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Origins: Pauline Hanson was first elected to the House of Representatives in the Federal Parliament, in 1996 as an independent. The following year Pauline Hanson, together with founding members David Oldfield and David Ettridge, formed The One Nation Party in Queensland.
Interests represented: The main electoral and financial support comes from rural and regional electorates. The party appeals mainly to small business and farming interests as well as to individuals in districts with high unemployment and low income levels. Electoral support is weakest in metropolitan centres with multicultural populations.
Values: The party promotes what it sees as 'traditional' Australian national values and government financial support for small business and the rural sector. In policy it favours restricted immigration and limitations on what it sees as 'discriminatory and divisive policies' on Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders and multicultural affairs.
In the Parliaments: One Nation first had Federal Parliamentary representation in the House of Representatives when Pauline Hanson formed the party in 1997. The party has also had Senate representation and elected members to parliaments in both Queensland and New South Wales.
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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