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Origins: The National Party has evolved from State parties formed by various farmer associations. The first was founded in Western Australia in 1912. The Country Party was set up nationally in 1920 to represent the interests of primary producers in the Federal Parliament. This party changed its name in 1975 to the National Country Party and again in 1982 to the National Party of Australia to appeal to a wider constituency. It is a federal party made up of five independent affiliated State National Parties.
Interests Represented: Originally the Country Party promoted the interests of farmer associations and farming communities who thought that governments and the other major parties were dominated by city interests. Since the 1980s the National Party has broadened its electoral appeal to include policies relevant to all Australians. However the party still retains a primary focus on matters of regional and rural importance.
Values: The National Party values are socially conservative and promote private enterprise, national pride and loyalty, and preservation of the nuclear family. While it advocates government support and activity for rural interests, the party believes the role of government should be kept to a minimum to foster the development of private enterprise.
In the Parliaments: Since its foundation, firstly as the Country Party and later as the National Party of Australia, the Nationals, in coalition with the Liberal Party, have formed a number of federal governments. It has governed in its own right in Victoria (as the Country Party) and in Queensland (as the National Party). In the Northern Territory, the Nationals have a close association with the Country Liberal Party which has held government in that territory and has a Senator in the Commonwealth Parliament.
Political Parties in Australia
Political parties have become an essential part of Australia's parliamentary democracy. In Australia, governments work from a 'party system'. This means that the party or the coalition of parties with the largest number of elected members in parliament usually forms the government of the day.
Political parties are formed by groups of people with common interests and outlook who come together with the aim of either forming government or strengthening their influence on government. Each party creates policies that will achieve its aims and then presents candidates for election to parliament. If a party's policies are attractive to enough voters they will achieve a majority of members in the parliament and then form the government. As the government they can then put their ideas into action. The party with the second largest number of members usually forms the official 'opposition'. Parties with only a few seats in parliament are referred to as 'minor parties'. Individual citizens who are not members of a party may also be elected to parliament and they become known as 'independents'. Independents and minor parties can have considerable influence on what a government can do but it is the party or coalition of parties with the majority of seats which forms government.
Parties vary in their size and ways of organising as well as in their policies. Some parties operate both nationally and in each of the States. Others operate only at a State level. Also, as society and issues change, so do the parties. They can change their policies, their support base, their organisation – and sometimes, their name! Some parties have a very short life span while others seem able to maintain themselves as long-term players on the political stage.
Currently there are 70 political parties registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. The parties described here are the main parties currently operating in Australian parliaments.
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