/> Outlining his vision for a new political movement, Menzies said:<ref>{{cite web |date=16 October 1944 |title=Our History—Liberal Party of Australia |url=http://www.liberal.org.au/The-Party/Our-History.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728204242/http://www.liberal.org.au/The-Party/Our-History.aspx |archive-date=28 July 2012 |access-date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Liberal.org.au}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|[W]hat we must look for, and it is a matter of desperate importance to our society, is a true revival of liberal thought which will work for social justice and security, for national power and national progress, and for the full development of the individual citizen, though not through the dull and deadening process of socialism.|}}

The formation of the party was formally announced at [[Sydney Town Hall]] on 31 August 1945.<ref name="Ian Hancock"/> It took the name ''Liberal'' in honour of the old Commonwealth Liberal Party. The new party was dominated by the remains of the old UAP; with few exceptions, the UAP [[Parliamentary group|party room]] became the Liberal Party room. The [[Australian Women's National League]], a powerful conservative women's organisation, also merged with the new party. A conservative youth group Menzies had set up, the [[Nationalist Party of Australia#Young Nationalists|Young Nationalists]], was also merged into the new party. It became the nucleus of the Liberal Party's youth division, the [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]]. By September 1945 there were more than 90,000 members, many of whom had not previously been members of any political party.<ref name="Ian Hancock"/>

In New South Wales, the [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|New South Wales division]] of the Liberal Party replaced the [[Liberal Democratic Party (New South Wales)|Liberal Democratic Party]] and [[Democratic Party (1943)|Democratic Party]] between January and April 1945.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135010033|title=Liberal Democratic Party dissolved|publisher=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate|date=16 January 1945|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803052358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135010033|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160685406|title=Liberal Party – Parliamentary Section Formed|publisher=National Advocate|date=21 April 1945|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803093441/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160685406|url-status=live}}</ref> In Queensland, the Queensland People's Party did not become part of the Liberal Party until July 1949, when it became the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division)|Queensland division]] of the Liberal Party.

===Menzies era===
{{Main|Menzies government (1949–1966)}}
[[File:Portrait Menzies 1941.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Robert Menzies|Sir Robert Menzies]], founder of the Liberal Party and prime minister 1939–41 ([[United Australia Party|UAP]]) and 1949–66]]
[[File:Menzies Lyons Harrison Holt AAF.jpg|thumb|[[Robert Menzies|Sir Robert Menzies]], Dame [[Enid Lyons]] (the first female member of an Australian Cabinet), [[Eric Harrison|Sir Eric Harrison]], [[Harold Holt]] (Menzies' successor) and [[Thomas White (Australian politician)|Tom White]], in 1946.]]
After an initial loss to Labor at the [[1946 Australian federal election|1946 election]], Menzies led the Liberals to victory at the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]], and the party stayed in office for a record 23 years— the longest unbroken run ever in government at the federal level. Australia experienced prolonged economic growth during the post-war boom period of the [[Menzies government (1949–66)]] and Menzies fulfilled his promises at the 1949 election to end rationing of butter, tea and petrol and provided a five-shilling endowment for first-born children, as well as for others.<ref>Brian Carroll; From Barton to Fraser; Cassell Australia; 1978</ref> While himself an unashamed Anglophile, Menzies' government concluded a number of major defence and trade treaties that set Australia on its post-war trajectory out of Britain's orbit; opened up Australia to multi-ethnic immigration; and instigated important legal reforms regarding Aboriginal Australians.

Menzies was strongly opposed to Labor's plans under [[Ben Chifley]] to nationalise the Australian banking system and, following victory at the 1949 election, secured a [[double dissolution]] election for [[1951 Australian federal election|April 1951]], after the Labor-controlled Senate rejected his banking legislation. The Liberal-Country Coalition was returned with control of the [[Australian Senate|Senate]]. The Government was re-elected again at the [[1954 Australian federal election|1954 election]]; the formation of the anti-Communist [[Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)|Democratic Labor Party]] (DLP) and [[Australian Labor Party split of 1955|the consequent split in the Australian Labor Party]] early in 1955 helped the Liberals to secure another victory in [[1955 Australian federal election|December 1955]]. [[John McEwen]] replaced [[Arthur Fadden]] as leader of the Country Party in March 1958 and the Menzies-McEwen Coalition was returned again at elections in [[1958 Australian federal election|November 1958]]—their third victory against Labor's [[H. V. Evatt]]. The Coalition was narrowly returned against Labor's [[Arthur Calwell]] in the [[1961 Australian federal election|December 1961 election]], in the midst of a credit squeeze. Menzies stood for office for the last time at the [[1963 Australian federal election|November 1963 election]], again defeating Calwell, with the Coalition winning back its losses in the House of Representatives. Menzies went on to resign from parliament on 26 January 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/elections.aspx |title=Elections – Robert Menzies – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512011252/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/elections.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Menzies came to power the year the [[Communist Party of Australia]] had led a coal strike to improve pit miners' working conditions. That same year [[Joseph Stalin]]'s [[Soviet Union]] exploded its first [[Soviet atomic bomb project|atomic bomb]], and [[Mao Zedong]] led the [[Chinese Communist Party]] to power in China; a year later came the invasion of [[South Korea]] by Communist [[North Korea]]. Anti-Communism was a key political issue of the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/australian-biography-bob-santamaria|title=Australian Biography: Bob Santamaria|publisher=National Film and Sound Archive|access-date=20 February 2022|archive-date=18 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218124228/https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/australian-biography-bob-santamaria|url-status=live}}</ref> Menzies was firmly anti-Communist; he committed troops to the [[Military history of Australia during the Korean War|Korean War]] and attempted to ban the Communist Party of Australia in an [[1951 Australian referendum|unsuccessful referendum]] during the course of that war. The Labor Party split over concerns about the influence of the Communist Party over the trade union movement, leading to the foundation of the breakaway Democratic Labor Party whose preferences supported the Liberal and Country parties.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/30/2886680.htm?site=thedrum |title=ABC The Drum – Conviction? Clever Kevin is no Pig Iron Bob |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=30 April 2010 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=23 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623215244/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/30/2886680.htm?site=thedrum |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1951, during the early stages of the [[Cold War]], Menzies spoke of the possibility of a looming third world war. The Menzies government entered Australia's first formal military alliance outside of the British Commonwealth with the signing of the [[ANZUS Treaty]] between Australia, New Zealand and the United States in [[San Francisco]] in 1951. External Affairs Minister [[Percy Spender]] had put forward the proposal to work along similar lines to the NATO Alliance. The Treaty declared that any attack on one of the three parties in the Pacific area would be viewed as a threat to each, and that the common danger would be met in accordance with each nation's constitutional processes. In 1954, the Menzies government signed the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty ([[SEATO]]) as a South East Asian counterpart to NATO. That same year, Soviet diplomat [[Vladimir Mikhaylovich Petrov (diplomat)|Vladimir Petrov]] and his wife defected from the Soviet embassy in [[Canberra]], revealing evidence of Russian spying activities; Menzies called a Royal Commission to investigate.<ref>{{cite book |author=A. W. Martin |chapter-url=http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150416b.htm?hilite=robert%3Bmenzies |title=Biography – Sir Robert Gordon (Bob) Menzies – Australian Dictionary of Biography | chapter=Menzies, Sir Robert Gordon (Bob) (1894–1978) |publisher=Adb.online.anu.edu.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141118/https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/menzies-sir-robert-gordon-bob-11111 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1956, a committee headed by Sir Keith Murray was established to inquire into the financial plight of Australia's universities, and Menzies injected funds into the sector under conditions which preserved the autonomy of universities.

