View source for Liberal Party of Australia

{{Short description|Australian political party}}
{{About|the modern federal Liberal Party|the party active in Australia from 1909 to 1916|Liberal Party (Australia, 1909)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| logo = Liberal Party of Australia logo.svg
| logo_size = 170px
| colorcode = {{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}
| abbreviation = {{hlist|LP|LIB}}
| leader1_title = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia|Leader]]
| leader1_name = [[Angus Taylor]]
| leader2_title = [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia#Federal deputy leaders|Deputy Leader]]
| leader2_name = [[Jane Hume]]<br>[[Andrew Hastie]]{{efn|The position of "Deputy Leader in the House of Representatives" is held by Hastie. As Hume is a member of the Senate, it was necessary to elect a House-only deputy for procedural reasons.}}
| leader3_title = Senate Leader
| leader3_name = [[Michaelia Cash]]
| leader4_title = Deputy Senate Leader
| leader4_name = [[Anne Ruston]]
| leader5_title = [[President of the Liberal Party of Australia|President]]
| leader5_name = [[Tony Abbott]]
| founder = [[Robert Menzies]]{{efn|Menzies is the party's most prominent co-founder, having been the party's first and [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia#Federal leaders by time in office|longest serving]] leader. Furthermore, he is often cited as the "founder"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/taking-liberties-with-menzies-politics-betrays-his-life-and-legacy-20221023-p5bs2u.html |title=Taking liberties with Menzies' politics betrays his life and legacy |last=Brandis |first=George |author-link=George Brandis |date=24 October 2022 |publisher=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=6 January 2023 |quote=One of the most important differences between the Liberal Party and the Labor Party is a historical one. Labor traces its roots to the trade union movement of the late 19th century; it does not point to any one great figure as its founder. The Liberal Party, by contrast, is unquestionably the creation of a single man, Robert Menzies – its founder and longest-serving leader and Australia's longest-serving prime minister. Both sides of politics acknowledge this: Paul Keating, in a savage speech, once spoke of his desire "to destroy Menzies' creation". |archive-date=15 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115225856/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/taking-liberties-with-menzies-politics-betrays-his-life-and-legacy-20221023-p5bs2u.html |url-status=live}}</ref> or "father" of the party.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-03/robert-menzies-wouldnt-recognise-the-liberal-partys-policies/100509358 |title=Robert Menzies wouldn't recognise the Liberal Party's employment policies today |last=Hutchens |first=Gareth |date=3 October 2021 |website= |publisher=ABC News |quote=It's why the "father" of the Liberal Party, Robert Menzies, would hardly recognise his party's economic policies today. |access-date=6 January 2023 |archive-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106123607/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-03/robert-menzies-wouldnt-recognise-the-liberal-partys-policies/100509358 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/malcolm-frasers-political-manifesto-would-make-good-reading-for-the-morrison-government-102187 |title=Malcolm Fraser's political manifesto would make good reading for the Morrison government |last=Walker |first=Tony |date=28 August 2018 |website= |publisher=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |quote=Menzies’ "forgotten people" were defined as those caught between a union-dominated Labor Party and a conservative establishment. What the father of the Liberal Party had in mind was the artisan and small business class, broadly defined. |access-date=6 January 2023 |archive-date=6 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106123608/https://theconversation.com/malcolm-frasers-political-manifesto-would-make-good-reading-for-the-morrison-government-102187 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| founded = {{start date and age|df=y|13 October 1944|br=y}}{{efn|The Liberal Party acknowledges the party's formation date to be 13 October 1944,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-history |title=Our History |date= 12 June 2013|website=liberal.org.au |publisher=Liberal Party of Australia |access-date=31 December 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025131733/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-history |archive-date=25 October 2022}}</ref> which was the first day of a three-day meeting called the "Conference of Representatives of Non-Labour Organisations" in [[Canberra]].<ref name="Forming the Liberal Party of Australia-1944"/><ref name="Party History"/><ref name="Ian Hancock"/> The name and objectives were adopted at the conference, with the party constitution and organisation being decided two months later at the [[#Party Foundation|Albury Conference]] (15–16 December 1944). The only other date that has been cited for the founding of the party is 31 August 1945.}}
