Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is a classical liberal
(moderate libertarian
) Australia
n political party
founded in 2001.
, so the party chose to register as the "Liberty and Democracy Party". However in 2008 the party successfully applied to the Australian Electoral Commission to change its federally registered name to "Liberal Democratic Party". During this episode the party remained registered under its original name in the Australian Capital Territory
(ACT).
and classical liberal
principles, with a low tax laissez-faire
approach to economics
and a high regard for individual freedom and responsibility.
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
(moderate libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
) Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in 2001.
Party name
In 2007 the party tried to register federally under the name "Liberal Democratic Party" but this was opposed the by the Liberal PartyLiberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, so the party chose to register as the "Liberty and Democracy Party". However in 2008 the party successfully applied to the Australian Electoral Commission to change its federally registered name to "Liberal Democratic Party". During this episode the party remained registered under its original name in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
(ACT).
Philosophy
The party generally adheres to libertarianLibertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
and classical liberal
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
principles, with a low tax laissez-faire
Laissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
approach to economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and a high regard for individual freedom and responsibility.
Policies
LDP policies include:- Legalisation of euthanasiaEuthanasiaEuthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
and assisted suicideAssisted suicideAssisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends... - Significantly reduced tax rates and government spending;
- Abolition of coercive psychiatryInvoluntary treatmentInvoluntary treatment refers to medical treatment undertaken without a person's consent. In almost all circumstances, involuntary treatment refers to psychiatric treatment administered despite an individual's objections...
; - Re-legalisation of marijuana
- Support of shooterShootingShooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
s' rights; - Support of voluntary voting;
- Advocate Free migrationFree migrationFree migration or open immigration is the position that people should be able to migrate to whatever country they choose, free of substantial barriers...
agreements with more nations (as already exists between Australia and New Zealand) and; - a general immigration tariffImmigration tariffAn immigration tariff is a charge levied on immigrants wanting permanent residency within a nation. As a means of applying price theory to a nation's immigration policy, it is generally advocated as an alternative to existing bureaucratic procedures as a means of moderating or better regulating the...
on immigrants from other nations to replace the existing quota system. - Opposition to corporate welfareCorporate welfareCorporate welfare is a pejorative term describing a government's bestowal of money grants, tax breaks, or other special favorable treatment on corporations or selected corporations. The term compares corporate subsidies and welfare payments to the poor, and implies that corporations are much less...
; - Support of competitive federalism and political decentralisation;
- Support of free tradeFree tradeUnder a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
; - Support of gay marriage
- Support of property owners' rights with regards to all matters including smokingSmokingSmoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them...
.
History
- 2001:
- Liberal Democratic Party founded by John HumphreysJohn Humphreys (Australia)John Humphreys is an Australian economist, commentator and political activist.-Education:Humphreys graduated from the University of Queensland in 1998 with a Bachelor's degree in economics...
. - Contests the 2001 ACT electionAustralian Capital Territory general election, 2001Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 20 October 2001. The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Gary Humphries, was challenged by the Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope. candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
, receiving one percent of the vote.
- Liberal Democratic Party founded by John Humphreys
- 2004:
- Contests the 2004 ACT electionAustralian Capital Territory general election, 2004Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 16 October 2004. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Brendan Smyth. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
, receiving 1.3 percent of the vote.
- Contests the 2004 ACT election
- 2005:
- David McAlary becomes party president.
- 2007:
- Holds first national conference.
- Registers federally, changing its name to "Liberty and Democracy Party" to meet electoral commission requirements.
- Contests 2007 federal election, winning 17,048 votes (0.14 percent) in the lower house, and 16,942 votes (0.13 percent} in the upper house.
- 2008:
- Peter Whelan elected party president.
- Contests 2008 Gippsland by-electionGippsland by-election, 2008A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Gippsland on 28 June 2008. It was triggered by the resignation of National Party MP Peter McGauran....
, winning 4.2 percent of the vote. - Contests the seat of Molonglo in the 2008 ACT electionAustralian Capital Territory general election, 2008Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 October 2008. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Jon Stanhope, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Zed Seselja. Candidates were elected to fill three multi-member electorates using a single...
, winning 0.9% of the vote. - Applies successfully to the AEC to change its federally registered name to "Liberal Democratic Party".
- 2009:
- Contests the 2009 HigginsHiggins by-election, 2009A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Higgins on 5 December 2009. This was triggered as a result of the resignation of former Treasurer and former Liberal Party deputy leader Peter Costello...
and Bradfield by-electionsBradfield by-election, 2009A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Bradfield on 5 December 2009. This was triggered as a result of the resignation of former minister and ex-Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson...
, winning 0.5% and 0.8% of the vote respectively.
- Contests the 2009 Higgins
- 2010:
- Contests 2010 federal election, receiving 1.81 percent of the senateAustralian SenateThe Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
vote (over 230,000 votes).
- Contests 2010 federal election, receiving 1.81 percent of the senate
- 2011:
- Registered in South Australia.