Menzies continued the expanded immigration programme established under Chifley, and took important steps towards dismantling the [[White Australia Policy]]. In the early-1950s, external affairs minister [[Percy Spender]] helped to establish the [[Colombo Plan]] for providing economic aid to underdeveloped nations in Australia's region. Under that scheme many future Asian leaders studied in Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-way-we-were-quiet-maybe-but-certainly-not-dull-20110425-1du0l.html |title=The way we were: quiet, maybe, but certainly not dull |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=26 April 2011 |access-date=1 February 2012 |archive-date=30 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830022408/http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-way-we-were-quiet-maybe-but-certainly-not-dull-20110425-1du0l.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1958, the government replaced the Immigration Act's arbitrarily applied European language dictation test with an entry permit system, that reflected economic and skills criteria.<ref>Jan Bassett (1986) p.273</ref><ref>Frank Crowley p.358</ref> In 1962, Menzies' ''Commonwealth Electoral Act'' provided that all [[Indigenous Australians]] should have the right to enrol and vote at federal elections (prior to this, indigenous people in Queensland, Western Australia and some in the Northern Territory had been excluded from voting unless they were ex-servicemen).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aec.gov.au/Voting/indigenous_vote/indigenous.htm |title=Electoral Milestones – Timetable for Indigenous Australians – Australian Electoral Commission |publisher=aec.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=30 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630123059/http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/indigenous_vote/indigenous.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1949, the Liberals appointed [[Dame Enid Lyons]] as the first woman to serve in an [[Australian Cabinet]]. Menzies remained a staunch supporter of links to the [[Monarchy in Australia|monarchy]] and [[British Commonwealth]] but formalised an [[ANZUS|alliance with the United States]] and concluded the Agreement on Commerce between Australia and Japan which was signed in July 1957 and launched post-war trade with Japan, beginning a growth of [[Coal in Australia|Australian exports of coal]], iron ore and mineral resources that would steadily climb until Japan became Australia's largest trading partner.

Menzies retired in 1966 as Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister in history.

===Holt government===
{{Main|Holt government}}
[[File:Harold Holt 1965 01.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Harold Holt]], Prime Minister 1966–67]]
[[File:CongressBuilding SEATO.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Harold Holt]] (second from left), with [[SEATO]] leaders in [[Manila]], in 1966. The Liberal Party was in power through much of the early Post-War period in which Australia's allegiances, immigration and trade policies shifted away from reliance on the United Kingdom.]]
[[Harold Holt]] replaced the retiring [[Robert Menzies]] in 1966 and the [[Holt government]] went on to win 82 seats to Labor's 41 at the [[1966 Australian federal election|1966 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/elections.aspx |title=Elections – Harold Holt – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=26 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626020725/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/elections.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Holt remained prime minister until 19 December 1967, when he was declared presumed dead two days after disappearing in rough surf in which he had gone for a swim. His body has never been found.

Holt increased Australian commitment to the growing [[Vietnam War|War in Vietnam]], which met with some public opposition. His government oversaw conversion to [[decimal currency]]. Holt faced Britain's withdrawal from Asia by visiting and hosting many Asian leaders and by expanding ties to the United States, hosting the first visit to Australia by an American president, his friend [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. Holt's government introduced the ''Migration Act 1966'', which effectively dismantled the [[White Australia Policy]] and increased access to non-European migrants, including refugees fleeing the [[Vietnam War]]. Holt also called the 1967 Referendum which removed the discriminatory clause in the [[Australian Constitution]] which excluded [[Aboriginal Australians]] from being counted in the census – the referendum was one of the few to be overwhelmingly endorsed by the Australian electorate (over 90% voted "Yes"). By the end of 1967, the Liberals' initially popular support for the war in Vietnam was causing increasing public protest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |title=In office – Harold Holt – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315150125/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Gorton government===
{{Main|Gorton government}}
[[File:JohnGorton1968.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[John Gorton]], Prime Minister 1968–71]]
[[File:John_Gorton_Swearing_In.jpg|thumb|right|[[John Gorton]] being sworn in as prime minister by [[Richard Casey, Baron Casey|Lord Casey]] on 10 January 1968. Gorton led Australia into the tumultuous decade of the 1970s. Gorton declared himself "Australian to the bootheels" and increased funding for [[Australian cinema]] and arts to project a newly assertive Australian nationalism.]]
The Liberals chose [[John Gorton]] to replace Holt. Gorton, a former [[World War II]] [[Royal Australian Air Force]] pilot, with a battle scarred face, said he was "Australian to the bootheels" and had a personal style which often affronted some conservatives.

The [[Gorton government]] increased funding for the arts, setting up the [[Australian Council for the Arts]], the Australian Film Development Corporation and the National Film and Television Training School. The Gorton government passed legislation establishing equal pay for men and women and increased pensions, allowances and education scholarships, as well as providing free health care to 250,000 of the nation's poor (but not universal health care). Gorton's government kept Australia in the [[Vietnam War]] but stopped replacing troops at the end of 1970.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au">{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/in-office.aspx |title=In office – John Gorton – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=26 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026155747/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Gorton maintained good relations with the United States and Britain, but pursued closer ties with Asia. The Gorton government experienced a decline in voter support at the [[1969 Australian federal election|1969 election]]. State Liberal leaders saw his policies as too centralist, while other Liberals didn't like his personal behaviour. In 1971, Defence Minister [[Malcolm Fraser]], resigned and said Gorton was "not fit to hold the great office of Prime Minister". In a vote on the leadership the Liberal Party split 50/50, and although this was insufficient to remove him as the leader, Gorton decided this was also insufficient support for him, and he resigned.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au"/>

===McMahon government and Snedden leadership===
{{Main|McMahon government}}
[[File:McMahon 1971 (cropped).jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[William McMahon]], Prime Minister 1971–72]]
[[File:Billy Snedden 1973 (1).jpg|right|thumb|100px|[[Billy Snedden]], Opposition Leader 1972–75]]
Former treasurer [[William McMahon]] replaced Gorton as prime minister. Gorton remained a front bencher but relations with Fraser remained strained.

The economy was weakening. McMahon maintained Australia's diminishing commitment to Vietnam and criticised Opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, for visiting Communist China in 1972—only to have the US President [[Richard Nixon]] announce a planned visit soon after.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/mcmahon/in-office.aspx |title=In office – William McMahon – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315154636/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/mcmahon/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During McMahon's period in office, [[Neville Bonner]] joined the Senate and became the first [[Indigenous Australian]] in the [[Australian Parliament]].<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au-2">{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/timeline/results.aspx |title=Timeline – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=4 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804142705/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/timeline/results.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bonner was chosen by the Liberal Party to fill a Senate vacancy in 1971 and celebrated his maiden parliamentary speech with a boomerang throwing display on the lawns of Parliament. Bonner went on to win election at the 1972 election and served as a Liberal Senator for 12 years. He worked on Indigenous and social welfare issues and proved an independent minded Senator, often crossing the floor on Parliamentary votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.curriculum.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=15275 |title=Civics &#124; Neville Bonner (1922–1999) |publisher=Curriculum.edu.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430184401/http://www.curriculum.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=15275 |archive-date=30 April 2012 }}</ref>

The [[McMahon Ministry|McMahon government]] ended when [[Gough Whitlam]] led the [[Australian Labor Party]] out of its 23-year period in Opposition at the 1972 election. Following Whitlam's victory, John Gorton played a further role in reform by introducing a Parliamentary motion from Opposition supporting the legalisation of [[homosexuality|same-gender sexual relations]].