| predecessor = {{nowrap|[[United Australia Party]]}}
| successor = 
| headquarters = [[R. G. Menzies House]], [[Barton, Australian Capital Territory]]
| newspaper = 
| think_tank = [[Menzies Research Centre]]
| student_wing = [[Australian Liberal Students' Federation|Liberal Students' Federation]]
| youth_wing = [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]]
| womens_wing = [[Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia|Federal Women's Committee]]
| wing1_title = Overseas wing
| wing1 = Australian Liberals Abroad
| membership_year = {{nowrap|2020}}
| membership = {{increase}} 70,000–80,000<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-12 |title=Our Structure |url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=Liberal Party of Australia |language=en-au |archive-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518082808/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Anne |title=Party hardly: why Australia's big political parties are struggling to compete with grassroots campaigns |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/13/party-hardly-why-australias-big-political-parties-are-struggling-to-compete-with-grassroots-campaigns |website=The Guardian |access-date=28 March 2021 |language=en |date=13 December 2020 |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722044942/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/13/party-hardly-why-australias-big-political-parties-are-struggling-to-compete-with-grassroots-campaigns |url-status=live}}</ref>
| ideology = <!-- Don't change the phrases 'liberalism', 'conservatism', and 'liberal conservatism' without Talk.-->
{{ubl|class=nowrap|
 | [[Liberal conservatism]]
 | [[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Australia|Australian]])
 | [[Liberalism]] ([[Liberalism in Australia|Australian]])

| '''Factions:'''
| [[Right-wing populism]]<ref>
* {{cite book |title=The Australian Liberal Party Volume 1: Ideas, History and Organisation |date=16 June 2026 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781041050940 |pages=224 |edition=1st |url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Australian-Liberal-Party-Volume-1-Ideas-History-and-Organisation/Ghazarian-Taflaga-Bonotti/p/book/9781041050940}}
* {{cite news |title=Libs have no future in economic and cultural populism |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/libs-have-no-future-in-economic-and-cultural-populism-20251001-p5mz62 |publisher=[[Australian Financial Review]] |date=5 October 2025|quote=instead of focusing on the issues of responsible economic management that have been a traditional strength, sections of the Liberal Party believe its future lies in embracing economic and cultural populism, which is unlikely to appeal beyond a narrow base of hardcore supporters. This would double down on Peter Dutton’s decision to flirt with a Trumpian tinged election platform, which contributed to the Coalition’s catastrophic defeat in May. Nevertheless, the hope is that the populist wave that re-elected Donald Trump in America, and which has Nigel Farage’s Reform Party ahead in the polls in Britain, will eventually land on these shores too. Pinning the Liberal Party’s future on this strategy not only ignores the lessons of the election. It also bypasses factors such as Australia’s compulsory voting system and strong border protection policies, which means the political environment is different here, with less scope for populism to gain traction compared to in the US and UK.
}}
