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Conservatism in Australia refers to the political philosophy ofconservatism as it has developed in Australia.Politics in Australia has, since at least the 1910s, been most predominantly a contest between theAustralian labour movement (primarily theAustralian Labor Party) and the combined forces of anti-Labour groups (primarily theLiberal-NationalCoalition). The anti-Labour groups have at times identified themselves as "free trade", "nationalist", "anti-communist", "liberal", and "right of centre", among other labels; until the 1990s, the label "conservative" had rarely been used in Australia, and when used it tended to be used by pro-Labour forces as a term of disparagement against their opponents. Electorally, conservatism tends to be the most popular political brand in Australian history.[1]
Like other countries with aWestminster system of government (but unlike theUnited States), the mainstream form of conservatism in Australia isliberal conservatism. On economic issues, conservatives typically support lower taxes and less government spending. Unlike in the United States, Australian conservatives adhere to thebroad church range of views for some liberal reforms, such assame-sex marriage (which was legalised by theCoalition government ofMalcolm Turnbull),[2][3][4] while typically remaining conservative on other issues such aslegalising recreational cannabis[5] andIndigenous issues.[6] Mainstream Australian conservatives also typically support Australia remaining aconstitutional monarchy.
In the early 20th century, "Conservatism" was used as a disparaging epithet by detractors of right wing politics and politicians within Australia, often by supporters and members ofleft leaning movements and parties such as theAustralian Labor Party and later theAustralian Greens. People on the right often called themselves "liberals". That only changed in the late 20th century;John Hirst says that as a significant political movement, conservatism is "a very recent arrival in Australia".John Howard, who became prime minister in 1996, was the first holder of the office to describe himself as a conservative."[7]
In the 21st century the term covers similar political issues as found in other Western democracies. In the early 20th century the liberals had connections with reform movements. However, as Howard has argued, the Liberal Party became the trustee of both the classical liberal and conservative traditions. That is, it combines liberal (market-based, pro-business, anti-union) economic policies with conservative social policies.[8]
Although used much less than the term conservative, former Prime MinisterScott Morrison (Liberal) described himself as atraditionalist upon hisascent toparty leader and appointment as Prime Minister (2018–2022).[9] Similarly, former Liberal MP forMoreton (1955–1983) andMinister for Defence (1975–1982) and theNavy (1969–1971),James Killen, was considered to be a Tory, or a "Tory Liberal", especially in his younger years.[10][11]
Unlike the various forms of conservatism across the world, especially in theUnited Kingdom and theUnited States, Australian conservatism has a short history.
In the late 19th century, theFree Trade Party and theProtectionist Party were the two major parties in Australia. The Free Trade Party was generally more conservative while the Protectionist Party was generally more liberal, though both parties contained liberal and conservative factions. When theAustralian labour movement emerged, both parties began attempting to form a united alliance against it.[12]George Reid, the leader of the Free Trade Party between 1901 and 1905, and Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, imagined an Australian political spectrum that ran from socialist to anti-socialist, and attempted to reframe the party system this way. This was welcomed by politicians who were influenced by theWestminster tradition and who regarded atwo-party system as the norm.[13] In 1909, the two parties merged to form theCommonwealth Liberal Party to more effectively oppose the newLabor Party.
In 1920, the Country Party (now known as theNational Party) was formed as anagrarian conservative party representing the interests of farmers. After the1922 federal election, which produced a hung parliament, the Country Party and theNationalist Party (the successor to the Commonwealth Liberal Party) formed a conservativecoalition. The Nationalist Party later became theUnited Australia Party in 1931. After the United Australia Party collapsed in 1945, conservative forces within Australia were in disarray and were seen as irrelevant.[14] This is when theLiberal Party emerged, establishing itself as abig tent party of the right, taking influence from classical conservative thinkerEdmund Burke.[15][16]
Mainstream political conservatism is primarily represented by theLiberal Party of Australia, and itscoalition partner, theNational Party, which historically was the party of the conservative small farmers and espousedagrarianism. The Liberal Party was formed in 1944 as a successor of theUnited Australia Party, which had been formed in 1931 as a successor of theNationalist Party and ideologically similar parties that preceded it. The Liberal Party's ideology has been described as conservative,[17]liberal-conservative,[18]conservative-liberal,[19] andclassical liberal.[20] The Liberal Party tends to promoteeconomic liberalism (which in the Australian usage refers tofree markets andsmall government).[21]
Moser and Catley state, "In America, 'liberal' means left-of-center, and it is a pejorative term when used by conservatives in adversarial political debate. In Australia, of course, the conservatives are in the Liberal Party."[22] Jupp points out that, "[the] decline in English influences on Australian reformism and radicalism, and appropriation of the symbols of Empire by conservatives continued under the Liberal Party leadership of SirRobert Menzies, which lasted until 1966."[23] Beecher comments that, "across the economic and cultural landscape, Howard proved that the centre of politics in Australia is inherently conservative."[24]
There are also other minor parties which may be perceived to be conservative in orientation on account of some of their policies - and even some are regarded as right wing or extreme right, such as theDemocratic Labor Party,One Nation Party,Liberal Democratic Party,Family First Party,Australian Christians,Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, andKatter's Australian Party, although some would not champion the classical liberal approach to economics adopted by the Liberal Party.[25] In the 45thAustralian Senate, the Liberal Democratic Party'sDavid Leyonhjelm, the IndependentCory Bernardi, IndependentFraser Anning and the United Australia Party'sBrian Burston formerly formed a "conservative bloc".[26][27]