[[Billy Snedden]] led the party against Whitlam in the [[1974 Australian federal election|1974 federal election]], which saw a return of the Labor government. When Malcolm Fraser won the Liberal Party leadership from Snedden in 1975, Gorton walked out of the Party Room.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/after-office.aspx |title=After office – John Gorton – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=16 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116024212/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/after-office.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Fraser years===
{{Main|Fraser government}}
[[File:Malcolm Fraser 1977 (cropped).jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Malcolm Fraser]], Prime Minister 1975–83]]
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan with Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and Tamara Fraser.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Malcolm Fraser]] (second right) and [[Tamie Fraser]] (left) with US President [[Ronald Reagan]] and Nancy at the White House in 1982. Fraser came to power amidst the divisive [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis]], but went on to lead Australia into the 1980s.]]
Following the 1974–75 [[Loans Affair]], the [[Malcolm Fraser]]-led [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal-Country Party Coalition]] argued that the [[Whitlam government]] was incompetent and so delayed passage of the Government's [[money bill]]s in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]], until the government would promise a new election. Whitlam refused, yet Fraser insisted, leading to the divisive [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis]]. The deadlock came to an end when the Whitlam government was controversially dismissed by the [[Governor-General of Australia|governor-general]], [[John Kerr (governor-general)|Sir John Kerr]] on 11 November 1975 and Fraser was installed as caretaker prime minister, pending an election. Fraser won in a landslide at the resulting [[1975 Australian federal election|1975 election]].

Fraser maintained some of the social reforms of the Whitlam era, while seeking increased fiscal restraint. His majority included the first Aboriginal federal parliamentarian, [[Neville Bonner]], and in 1976, Parliament passed the ''[[Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976]]'', which, while limited to the Northern Territory, affirmed "inalienable" freehold title to some traditional lands.{{Quote without source|date=July 2024}} The Fraser government also established the multicultural broadcaster [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-ministers/malcolm-fraser|title=Malcolm Fraser|publisher=National Museum of Australia|website=www.nma.gov.au|access-date=20 September 2019|archive-date=9 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809064644/https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-ministers/malcolm-fraser|url-status=live}}</ref> accepted [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] refugees, opposed minority white rule in [[apartheid]] South Africa and [[Rhodesia]] and opposed Soviet expansionism, but Liberal minister [[Don Chipp]] split off from the party to form a new [[Centrism|centrist]]-[[Social liberalism|social liberal]] party, the [[Australian Democrats]] in 1977.

The Liberals under Fraser won substantial majorities at the [[1977 Australian federal election|1977]] and [[1980 Australian federal election|1980]] elections, but a significant program of economic reform was never pursued. By 1983, the [[Australian economy]] was suffering with the [[early 1980s recession]] and amidst the effects of a severe drought. Fraser had promoted "states' rights" and his government refused to use Commonwealth powers to stop the construction of the [[Franklin Dam]] in Tasmania in 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=In office – Malcolm Fraser – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/fraser/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315143901/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/fraser/in-office.aspx |archive-date=15 March 2011 |access-date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au}}</ref> The Liberal Party lost to the [[Bob Hawke]]-led [[Australian Labor Party]] in the [[1983 Australian federal election|1983 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/ |title=Robert Hawke – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=17 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117021622/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Opposition (1983–1996)===<!--only last paragraph has a citation-->
[[File:Andrew Peacock.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Andrew Peacock]], Opposition Leader 1983–85, 1989–90]]
[[File:John Hewson 2016 01.jpg|right|thumb|100px|[[John Hewson]], Opposition Leader 1990–94]]
[[File:Alexander Downer 1990s.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Alexander Downer]], Opposition Leader 1994–95]]
A period of division for the Liberals followed, with former Treasurer [[John Howard]] competing with former foreign minister [[Andrew Peacock]] for supremacy. The Australian economy was facing the [[early 1990s recession]]. Unemployment reached 11.4% in 1992. Under Dr [[John Hewson]], in November 1991, the opposition launched the 650-page [[Fightback! (policy)|Fightback!]] policy document—a radical collection of [[Neoliberalism|dry]] ([[Economic liberalism|economic liberal]]) measures including the introduction of a [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|goods and services Tax]] (GST), various changes to [[Medicare (Australia)|Medicare]] including the abolition of [[bulk billing]] for non-[[Social security|concession holders]], the introduction of a nine-month limit on [[unemployment benefits]], various changes to [[industrial relations]] including the abolition of [[Industrial award|awards]], a $13&nbsp;billion personal [[income tax]] cut directed at middle and upper income earners, $10&nbsp;billion in [[government spending]] cuts, the abolition of state [[payroll tax]]es and the [[privatisation]] of a large number of government owned enterprises − representing the start of a very different future direction to the [[keynesian]] [[economic policies]] practised by previous Liberal/National Coalition governments. The 15 percent GST was the centrepiece of the policy document. Through 1992, [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] Prime Minister [[Paul Keating]] mounted a campaign against the Fightback package, and particularly against the GST, which he described as an attack on the working class in that it shifted the [[tax burden]] from [[direct taxation]] of the wealthy to [[indirect taxation]] as a broad-based [[consumption tax]]. Pressure group activity and public opinion was relentless, which led Hewson to exempt food from the proposed GST—leading to questions surrounding the complexity of what food was and wasn't to be exempt from the GST. Hewson's difficulty in explaining this to the electorate was exemplified in the infamous [[birthday cake interview]], considered by some as a turning point in the election campaign. Keating won a record fifth consecutive Labor term at the [[1993 Australian federal election|1993 election]]. A number of the proposals were later adopted into law in some form, to a small extent during the Keating Labor government, and to a larger extent during the [[John Howard|Howard]] Liberal government (most famously the GST), while unemployment benefits and bulk billing were re-targeted for a time by the [[Tony Abbott|Abbott]] Liberal government.

===Howard government===
{{Main|Howard government}}
[[File:Howard John BANNER b.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[John Howard]], Prime Minister 1996–2007]]
[[File:Vladimir Putin at APEC Summit in Australia 7-9 September 2007-18.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[John Howard]] with [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]] leaders in Sydney in 2007. Howard supported the traditional icons of Australian identity and its international allegiances, but oversaw booming trade with Asia and increased non-European immigration.]]

Labor's [[Paul Keating]] lost the [[1996 Australian federal election|1996 Election]] to the Liberals' [[John Howard]]. The Liberals had been in Opposition for 13 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/keating/in-office.aspx |title=In office – Paul Keating – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=2 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202031451/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/keating/in-office.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> With [[John Howard]] as prime minister, [[Peter Costello]] as treasurer and [[Alexander Downer]] as foreign minister, the [[Howard government]] remained in power until their electoral defeat to [[Kevin Rudd]] in 2007.