* {{cite news |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Liberal Party factions: The split in the Right that is reshaping the political landscape |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/liberal-party-factions-the-split-in-the-right-that-is-reshaping-the-opposition-20250903-p5ms5b.html |access-date=14 February 2026 |agency=The Age |date=10 October 2025|quote=in the five months since the last election, a new group of conservative MPs within the National Right faction, with a distinctly Trumpian-populist flavour, has emerged to challenge accepted Liberal dogma. Its members are determined to speak out, and are not afraid of using incendiary language. [...] While you could not say there are now two conservative or Right factions in the Liberal Party, there is a generational struggle between the old guard and new right over economic policy (Liberal orthodoxy versus government intervention in markets), pragmatism versus populism, and support for globalisation versus an Australia-first approach. The new right is generally younger, less doctrinaire, more open to market intervention by government (such as Hastie’s call for a return to advanced manufacturing in Australia and energy security), focused on cutting immigration levels and determined to fight and win culture wars against the “woke” establishment. The rhetoric is decidedly Trumpian, or perhaps owes as big a debt to Nigel Farage from Britain’s Reform UK party. New right Liberals believe that, given time and space to explain their message, it will resonate with ordinary Australians who mostly don’t like Trump, but are receptive to messages about restoring manufacturing, clamping down on immigration and national pride.}}
* {{cite news |last1=Kenny |first1=Mark |title=From broad church to narrow cult: Peter Dutton’s ‘Hansonisation’ of the Liberal Party |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/07/11/peter-dutton-liberal-party-pauline-hanson-one-nation-populism |access-date=8 February 2026 |publisher=Crikey |date=11 July 2024|quote=The Liberal Party’s broad church is that in name only, as a succession of leaders, not least Abbott himself, shifted the party to the right and so-called moderates became a hunted species. As a hyper-aggressive prime minister, Abbott would smash progress on climate, continue to champion school chaplains, back religious discrimination exemptions, and scheme assiduously against social reforms like marriage equality. [...] The longer-term historic significance of the 2022 repudiation of the Morrison government, which saw the teals elected alongside a Labor majority, has arguably been under-appreciated. Moreover, the most declaratively conservative leader in the party’s history, Peter Dutton, has made no steps towards the political centre ground. Rather, he has opted for “Hansonisation”, valorising his party’s reorientation away from the wealthy elites in the inner cities towards Labor’s traditional blue-collar base in the suburbs and regions. When asked at his first press conference as leader of the opposition about what he would do to regain the lost Liberal heartland, Dutton conspicuously offered no paean to the two wings of the party, nor any validation of the disaffection felt by traditional Liberal voters in affluent metropolitan electorates.}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Ford |first1=Jolyon |title=Populism and international law: the Morrison years in Australia |journal=Australian Journal of International Affairs |date=23 Apr 2025 |volume=79 |page=423-448 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10357718.2025.2491692#abstract |access-date=8 February 2026|quote=The New York Times attributed Morrison’s 2019 election to a populist approach appealing to a ‘silent majority’ of Australians, analogous to those British and American voters attracted to the Brexit campaign and Trump’s first presidential campaign (NYT Editorial 2019). Various scholars have described Morrison’s electioneering and premiership as populist (Moore 2022; Phillips and Murray 2023) or have argued that populism at least ‘played some role’ in his election (McDougall 2019, 499; Johnson 2020). ‘Populist’ is a label with sometimes limited analytical value-add and on which caution is required (Ford, 2024). What working conception of ‘populism’, then, suffices for our purposes? These purposes are limited to exploring how Morrison’s ‘anti-globalist’ approach matches up to the assumptions posited by the ‘populism + international law’ literature.}}
</ref>
| {{nowrap|[[Australian nationalism]]}}<ref>
* {{cite journal |last1=Pimenta |first1=David |title=Two sides of the same 'West': the radical right wing in Australia and Portugal |journal=[[European Political Science Review]] |date=10 November 2023 |url=https://theloop.ecpr.eu/two-sides-of-the-same-west-the-radical-right-wing-in-australia-and-portugal/ |access-date=8 February 2026|quote=Today's most prominent Australian and Portuguese radical right-wing figures and parties originated in the political centre right. Hanson came from the Liberal party; Ventura started his political career at the social democratic PSD, which incubated the Chega movement before it became a party. Radical right-wing politics, with ethnonationalism (or nativism) at its core, is, of course, the stock in trade of parties like One Nation and Chega. But we see it, too, in the parties of the centre right. Indeed, after One Nation's early success in the 1990s, the Australian Liberals felt impelled to take a turn further to the political right. Ethnonationalism is not limited to radical right-wing parties; two former Liberal Australian Prime Ministers adopted stances typical of Western radical right-wing leaders. John Howard’s Pacific Solution aimed to transport asylum seekers to detention centres on a Pacific island. Tony Abbott became a leading member of The Ramsay Centre; a notorious foundation, ostensibly dedicated to the study of Western civilisation, that in fact – according to Henry Maher, Eda Gunaydin and Jordan McSwiney – perpetuates a white supremacist ideology.}}
