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The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Liberal Democrats) is an Australian political party founded in Canberra in 2001. The party's policies are broadly based on classical liberal and libertarian principles.[2] The LDP is a registered party in the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, and Victoria, and is also registered for federal elections with the Australian Electoral Commission. It had one senator, David Leyonhjelm, elected to parliament at the 2013 federal election, and also has four representatives at local government level (one councillor in Victoria, two councillors in New South Wales and one in South Australia).
Founded as the Liberal Democratic Party in 2001, changes to the Electoral Act by the Howard government forced all parties without parliamentary representation to deregister, and re-register under stricter naming rules.[3] Advised by the Australian Electoral Commission that federal registration under the original name was uncertain given opposition by the Liberal Party of Australia, and lacking the funding to appeal a likely negative finding, in 2007 the party chose to register federally as the Liberty and Democracy Party.[4] However, in 2008 the party successfully applied to the Australian Electoral Commission to change its federally registered name to Liberal Democratic Party.[5] During this period, the party remained registered under its original name in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).[6]
The LDP states it adheres to libertarian, classical liberal, small government and laissez-faire principles coupled with what the party considers as a high regard for individual freedom and individual responsibility.[7]
LDP policies include the following:[8][9][10][11]
Prior to the 2012 Ramsay and Port Adelaide state by-elections in South Australia, the polls in The Advertiser newspaper gave the LDP 23 percent and 14 percent of the vote respectively in the absence of Liberal Party candidates. The LDP ended up with votes of 13.3 percent and 7.3 percent respectively. The paper described the LDP as "a hardline libertarian party that demands abolition of government welfare as well as the minimum wage, seatbelts and bike helmets. It backs legalisation of marijuana and increased freedom to access pornography."[39]
At the 2013 federal election, LDP candidate David Leyonhjelm was elected to the Senate after polling the third highest vote in the state of New South Wales after the Liberal Party of Australia and the Australian Labor Party.[40] According to Leyonhjelm, a portion of their vote probably came from their 'first position' on the long senate ballot paper and voters potentially being confused with his party and other contesting parties such as the Liberals, the Australian Democrats and the Christian Democratic Party.[41] However, Leyonhjelm points to the fact that the Liberal Democrats' vote in South Australia, where they were fifth on the ballot, rose 3 percentage points. He also points to the fact that the donkey vote generally only produces swings of +1 or 2 percentage points to the party listed first on the ballot.[42]
Leyonhjelm organised preferences for several different, but closely entwined, political parties seeking election in the Senate, including the Outdoor Recreation Party, Smoker's Rights Party, and the Republican Party of Australia.[43] Australian Sex Party candidate Fiona Patten alleged Leyonhjelm intentionally failed to lodge ticket voting preferences forms, reneging on a preference deal,[44] but Leyonhjelm claimed that there was a mistake entering the AEC fax number.[45] The Liberal Democrats were not involved in Glenn Druery's "Minor Party Alliance" during the election, which assisted in negotiating preference flows between minor parties.[46]
Shortly after David Leyonhjelm's Senate victory, Liberal Democrats councillor Clinton Mead was elected Mayor of the City of Campbelltown in New South Wales.[47]
In 1 July 2014, David Leyonhjelm became the Liberal Democratic Party's first senator.
Australian Labor Party, Robert Menzies, Malcolm Fraser, National Party of Australia, John Howard
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