Howard generally framed the Liberals as being conservative on social policy, debt reduction and matters like maintaining Commonwealth links and the American Alliance but his premiership saw booming trade with Asia and expanding multiethnic immigration. His government concluded the [[Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement]] with the Bush administration in 2004.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au-2"/>

Howard differed from his Labor predecessor Paul Keating in that he supported traditional Australian institutions like the [[monarchy in Australia]], the commemoration of [[ANZAC Day]] and the design of the Australian flag, but like Keating he pursued privatisation of public utilities and the introduction of a broad based consumption tax (although Keating had dropped support for a GST by the time of his 1993 election victory). Howard's premiership coincided with Al Qaeda's 11 September attacks on the United States. The [[Howard government]] invoked the ANZUS treaty in response to the attacks and supported America's campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal elections]] the party strengthened its majority in the [[Australian House of Representatives|lower house]] and, with its coalition partners, became the first federal government in twenty years to gain an absolute majority in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]]. This control of both houses permitted their passing of legislation without the need to negotiate with independents or minor parties, exemplified by industrial relations legislation known as [[WorkChoices]], a wide-ranging effort to increase deregulation of industrial laws in Australia.

In 2005, Howard reflected on his government's cultural and foreign policy outlook in oft repeated terms:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://au.chineseembassy.org/eng/xw/t190220.htm |title=Transcript of the Prime Ministerthe Hon John Howard Mpaddress to the Lowy Institute For International Policy |publisher=Au.chineseembassy.org |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208225430/http://au.chineseembassy.org/eng/xw/t190220.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Blockquote|When I became Prime Minister nine years ago, I believed that this nation was defining its place in the world too narrowly. My Government has rebalanced Australia's foreign policy to better reflect the unique intersection of history, geography, culture and economic opportunity that our country represents. Time has only strengthened my conviction that we do not face a choice between our history and our geography.}}

The [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]] saw the defeat of the Howard federal government, and the Liberal Party was in opposition throughout Australia at the state and federal level; the highest Liberal office-holder at the time was Lord Mayor of Brisbane [[Campbell Newman]]. This ended after the [[2008 Western Australian state election]], when [[Colin Barnett]] became premier of that state.

===State and territory level up to 2007===

At the state level, the Liberals have been dominant for long periods in all states except Queensland, where they have always held fewer seats than the National Party. The Liberals were in power in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] from 1955 to 1982. [[Jeff Kennett]] led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained premier until 1999.

In South Australia, initially a Liberal and Country Party affiliated party, the [[Liberal and Country League]] (LCL), mostly led by [[Premier of South Australia]] [[Thomas Playford IV|Tom Playford]], was in power from the [[1933 South Australian state election|1933 election]] to the [[1965 South Australian state election|1965 election]], though with assistance from an electoral [[malapportionment]], or [[gerrymander]], known as the [[Playmander]]. The LCL's [[Steele Hall (Australian politician)|Steele Hall]] governed for one term from the [[1968 South Australian state election|1968 election]] to the [[1970 South Australian state election|1970 election]] and during this time began the process of dismantling the Playmander. [[David Tonkin]], as leader of the [[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)|South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia]], became premier at the [[1979 South Australian state election|1979 election]] for one term, losing office at the [[1982 South Australian state election|1982 election]]. The Liberals returned to power at the [[1993 South Australian state election|1993 election]], led by Premiers [[Dean Brown]], [[John Olsen]] and [[Rob Kerin]] through two terms, until their defeat at the [[2002 South Australian state election|2002 election]]. They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five [[Leader of the Opposition (South Australia)|opposition leaders]], until [[Steven Marshall]] led the party to victory in 2018.

The dual aligned [[Country Liberal Party]] governed the [[Northern Territory]] from 1978 to 2001.

The party has held office in Western Australia intermittently since 1947. Liberal [[Richard Court]] was premier of the state for most of the 1990s.

In New South Wales, the Liberal Party has not been in office as much as its Labor rival, and just three leaders have led the party from opposition to government in that state: Sir [[Robert Askin]], who was premier from 1965 to 1975, [[Nick Greiner]], who came to office in 1988 and resigned in 1992, and [[Barry O'Farrell]] who led the party out of 16 years in opposition in 2011.

The Liberal Party does not officially contest most local government elections, although many members do run for office in local government as independents. An exception is the [[Brisbane City Council]], where both [[Sallyanne Atkinson]] and [[Campbell Newman]] have been elected [[Lord Mayor of Brisbane]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://blogs.abc.net.au/thepollvault/2007/11/can-do-campbell.html|title= The Poll Vault: Can do Campbell now the Libs man|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071128104414/http://blogs.abc.net.au/thepollvault/2007/11/can-do-campbell.html|archive-date= 28 November 2007}}</ref>

===Opposition (2007–2013)===
[[File:BrendanNelson.JPG|thumb|100px|[[Brendan Nelson]], Opposition Leader 2007–08]]
Following the 2007 federal election, Dr [[Brendan Nelson]] was elected leader by the Parliamentary Liberal Party. On 16 September 2008, in a second contest following a [[2008 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|spill motion]], Nelson lost the leadership to [[Malcolm Turnbull]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/16/1221330800745.html|title=Get behind Turnbull: Nelson tells Libs|last=Hudson|first=Phillip|date=16 September 2008|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=16 February 2009|archive-date=18 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118020358/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/16/1221330800745.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 December 2009, a [[2009 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|subsequent leadership election]] saw Turnbull lose the leadership to [[Tony Abbott]] by 42 votes to 41 on the second ballot.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/01/2758221.htm Shock win for Abbott in leadership vote] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124065002/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/01/2758221.htm |date=24 November 2010 }}, [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], 1 December 2009.</ref> Abbott led the party to the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]], which saw an increase in the Liberal Party vote and resulted in the first [[hung parliament]] since the [[1940 Australian federal election|1940 election]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm "Voters leave Australia hanging] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824054316/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm |date=24 August 2010 }}" ABC News, 21 August 2010</ref>

Through 2010, the party remained in opposition at the [[2010 Tasmanian state election|Tasmanian]] and [[2010 South Australian state election|South Australian state elections]] and [[2010 Victorian state election|achieved state government in Victoria]]. In March 2011, the New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition led by [[Barry O'Farrell]] won government with the largest election victory in post-war [[Australian history]] at the [[2011 New South Wales State Election|State Election]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/bleakest-hour-is-one-for-the-history-books-20110327-1cbyi.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Bleakest hour is one for the history books | date=28 March 2011 | access-date=29 March 2011 | archive-date=29 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829193405/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/bleakest-hour-is-one-for-the-history-books-20110327-1cbyi.html | url-status=live }}</ref> In Queensland, the Liberal and National parties merged in 2008 to form the new [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (registered as the Queensland Division of the Liberal Party of Australia). In March 2012, the new party achieved Government in an historic landslide, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor, [[Campbell Newman]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/he-who-dares-wins-as-lnp-celebrates-in-style-20120325-1vruc.html |title=LNP Celebrate Campbell Newman Queensland Election Victory |date=24 March 2012 |publisher=Brisbane Time |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=12 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712054845/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/he-who-dares-wins-as-lnp-celebrates-in-style-20120325-1vruc.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2013, the Western Australian Liberal-National government won re-election, and [[Tony Abbott]] led the party to government at the [[2013 Australian Federal Election|2013 Australian federal election]].

===Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments===
[[File:Prime Minister Tony Abbott.jpg|100px|thumb|[[Tony Abbott]], Prime Minister 2013–15]]
The party won government in [[Tasmania]] in [[2014 Tasmanian state election|2014]] and lost their fourth election in a row at the [[2014 South Australian state election|South Australian election]]. However, the Victorian Liberal-National government, now led by [[Denis Napthine]], became the first one term government in Victoria in 60 years. Similarly, just two months later, the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National]] government in Queensland was defeated just three years after its historic landslide victory. The New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition, however, managed to win re-election in [[2015 New South Wales state election|March 2015]]. In 2016 the Federal Liberals narrowly won re-election in [[2016 Australian federal election|July 2016]] while the Liberal-affiliated [[Country Liberal Party|Country Liberals]] suffered a historic defeat in the [[2016 Northern Territory general election|Northern Territory]] and Canberra Liberals lost their fifth election in a row in [[2016 Australian Capital Territory general election|October 2016]]. The Liberals fared little better in 2017 with the Barnett-led Liberal-National government in Western Australia also suffered a landslide defeat in [[2017 Western Australian state election|March]].

====Abbott government====
{{Main|Abbott government}}
{{See also|Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill motion, February 2015|Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, September 2015}}

====Turnbull government====
{{Main|Turnbull government}}
{{See also|2018 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills}}
[[File:Malcolm Turnbull PEO (cropped).jpg|right|100px|thumb|[[Malcolm Turnbull]], Prime Minister 2015–18]]
Turnbull's time in office saw tensions between [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderate]] and Conservative factions within the Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Carol |title=Pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to bend to conservatives is stronger than ever |url=http://theconversation.com/pressure-on-malcolm-turnbull-to-bend-to-conservatives-is-stronger-than-ever-68479 |access-date=2022-03-04 |date=November 18, 2016 |website=The Conversation |language=en |archive-date=4 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304221058/https://theconversation.com/pressure-on-malcolm-turnbull-to-bend-to-conservatives-is-stronger-than-ever-68479 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 21 August 2018 after a week of mounting pressure on Turnbull's leadership over his handling of energy policy and election strategy, the prime minister used the regular party-room meeting to spill the party leadership in an attempt to head off a growing conservative-led move against him by Home Affairs Minister [[Peter Dutton]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}  Turnbull survived the challenge, winning 48 votes to Dutton's 35. A further spill was called by Turnbull, in which he declined to stand and the leadership of the party was decided in favour of Treasurer Scott Morrison, over Dutton.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

====Morrison government====
{{Main|Morrison government}}[[File:Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Scott Morrison]], [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] 2018–2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-20180824-57ief.html|title=Scott Morrison sworn in as Prime Minister|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=24 August 2018 |access-date=27 August 2018|archive-date=24 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824183412/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-20180824-57ief.html|url-status=live}}</ref>]]In August 2018, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton unsuccessfully challenged Turnbull for the leadership of the Liberal Party. Leadership tension continued, and the party voted to hold [[2018 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills|a second leadership ballot]] on 24 August, with Turnbull choosing not to stand. In that ballot, Morrison was seen as a compromise candidate and defeated both Dutton and Foreign Minister [[Julie Bishop]] to become leader of the Liberal Party. He was sworn in as prime minister by the [[Governor-General of Australia|governor-general]] later that day. Morrison went on to lead the Coalition to an unexpected victory in the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 election]].

[[File:Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter Terrorism (31874365738) (cropped).jpg|thumb|100px|[[Peter Dutton]], Opposition Leader 2022–]]
The Morrison government was defeated at the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 election]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-21 |title=Live: Morrison calls Albanese to concede electoral defeat as Labor, independents unseat Coalition |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/federal-election-live-blog-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/101085640 |access-date=2022-05-21 |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521002735/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/federal-election-live-blog-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/101085640 |url-status=live }}</ref> after which [[Peter Dutton]] was [[2022 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|elected]] to succeed Morrison as party leader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-poised-to-be-next-opposition-leader-after-scott-morrison-steps-down-20220519-p5amwj.html|title=Peter Dutton poised to be next opposition leader after Scott Morrison steps down|first=James|last=Massola|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 May 2022|accessdate=22 May 2022|archive-date=21 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521202320/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-poised-to-be-next-opposition-leader-after-scott-morrison-steps-down-20220519-p5amwj.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Ideology==
{{Liberalism in Australia|Parties1}}
{{Conservatism in Australia|Parties}} 
{{See also|Liberalism in Australia|Conservatism in Australia}}
From its foundation, the Liberal Party has had a great internal diversity in policy positions among its members, primarily defining itself as an anti-Labor, anti-Socialist party that supports individual freedom and private enterprise.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Emergence of the Liberal Party of Australia |publisher=JSTOR |jstor=20634106 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |last1=Williams |first1=John R. |journal=The Australian Quarterly |year=1967 |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=7–27 |doi=10.2307/20634106 |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904081835/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hancock |first=Ian |title=The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party |date=1994 |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/ian-hancock/the-origins-of-the-modern-liberal-party |quote=History of Liberalism in Australia |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606011050/http://www.nla.gov.au/grants/haroldwhite/papers/ihancock.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

The party's founder and longest-serving leader [[Robert Menzies]] envisaged that Australia's middle class would form its main constituency.

Towards the end of his term as Prime Minister of Australia and in a final address to the Liberal Party Federal Council in 1964, Menzies spoke of the "Liberal Creed" as follows:<ref name="The Australian-2009">{{cite news |date=26 October 2009 |title=We believe: the Liberal party and the liberal cause |url=https://www.theaustralian.com/news/opinion/we-believe-the-liberal-party-and-the-liberal-cause/story-e6frg6zo-1225791120808 |work=The Australian}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|As the etymology of our name "Liberal" indicates, we have stood for freedom{{nbs}}... We took the name 'Liberal' because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing in the individual, his right and his enterprise, and rejecting the socialist panacea. We have realised that men and women are not just ciphers in a calculation, but are individual human beings whose individual welfare and development must be the main concern of government{{nbs}}... We have learned that the right answer is to set the individual free, to aim at equality of opportunity, to protect the individual against oppression, to create a society in which rights and duties are recognised and made effective.|}}

Soon after the election of the [[Howard government]] the new prime minister [[John Howard]], who was to become the second longest-serving Liberal prime minister, spoke of his interpretation of the "Liberal Tradition" in a Robert Menzies Lecture in 1996:<ref name="The Australian-20092" />

{{Blockquote|Menzies knew the importance for Australian Liberalism to draw upon both the classical liberal as well as the conservative political traditions. He believed in a liberal political tradition that encompassed both [[Edmund Burke]] and [[John Stuart Mill]]—a tradition which I have described in contemporary terms as the [[Broad church#In politics|broad church]] of Australian Liberalism.|}}