* {{cite news |last1=Newling |first1=Nick |title=‘It’s not your party,’ senior Liberal figure tells Andrew Hastie |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/it-s-not-your-party-senior-liberal-figure-tells-andrew-hastie-20250926-p5my3a.html |access-date=8 February 2026 |agency=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=26 September 2025 |quote=A former Liberal minister has told frontbencher Andrew Hastie to back off from his public crusade to turn the party towards nationalist positions on everything from manufacturing to the Australian flag.}}
* {{cite web |last1=Piper |first1=Hugh |title=The Liberal Party’s coming foreign policy split |url=https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/liberal-party-s-coming-foreign-policy-split |website=[[Lowy Institute]] |access-date=9 February 2026|date=10 October 2025|quote=Trade and domestic manufacturing have now also become bellwethers. Hastie recently called for a revival of Australia’s automotive industry, consistent with his penchant for economic nationalism focused on boosting industrial capacity and energy security. This is a long way from the neoliberal orthodoxy of previous Coalition governments who have championed free trade and discontinued subsidies for onshore car production. [...] While all sides of the Liberal Party are strong supporters of the US alliance and AUKUS, some conservatives have embraced Trump-like rhetoric and MAGA-style populism. While reluctant to say it out loud, moderates are more likely to have reservations about the political direction of the US under Trump. Individually, Hastie has staked out an interesting position, calling both for greater transparency in the alliance and warning against Australia being dependent on either the US or China for artificial intelligence. Taken together, these stances portray two very different futures for the Liberal Party’s foreign policy. One is premised on openness and diplomacy; the other on prizing sovereignty and prioritising defence and security. Australia’s system of compulsory and preferential voting also means that elections tend to be won in the centre. Though appeals to economic and cultural nationalism under a MAGA-lite platform might motivate conservative party members and draw first preferences from far-right parties, they are unlikely to resonate with centrist swing voters.
}}
* {{cite book |last1=Levey |first1=Geoffrey Brahm |title=Australia’s “Liberal Nationalist” Multiculturalism |date=12 July 2019 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=0520299329 |url=https://www.luminosoa.org/chapters/e/10.1525/luminos.73.e |access-date=9 February 2026|quote=As prime minister, Abbott lost some of his previous enthusiasm for multiculturalism even as a conservative strategy. He reprised the Howard government’s removal of multicultural affairs from ministerial responsibility, downgrading the portfolio to a parliamentary secretary assisting the minister for social services. Also scratched were the National Anti-Racism Strategy and grants programs. The new parliamentary secretary for multicultural Affairs, Senator Concetta Fierravanti- Wells—herself the daughter of Italian migrants—promoted multiculturalism as a form of assimilation, explaining: “We become Australians and we assimilate at different paces. It’s a process, really.” Reflecting the conflicting inclinations within the government, Fierravanti-Wells’ Department of Social Services (then home to Multicultural Affairs) was meanwhile promoting an architectonic vision of multi-culturalism. On its web page, it advocated a “Better Australia” in which “changes to organisations and structures . . . will result in a lasting capacity to respond to cultural diversity without the need for on-going external or additional support.” Abbott’s and Fierravanti-Wells’ support for multiculturalism sprang from a similar cultural nationalist outlook, the belief that the core culture and institutions of the country should remain proudly Anglo-Australian in character.