Since the 2010s, an increasing number of prominent conservative members of theLiberal/National coalition have left the party,[citation needed] such as in 2017 with SenatorCory Bernardi[28][29][30] and in 2022 with MPGeorge Christensen.[31]
Some think tanks in Australia have a conservative focus. TheCentre for Independent Studies, for example, focuses onclassical liberal issues such asfree markets andlimited government, while theInstitute of Public Affairs advocatesfree market economic policies such asprivatisation andderegulation ofstate-owned enterprises,trade liberalisation and deregulated workplaces,climate change scepticism,[32] the abolition of the minimum wage,[33] and the repeal of parts of theRacial Discrimination Act 1975.[34] TheH. R. Nicholls Society focuses onindustrial relations, and advocates full workplace deregulation, contains someLiberal MPs as members and is seen to be of theNew Right. TheMenzies Research Centre is an associated entity of the Liberal Party.[35][36] TheSamuel Griffith Society is a legal think tank that advocates constitutional conservatism,federalism andblack letter law jurisprudence, and has reportedly been influential in recent Coalition appointments to administrative tribunals and the Judiciary.[37][38]
Apart from political parties, conservative grass-roots movements have also arisen in Australia in recent years.Q Society of Australia is a far-right anti-Muslim association that works closely with theAustralian Liberty Alliance. Some of these may have connections to existing political leaders, such as SenatorCory Bernardi'sConservative Leadership Foundation[39] (which is dedicated to fostering community based conservative leadership) or explicitly reject party politics in favour of cultural restoration, such as theSydney Traditionalist Forum[40] andEdmund Burke's Club[41] (which are described as "an association of 'old school' conservative, traditionalist and paleoconservative individuals").
Advance is a conservative political lobbying group launched in 2018.
In Australia however there are some differences in the political landscape in which conservatism exists, compared to what is found in other countries, especially in economics. Australia undertook in the mid-1980s significant economic reforms – faith in markets, deregulation, a reduced role for government, low protection and the creation of a new cooperative enterprise culture – under the centre-leftAustralian Labor Party and especially undersocial liberalPaul Keating."[42]
Two national newspapers in Australia,The Australian andThe Australian Financial Review, take a conservative stance.[43][44] Since the 1970s, theFinancial Review has advocatedeconomic liberalism in Australia, driving a consistent editorial line favouringsmall government,deregulation,privatisation, lower taxes andtrade liberalisation.
Major conservative regional newspapers includeThe Daily Telegraph,The West Australian,The Mercury,The Canberra Times,The Advertiser andThe Courier-Mail.[45]
The primary conservative magazines in Australia areNews Weekly,Quadrant andThe Spectator Australia.[46][47]
On television, a conservative outlook is represented bySky News Australia.[48] andADH TV.
Newspapers and other publications owned byNews Corp strongly favour the right wing of Australian politics. The publications owned by News Corp includeThe Australian,The Daily Telegraph,The Mercury,The Advertiser andThe Courier-Mail. Sky News is also owned by News Corp.
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Whether Australia should remain amonarchy or become a republic was a contentious issue in the 1990s. It has since not been a priority for the government as of 2019. In 1998 when debate peaked, Howard took the monarchist position favoured by most conservatives. Howard argued that the monarchy had provided a long period of stability and while he said there was no question that Australia was a fully independent nation, he believed that the "separation of the ceremonial and executive functions of government" and the presence of a neutral "defender of constitutional integrity" was an advantage in government and that no republican model would be as effective in providing such an outcome as theAustralian constitutional monarchy.[49] Despite opinion polls suggesting Australians favoured a republic, the1999 republic referendum rejected the model proposed by the1998 convention involving appointment of thehead of state by Parliament.[50] Conservatives generally support keeping thecurrent flag (with its British insignia) and are proud of the nation's British heritage.[51]
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Traditionally,Aboriginal Australians in cities have been known to predominantly vote for parties of the political left, such as theAustralian Labor Party or theAustralian Greens.[52] Despite this, there are numerous Aboriginal activists, politicians and individuals affiliated with the political right. The most prominent Aboriginal Conservative wasNeville Bonner who was the first Aboriginal Australian elected to federal Parliament. In theNorthern Territory, theCountry Liberal Party has had a fluctuating relationship with the state's Indigenous communities (even providing Australia's first Indigenous head of government,Adam Giles) and holds several of the territory's electorates with large Aboriginal populations.
Jacinta Price is a well-known conservative activist ofWarlpiri descent who was elected to the Senate for the Country Liberal Party representingNorthern Territory in2022. Price has argued against claims of systemic racism against Aboriginals in the criminal justice system, instead arguing that "black-on-black violence" is most pressing in Aboriginal communities.[53] Unlike many Aboriginal activists, Price opposes changing the date ofAustralia Day, describing the proposal as "virtue-signaling".[54]
Kerrynne Liddle is a former journalist andArrernte woman originally from Alice Springs. At the 2022 she was elected as a Liberal Senator forSouth Australia.
Originally a member of Labor, formerIndigenous Advisory Council (IAC) memberWarren Mundine has since shifted toward the political right.[55] Mundine has criticised what he describes as efforts to introduce "critical race theory" in Australian schools, arguing it promotes avictim mentality among Aboriginals.[56]
Former Aboriginal conservative politicians include:[citation needed]
The Liberal Party of Australia has an ideology in line with liberal conservatism and is therefore right of centre.
Most conservative newspapers, namely the Australian Financial Review (owned by the Fairfax group) and especially the Australian