Until the 2022 election, the Liberals were in electoral terms largely the party of the middle class (whom Menzies, in the era of the party's formation called "[[The forgotten people]]"), though such class-based voting patterns are no longer as clear as they once were. In the 1970s a left-wing middle class emerged that no longer voted Liberal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.auspsa.org.au/sites/default/files/the_australian_greens_and_the_moral_middle_class_robert_simms.pdf|title=The Australian Greens and the Moral Middle Class|first=Robert|last=Simms|publisher=Australian Political Studies Association|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=17 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317001349/https://www.auspsa.org.au/sites/default/files/the_australian_greens_and_the_moral_middle_class_robert_simms.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> One effect of this was the success of a breakaway party, the [[Australian Democrats]], founded in 1977 by former Liberal minister [[Don Chipp]] and members of minor liberal parties. During the prime ministership of John Howard, the Liberals did increasingly well among socially conservative working-class voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/22355/49047_1.pdf%3Bsequence=1|title=John Howard, Economic Liberalism, Social Conservatism and Australian Federalism|last=Hollander|first=Robyn|year=2008|publisher=Australian Journal of Politics and History|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803152134/https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/22355/49047_1.pdf%3Bsequence=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Until 2022 the Liberal Party's key support base remained the upper-middle classes—in 2010, 16 of the 20 richest federal electorates were held by the Liberals, most of which were safe seats.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/mumble/index.php/theaustralian/comments/median_income_seats/ | title=Liberals still dominate the top end – Mumble | date=7 December 2010 | access-date=29 November 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628234504/http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/mumble/index.php/theaustralian/comments/median_income_seats/ | archive-date=28 June 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Following the 2022 election, 16 of the 20 poorest seats in Australia were held by the Liberal Party,  while it held only five of the 20 wealthiest electorates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/the-people-who-need-a-voice-are-those-hit-by-rise-in-power-prices-john-roskam/ar-AAXBNKC |title='The people who need a voice are those hit by rise in power prices': John Roskam |publisher=Msn.com |date=2022-05-23 |accessdate=2022-06-08 |archive-date=8 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608042723/https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/the-people-who-need-a-voice-are-those-hit-by-rise-in-power-prices-john-roskam/ar-AAXBNKC |url-status=live }}</ref> In country areas they either compete with or have a truce with the Nationals, depending on various factors.

Menzies was an ardent [[Constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarchist]], who supported the [[monarchy in Australia]] and links to the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. Today the party is divided on the question of republicanism, with some (such as current leader [[Peter Dutton]]) being monarchists,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-11 |title=Australia's PM says referendum on republic not his priority |url=https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-king-charles-iii-prince-philip-australia-government-and-politics-e3ae71c8ab6a368f52ff3e4e9ea8ae0e |access-date= |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> while others (such as his predecessor [[Malcolm Turnbull]]) are [[Australian republicanism|republicans]]. The Menzies government formalised Australia's [[ANZUS|alliance with the United States]] in 1951 and the party has remained a strong supporter of the mutual defence treaty.

Domestically, Menzies presided over a fairly regulated economy in which utilities were publicly owned, and commercial activity was highly regulated through centralised wage-fixing and high [[tariff]] protection. Liberal leaders from Menzies to [[Malcolm Fraser]] generally maintained Australia's high tariff levels. At that time the Liberals' coalition partner, the [[National Party of Australia|Country Party]], the older of the two in the coalition (now known as the National Party), had considerable influence over the government's economic policies. It was not until the late 1970s and through their period out of power federally in the 1980s that the party came to be influenced by what was known as the [[New Right]]—a conservative liberal group who advocated market deregulation, privatisation of public utilities, reductions in the size of government programs and tax cuts.

Socially, while liberty and freedom of enterprise form the basis of its beliefs, elements of the party include both what is termed ''small-l liberalism'' and social conservatism. Historically, Liberal governments have been responsible for the carriage of a number of notable socially liberal reforms, including the opening of Australia to multiethnic immigration under Menzies and [[Harold Holt]]; Holt's [[Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)|1967 Referendum]] on Aboriginal Rights;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx |title=Fact sheets – National Archives of Australia |publisher=Naa.gov.au |date=27 May 1967 |access-date=27 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104121728/http://naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx |archive-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[John Gorton]]'s [[Australian Council for the Arts|support for cinema and the arts]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://australianscreen.com.au/chronology/1960s/ |title=Chronology 1960s – ASO |publisher=Australianscreen.com.au |access-date=27 April 2010 |archive-date=22 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322233811/http://australianscreen.com.au/chronology/1960s/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Malcolm Fraser's [[Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976]].

The Liberal Party is a member of the [[International Democracy Union]] and the [[Asia Pacific Democrat Union]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2016 |title=International Democracy Union - Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU) |url=http://idu.org/asia-pacific-democrat-union-apdu/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616235358/http://idu.org/asia-pacific-democrat-union-apdu/ |archive-date=16 June 2017 |access-date=12 June 2017 |website=[[International Democracy Union]]}}</ref>

== Factions ==
{{Further|Centrists (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Centre Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)}}

During the [[Morrison government]] years, the Liberal Party consisted of three broad factional groupings: a [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|moderate wing]], a [[Centre Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|centre-right wing]] and a [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|right wing]], led by [[Simon Birmingham]], [[Scott Morrison]] and [[Peter Dutton]] respectively, with the Centre-Right being the largest faction, with 32 of 91 Liberal MPs belonging to the group.<ref name=factions1>{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=1 February 2022 |archive-date=22 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322020317/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2022 Australian federal election]] saw a significant realignment of factional affiliations within the Liberal Party: the National Right became the largest faction with 27 of 65 Liberal MPs aligned with the faction, the Centre-Right went from being the largest faction to the smallest faction, plummeting from 32 members to just 6, the Moderates' membership dropped from 22 members to 14, while a Centrist faction emerged, comprising 11 members.<ref name=factions2>{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2023 |access-date=4 December 2023 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410122913/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Organisation==
{{Liberal Party of Australia leadership structure}}
The Liberal Party's organisation is dominated by the six state divisions, reflecting the party's original commitment to a federalised system of government (a commitment which was strongly maintained by all Liberal governments bar the Gorton government until 1983, but was to a large extent abandoned by the Howard government, which showed strong centralising tendencies).{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} Menzies deliberately created a weak national party machine and strong state divisions.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} Party policy is made almost entirely by the parliamentary parties, not by the party's rank-and-file members, although Liberal party members do have a degree of influence over party policy.<ref name="Our Structure-2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|title=Our Structure|date=12 June 2013|access-date=17 May 2014|archive-date=7 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507162001/http://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Liberal Party's basic organisational unit is the ''branch'', which consists of party members in a particular locality. For each electorate there is a ''conference''—notionally above the branches—which coordinates campaigning in the electorate and regularly communicates with the member (or candidate) for the electorate. As there are three levels of government in Australia, each branch elects delegates to a local, state, and federal conference.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

All the branches in an Australian state are grouped into a ''Division''. The ruling body for the Division is a ''State Council''. There is also one ''Federal Council'' which represents the entire organisational Liberal Party in Australia. Branch executives are delegates to the Councils ''ex-officio'' and additional delegates are elected by branches, depending on their size.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

Preselection of electoral candidates is performed by a special [[electoral college]] convened for the purpose. Membership of the electoral college consists of head office delegates, branch officers, and elected delegates from branches.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

===Federal parliamentary leaders===
{{Further|Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia}}

=== State and territory divisions ===
{{Main list|List of state divisions of the Liberal Party of Australia}}