}}
</ref>
}}
| position = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<ref>
* {{cite book |last1=Robinson |first1=Geoffrey |title=The Liberal Mind in a Conservative Party Intellectuals and the Liberal Party of Australia |date=17 June 2025 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781032432878 |edition=1st |url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Liberal-Mind-in-a-Conservative-Party-Intellectuals-and-the-Liberal-Party-of-Australia/Robinson/p/book/9781032432878 |access-date=4 March 2026}}
* {{cite book |title=The Australian Liberal Party Volume 1: Ideas, History and Organisation |date=16 June 2026 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781041050940 |pages=224 |edition=1st |url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Australian-Liberal-Party-Volume-1-Ideas-History-and-Organisation/Ghazarian-Taflaga-Bonotti/p/book/9781041050940}}
* {{cite journal |title=Political Parties and Civility in Parliament: The Case of Australia from 1901 to 2020 |journal=Parliamentary Affairs |date=24 April 2023 |volume=77 |issue=2 |url=https://academic.oup.com/pa/article/77/2/371/7139590 |access-date=4 March 2026}}
</ref> to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]<!--Please get consensus before changing this--><ref>
Multiple sources:
* {{cite book |title=Double Disillusion The 2016 Australian Federal Election |date=April 2018 |publisher=ANU Press |isbn=9781760461867 |page=86 |url=https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/australian-federal-election/double-disillusion |access-date=3 March 2026|quote=Typically, the leader is a powerful figure in the Liberal Party (Brett 2013), but in the fractious context in which Turnbull had defeated Abbott, he had made assurances to the party Right—a cohort whose preferences are demonstrably at variance with majority views on key issues. This point would prove crucial. It had been argued before his second incarnation as party leader that: Turnbull must do five things to mollify the Right: stick to the harsh border protection policies, not seek to adjust the climate change policy, preserve the party room’s right to decide whether a vote on gay marriage becomes a matter of conscience, avoid the temptation to reinvigorate the republic debate and show he can work constructively with the Nationals (van Onselen 2015: 22).}}
* {{cite news |last1=Jervis-Bardy |first1=Dan |title=Liberal party hardliners are on the back foot – but while Tony Abbott is around, the right will fight |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/19/liberal-party-tony-abbott-sussan-ley |access-date=3 March 2026 |agency=The Guardian |date=19 July 2025|quote=The explanation from Abbott – who was close to Dutton – reflected a popular counter-narrative pushed by hardline conservatives in the election postmortem. The Coalition didn’t lose, and lose badly, because Dutton had dragged it too far to the right, as most commentators concluded. It lost, Abbott was suggesting, because Dutton pulled back. As Sussan Ley tries to reposition the Liberals to the political centre in response to Dutton’s catastrophic defeat, the new leader will face resistance from conservatives, inside and outside the party, who are adamant it must remain on the right. This latest chapter in the party’s enduring internal conflict is expected to flare during debates over whether to dump the target of net zero emissions by 2050, adopt gender quotas and embrace or shun culture wars.}}
* {{cite news |title=Liberal Party divided over policy direction as Angus Taylor plots right-wing political shift |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/19/liberal-party-tony-abbott-sussan-ley |access-date=3 March 2026 |agency=ABC News |date=16 February 2026|quote=The proposed policy, which Mr Taylor is understood to be considering, is part of a broader radical realignment taking place in right-wing politics in Australia. But the shift is controversial within the already divided Liberal Party and goes beyond a battle between moderates and conservatives, who are at odds about how to win back voters who have abandoned the party. There is a deeper rift in the conservative wing between those who believe the party should emulate the populist strategy of Donald Trump and the UK's Nigel Farage, or stick to the economic tradition of John Howard and Peter Costello.}}
* {{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Rob |title=The Coalition is in tatters. The race is on to replace it in the centre |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-coalition-is-in-tatters-the-race-is-on-to-replace-it-in-the-centre-20260129-p5nxya.html |access-date=3 March 2026 |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=31 January 2026|quote=“The right-wing element has taken over the Liberal Party,” [[Malcolm Turnbull]] told Capital Brief. “There are very few moderates left in the party room. That’s why the talk of a split misses the point.” Turnbull did not dismiss the idea of a new political force. A centre or centre-right movement combining disaffected Liberals and teal independents, he said, was “not inevitable but certainly possible” – particularly as the party attempts to chase voters to the right.}}
</ref>
| regional = [[Asia Pacific Democracy Union]]
| continental = 
| national = [[Liberal–National Coalition]]
| international = [[International Democracy Union]]
| european = [[European Conservatives and Reformists Party]] (regional partner, until 2022)
| affiliation1_title = [[#Factions|Factions]]
| affiliation1 = [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderates]]<br>[[Centre Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|Centre Right]]<br>[[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
| colours = {{color box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=darkgray}} [[Blue]]
| slogan = 
| anthem = 
| blank1_title = [[Governing body]]
| blank1 = [[#Organisation|Federal Council]]
| blank2_title = Party branches
| blank2 = {{hlist|[[Liberal Party of Australia (A.C.T. Division)|ACT]]|[[Norfolk Liberals|NI]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|NSW]]|[[Country Liberal Party|NT]]{{efn|The [[Country Liberal Party]] was formed as a merger of the 
