Independent Liberal | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | IndLib[1] |
| Local government (NSW) | 7 / 1,480 |
| Local government (SA) | 57 / 616 |
| Local government (Tas) | 5 / 254 |
Independent Liberal is a description used inAustralian politics, often to designate a politician who is aLiberal Party member but not endorsed by the party atelections, or if sitting in parliament, not a member of the Liberalparty room. The term has also been used by politicians and political candidates who identify as aliberal, butindependent from the party.
The label is often used atlocal government elections, especially in contests where the Liberal Party does not endorse candidates.[2][3] However, registering a party or affiliation as an "Independent Liberal" is not permitted in New South Wales under section 64 of theElectoral Act 2017, and the use of the term in electoral material is also considered an offence under section 180 of the act.[4][5]
As of 2025, the most recent state or federal MPs to sit as Independent Liberals werePeter Cain andElizabeth Lee, who were unilaterally expelled from theCanberra Liberalspartyroom by the then leader in October 2025 but returned to the party room in November after a change in parliamentary leadership.[6]
The label was first used at a federal election in 1910, following the formation of theCommonwealth Liberal Party in 1907. The party dissolved in 1919, before the present-dayLiberal Party of Australia was formed in 1944.
George Wise won the seat ofGippsland at that election as an Independent Liberal. He was aProtectionist who refused to join the party at the Fusion of 1909.
Bob Suggett won re-election inMoorabbin as an Independent Liberal in1964 after losing party endorsement in 1961. He was then re-admitted to the party.[7]
Bob Such served as an Independent Liberal in theSouth Australian House of Assembly from 2000 until his death in 2014.[8] His widow, Lyn, said he never put 'Liberal' in his political branding because "if you’re independent, you’re independent – that was his thinking".[9]
Pete Smith ran as an Independent Liberal at the2015 South-West Coast Victorian state by-election to 'represent Liberal supporters who were not members of the party'. He achieved 1.8% of the vote.[10]
Duncan McFetridge quit the Liberal Party in 2017 to sit as an Independent Liberal. He attempted to get permission from the party to formally use the description on the ballot paper at the2018 state election, but was unsuccessful.[9]
ActivistSaru Rana contested the2019 Enfield state by-election in South Australia as an Independent Liberal.
At the2022 Victorian state election, former Liberal Party member Fred Ackerman ran as a 'Liberal Independent' on a ticket with Mark Barrow.[11][12]
Western Metropolitan MPMoira Deeming started sitting as an Independent Liberal in April 2023 after receiving a 9-month suspension from the parliamentary party.[13][14] She was later expelled from the parliamentary party in May 2023, but remains a rank-and-file Liberal member.[15]
Multiple members of theWestern Australian Legislative Assembly have been elected as Independent Liberals, includingHarry Shearn (Maylands),Noel Butcher (Gascoyne),Bill Grayden (South Perth) andEdward Oldfield (Mount Lawley).Alfred Cove MPJanet Woollard began sitting as an Independent Liberal after her party,Liberals for Forests, dissolved in 2008.[16][17] She was defeated at the2013 state election.[18]
Australian politicians have also been elected under other independent labels, includingIndependent Labor, IndependentFree Trade, IndependentUAP and IndependentSocialist.[19]
I'm Lauren Sherson, your Independent Liberal candidate for Albert Park Ward in the upcoming Local Government election.
I am an Independent Liberal, but as was pointed out today, I am not a member of the Liberal Party