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:96%;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=3 |Branch
!rowspan=3 |Leader
!colspan=7| Last election
!rowspan=3| Status
!rowspan=11 style="width:1px"|
! colspan="2" | [[Parliament of Australia|Federal representatives]]
|-
!colspan=4| Lower House
!rowspan=10 style="width:1px"|
!colspan=2| Upper House
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 2022–2025|MPs]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian Senate, 2022–2025|Senators]]
|-
!Year
!Votes (%)
!Seats
![[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]] (%)
!Votes (%)
!Seats
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[New South Wales Liberal Party|New South Wales Liberals]]
|[[Mark Speakman]] {{small|(since [[2023 New South Wales Liberal Party leadership election|2023]]){{efn|Post-2023 state election.}}}} 
|align=center|[[2023 New South Wales state election|2023]]
|align=right|26.78
|{{composition bar|25|93|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|45.73{{efn|name=NSW|Combined with the [[New South Wales National Party|New South Wales Nationals]].}}
|align=right|29.78{{efn|name=NSW}}
|{{composition bar|10|42|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Shadow ministry of Mark Speakman|Opposition]] ([[New South Wales Liberal Party|Liberal]]–[[New South Wales National Party|National]] Coalition)
|{{composition bar|9|47|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|4|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Victorian Liberal Party|Liberal Victoria]]
|[[John Pesutto]] {{small|(since [[2022 Victorian Liberal Party leadership election|2022]]){{efn|Post-2022 state election.}}}}
|align=center|[[2022 Victorian state election|2022]]
|align=right|29.76
|{{composition bar|19|88|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|45.00{{efn|name=Victoria|Combined with the [[Victorian National Party|Victorian Nationals]].}}
|align=right|29.44{{efn|name=Victoria}}
|{{composition bar|14|40|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Shadow ministry of John Pesutto|Opposition]] ([[Victorian Liberal Party|Liberal]]–[[Victorian National Party|National]] Coalition)
|{{composition bar|6|39|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|3|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}};"|
|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland]]{{efn|The [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (LNP) is the result of a merger of the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division)|Queensland Division of the Liberal Party]] and the [[National Party of Australia – Queensland|Queensland National party]] to contest elections as a single party.}}
|[[David Crisafulli]] {{small|(since 2020){{efn|Post-2020 state election.}}}}
|align=center|[[2020 Queensland state election|2020]]
|align=right|35.89
|{{composition bar|34|93|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|align=right|46.8
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|Queensland has maintained a [[Unicameralism|unicameral legislature]] since 1922.}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Opposition (Queensland)|Opposition]]
|{{composition bar|21|30|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|{{composition bar|5|12|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Western Australian Liberal Party|Western Australian Liberals]]
|[[Libby Mettam]] {{small|(since [[2023 Western Australian Liberal Party leadership spill|2023]])}}
|align=center|[[2021 Western Australian state election|2021]]
|align=right|21.30
|{{composition bar|2|59|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|30.32{{efn|name=WA|Combined with the [[Western Australian National Party|WA Nationals]].}}
|align=right|17.68
|{{composition bar|7|36|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Opposition (Western Australia)|Opposition]] ([[Western Australian National Party|National]]–[[Western Australian Liberal Party|Liberal]] Alliance)
|{{composition bar|5|15|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|5|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}};"|
|[[South Australian Liberal Party|South Australian Liberals]]
|[[Vincent Tarzia]] (since [[2024 South Australian Liberal Party leadership election|2024]])
|align=center|[[2022 South Australian state election|2022]]
|align=right|35.67
|{{composition bar|16|47|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|align=right|45.41
|align=right|34.38
|{{composition bar|8|22|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Shadow ministry of David Speirs|Opposition]]
|{{composition bar|3|10|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|{{composition bar|6|12|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Tasmanian Liberal Party|Tasmanian Liberals]]
|[[Jeremy Rockliff]] {{small|(since 2022)}}
|align=center|[[2024 Tasmanian state election|2024]]
|align=right|36.67
|{{composition bar|14|35|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|Tasmania uses a semi-proportional system and thus TPP is not calculated.}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|Tasmania elects [[Tasmanian Legislative Council|legislative council]] representatives on a periodic basis, with elections held almost every year.}}
|{{composition bar|4|15|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#CCF9CC align=center|'''[[Second Rockliff ministry|Minority government]]'''
|{{composition bar|2|5|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|4|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Canberra Liberals]]
|[[Elizabeth Lee (politician)|Elizabeth Lee]] {{small|(since 2020){{efn|Post-2020 territory election}}}}
|align=center|[[2020 Australian Capital Territory general election|2020]]
|align=right|33.8
|{{composition bar|9|25|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|The ACT uses a semi-proportional system and thus TPP is not calculated.}}
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|The ACT has a [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] parliament.}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)|Opposition]]
|{{composition bar|0|3|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|0|2|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Country Liberal Party}};"|
|[[Country Liberal Party|Country Liberal]]{{efn|The [[Country Liberal Party]] is endorsed as the Northern Territory division of the Liberal Party}}
|[[Lia Finocchiaro]]
|align=center|[[2024 Northern Territory general election|2024]]
|align=right|49.0
|{{composition bar|17|25|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|align=right|57.1
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|The Northern Territory has a [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] parliament.}}
|bgcolor=#BBF3BB align=center|'''[[Finocchiaro ministry|Majority government]]'''
|{{composition bar|0|2|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|{{composition bar|1|2|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|}

===Federal presidents===
{{See|President of the Liberal Party of Australia{{!}}List of Federal Presidents of the Liberal Party}}
[[File:Liberal Party headquarters.jpg|thumb|right|R.G. Menzies House, the Liberal Party's national headquarters, in the Canberra suburb of [[Barton, Australian Capital Territory|Barton]]]]

===Networks and party wings===
The Liberal Party has several party wings and networks. Major party wings include:

* The [[Australian Liberal Student's Federation]] (the students' wing)
* The [[Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia|Federal Women's Committee]] (the women's wing)
* The [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]] (the youth wing)

Other networks include an overseas wing (Australian Liberals Abroad)<ref name="Australian Liberals Abroad-2013"/> and a [[Norfolk Island]] wing (operated by the [[Canberra Liberals]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party |title=Join the Party &#124; Canberra Liberals |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-date=28 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128184559/https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Federal election results==
=== House of Representatives ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! Seats won
! ±
! Total votes
! Share of votes
! Position
! Party Leader
|-
! [[1946 Australian federal election|1946]]
| {{Composition bar|15|74|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}15
| 1,241,650
| 28.58%
| style="background:#fcc;"| Opposition
| rowspan=8| [[Robert Menzies]]
|-
![[1949 Australian federal election|1949]]
| {{Composition bar|55|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}40
| '''1,813,794'''
| '''39.39%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
![[1951 Australian federal election|1951]]
| {{Composition bar|52|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}3
|'''1,854,799'''
|'''40.62%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
! [[1954 Australian federal election|1954]]
| {{Composition bar|47|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}5
|'''1,745,808'''
|'''38.31%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
! [[1955 Australian federal election|1955]]
| {{Composition bar|57|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}10
|'''1,746,485'''
|'''39.73%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
![[1958 Australian federal election|1958]]
| {{Composition bar|58|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}1
|'''1,859,180'''
|'''37.23%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
![[1961 Australian federal election|1961]]
| {{Composition bar|45|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}13
|'''1,761,738'''
|'''33.58%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
![[1963 Australian federal election|1963]]
| {{Composition bar|52|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}7
|'''2,030,823'''
|'''37.09%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
|-
![[1966 Australian federal election|1966]]
| {{Composition bar|61|124|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}9
|'''2,291,964'''
|'''40.14%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
| [[Harold Holt]]
|-
![[1969 Australian federal election|1969]]
| {{Composition bar|46|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}15
|'''2,125,987'''
|'''34.77%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-CP)}}'''
| [[John Gorton]]
|-
![[1972 Australian federal election|1972]]
| {{Composition bar|38|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}8
| 2,115,085
| 32.04%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[William McMahon]]
|-
![[1974 Australian federal election|1974]]
| {{Composition bar|40|127|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}2
| 2,582,968
| 34.95%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[Billy Snedden]]
|-
![[1975 Australian federal election|1975]]
| {{Composition bar|68|127|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}28
|'''3,232,159'''
|'''41.80%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
| rowspan=4| [[Malcolm Fraser]]
|-
![[1977 Australian federal election|1977]]
| {{Composition bar|67|124|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}1
|'''3,017,896'''
|'''38.09%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
|-
![[1980 Australian federal election|1980]]
| {{Composition bar|54|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}13
|'''3,108,512'''
|'''37.43%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
|-
![[1983 Australian federal election|1983]]
| {{Composition bar|33|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}21
| 2,983,986
| 34.36%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
|-
![[1984 Australian federal election|1984]]
| {{Composition bar|45|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}12
| 2,951,556
| 34.06%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[Andrew Peacock]]
|-
! [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]]
| {{Composition bar|43|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}2
| 3,175,262
| 34.41%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[John Howard]]
|-
! [[1990 Australian federal election|1990]]
| {{Composition bar|55|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}12
| 3,468,570
| 35.04%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[Andrew Peacock]]
|-
! [[1993 Australian federal election|1993]]
| {{Composition bar|49|147|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}6
| 3,923,786
| 37.10%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| [[John Hewson]]
|-
! [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]]
| {{Composition bar|75|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}26
|'''4,210,689'''
|'''38.69%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
| rowspan=5| [[John Howard]]
|-
! [[1998 Australian federal election|1998]]
| {{Composition bar|64|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}11
|'''3,764,707'''
|'''33.89%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
|-
![[2001 Australian federal election|2001]]
| {{Composition bar|68|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}4
|'''4,244,072'''
|'''37.40%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
|-
![[2004 Australian federal election|2004]]
| {{Composition bar|74|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{increase}}5
|'''4,741,458'''
|'''40.47%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP-CLP)}}'''
|-
![[2007 Australian federal election|2007]]
| {{Composition bar|55|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}
| {{decrease}}20
| 4,546,600
| 36.60%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
|-
![[2010 Australian federal election|2010]]
| {{Composition bar|60|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}{{NoteTag|name=auto|Including the 17 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| {{increase}}5
| 3,777,383
| 30.46%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
| rowspan=2|[[Tony Abbott]]
|-
![[2013 Australian federal election|2013]]
| {{Composition bar|74|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}{{NoteTag|Including the 16 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| {{increase}}14
|'''4,134,865'''
|'''32.02%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
|-
! [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]
| {{Composition bar|60|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}{{NoteTag|name=auto}}
| {{decrease}}14
|'''3,882,905'''
|'''28.67%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
| [[Malcolm Turnbull]]
|-
! [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]]
| {{Composition bar|61|151|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}{{NoteTag|name=auto}}
| {{increase}}1
|'''3,989,435'''
|'''27.97%'''
| style="background:#cfc;"|'''Majority gov't {{small|(LP-NP)}}'''
| rowspan=9| [[Scott Morrison]]
|-
! [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]]
| {{Composition bar|42|151|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Coalition (Australia)}}}}{{NoteTag|name=auto}}
| {{decrease}}19
|3,502,713
|23.89%
| style="background:#fcc;"|Opposition
|}

== Donors ==
{{update section|date=September 2024}}
{{See also|Political funding in Australia}}
For the 2015–2016 financial year, the top ten disclosed donors to the Liberal Party were: Paul Marks (Nimrod resources) ($1,300,000), [[Richard Pratt (Australian businessman)|Pratt Holdings]] ($790,000), Hong Kong Kingson Investment Company ($710,000), Aus Gold Mining Group ($410,000), [[Village Roadshow]] ($325,000), Waratah Group ($300,000), [[Walker Corporation]] ($225,000), Australian Gypsum Industries ($196,000), National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association ($177,000) and [[Westfield Corporation]] ($150,000).<ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party Group|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|website=periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831171109/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|archive-date=31 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|website=periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920120002/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|archive-date=20 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Liberal Party also receives undisclosed funding through several methods, such as "associated entities". [[Cormack Foundation]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Liberal Party's Victorian branch takes biggest donor to court|url=https://www.theage.com/victoria/liberal-partys-victorian-branch-takes-biggest-donor-to-court-20171122-gzqzv1.html|website=The Age|access-date=23 November 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Eight by Five, Free Enterprise Foundation, Federal Forum and Northern Sydney Conservative forum are entities which have been used to funnel donations to the Liberal Party without disclosing the source.<ref>{{cite news|title=Australian political donations: Who gave how much?|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=24 October 2016 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/aec-political-donations-table/7959394|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-date=2 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402162754/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/aec-political-donations-table/7959394|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=ICAC findings into Liberal Party slush fund Eight By Five, illegal donations to be handed down|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=29 August 2016 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/icac-findings-liberal-party-slush-fund-eight-by-five-handed-down/7796194|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906094941/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/icac-findings-liberal-party-slush-fund-eight-by-five-handed-down/7796194|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Investigations close into political donations made to Liberal Party slush fund, Eightbyfive|url=https://www.theaustralian.com/national-affairs/investigations-close-into-liberal-party-slush-fund-eightbyfive/news-story/961ed5bc00740ba61ee384359e22866f|access-date=7 September 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Politics}}
* [[Country Liberal Party (Northern Territory)]]
* [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party (Queensland)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)]]
* [[List of political parties in Australia]]
* [[Turnbull Government]]
* [[Abbott Government]]
* [[Liberalism in Australia]]
*[[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderates]]
* [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberal Movement of Australia]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{Refbegin|40em}}
* [[Gerard Henderson|Henderson, Gerard]] (1994). ''Menzies' Child: The Liberal Party of Australia 1944–1994'', Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales.
* [[Dean Jaensch|Jaensch, Dean]] (1994) ''The Liberals'', Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales.
* Nethercote, John (ed.)(2001), ''Liberalism and the Australian Federation'', Federation Press, Annandale, New South Wales. {{ISBN|1-86287-402-6}}
* Simms, Marian (1982) ''A Liberal Nation: The Liberal Party and Australian Politics'', Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, New South Wales. {{ISBN|0-86806-033-X}}
* Starr, Graeme (1980) ''The Liberal Party of Australia: A Documentary History'', Drummond/Heinemann, Richmond, Victoria. {{ISBN|0-85859-223-1}}
* Tiver, P.G. (1978), ''The Liberal Party. Principles and Performance'', Jacaranda, Milton, Queensland. {{ISBN|0-7016-0996-6}}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Liberal Party of Australia}}
* {{official|http://www.liberal.org.au/}}
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn1072848 Liberal Party of Australia ephemera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050107210728/http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn1072848 |date=7 January 2005 }} digitised and held by the National Library of Australia
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090113023419/http://xena.lib.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/library?form=Accessions-new-3.sum&name_1=Liberal+Party+Of+Australia%2C+Victorian+Division&name_2=&group=&activit=&submit=Submit+Query Records of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party] held at the University of Melbourne Archives

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{{Australian premiers}}
{{Australian opposition leaders}}
{{Current New South Wales Representatives}}
{{Current South Australia Representatives}}
{{Current Victoria Representatives}}
{{Current Western Australia Representatives}}
{{Australian political parties}}
{{Politics of Australia}}
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