Northern Territory branches of the Country Party (today the National Party) and the Liberal Party. It mainly functions at the territory-level.}}|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Qld]]{{efn|The [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] was formed as a merger of the Queensland branch of the Liberal Party and the National Party. It mainly functions at the state-level.}}|[[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)|SA]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)|Tas]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)|Vic]]|[[Liberal Party of Australia (Western Australian Division)|WA]]}}
| blank3_title = 
| blank3 = 
| blank4_title = 
| blank4 = 
| seats1_title = [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|27|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|ref={{efn|name=LP}}}}
| seats2_title = [[Australian Senate|Senate]]
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|23|76|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|ref={{efn|Including the 2 LNP Senators and 1 CLP Senator who sit in the Liberal party room.}}}}
| seats3_title = State and territorial governments
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|3|8|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| seats4_title = State and territorial lower house members
| seats4 = {{Composition bar|165|465|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| seats5_title = State upper house members
| seats5 = {{Composition bar|41|156|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| symbol = 
| flag = 
| flag_title = Party flag<ref>{{cite news |last=Ferguson |first=Richard |date=14 April 2021 |title=Liberals' flag fiasco |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/liberals-flag-fiasco/news-story/43fa20d2d1b1e1dea0e4af7309909945 |work=[[The Australian]] |access-date=31 December 2022 |archive-date=31 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231040116/https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/strewth/liberals-flag-fiasco/news-story/43fa20d2d1b1e1dea0e4af7309909945 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.canningspurple.com.au/short-history-political-party-branding-liberals/ |title=A short history of political party branding – Liberals |last=Wilkinson |first=Jamie |date=27 June 2016 |website=news.canningspurple.com.au |publisher= |access-date=13 January 2023 |archive-date=13 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113183947/https://news.canningspurple.com.au/short-history-political-party-branding-liberals/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
| flag_alt = 
| website = {{URL|https://www.liberal.org.au/}}
| country = Australia
}}

The '''Liberal Party of Australia''' is the major [[Liberal conservatism|liberal-conservative]] and [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]] to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]<!-- Do not change without consensus. --> political party in Australia. Historically the [[List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office#Political parties by time as Prime Minister|most electorally successful party]] in Australia, it was founded in 1944 as the successor to the [[United Australia Party]]. It is part of the [[Liberal–National Coalition]]—one of the two major groupings in [[Australian politics]]—with its main rival being the [[Australian Labor Party]]. 

The Liberal Party is the senior partner in a conservative alliance known in Australian politics as the Liberal–National Coalition, accompanied by the regional-based [[National Party of Australia|National Party]], which is typically focused on issues pertinent to [[regional Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Infosheet 22 - Political parties |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_22_-_Political_parties |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Australian Parliament House |language=en-AU |archive-date=11 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311050520/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_22_-_Political_parties |url-status=live}}</ref>  When in government, the party leader is the [[Prime Minister of Australia|prime minister]], with the leader of the National Party traditionally serving as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|deputy prime minister]]. The party's current leader is [[Angus Taylor]]. As [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia|leader of the Liberal Party]], Taylor is also the [[Leader of the Opposition (Australia)|leader of the Opposition]]. A leading member of the party's [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]] faction, he was elected leader in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crowley|first=Tom|date=13 February 2026 |title=Angus Taylor becomes Liberal leader |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-13/angus-taylor-becomes-liberal-leader/106339798 |access-date=13 February 2026 |website=ABC News}}</ref> Two past leaders of the party, [[Robert Menzies]] and [[John Howard]], are Australia's two [[List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office|longest-serving Prime Ministers]]. 

The Liberal Party has a federal structure, with [[List of state divisions of the Liberal Party of Australia|autonomous divisions]] in all six [[States and territories of Australia|states]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]] (ACT). The [[Country Liberal Party]] (CLP) of the [[Northern Territory]] is an affiliate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|title=Our structure|publisher=Liberal Party of Australia|access-date=30 August 2020|quote=There is one Division for each of the six states, as well as the Australian Capital Territory. The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is an affiliate of the Liberal Party. Each of the Liberal Party’s seven Divisions is autonomous and has their own constitutions.|archive-date=18 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518082808/https://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|url-status=live}}</ref> Both the CLP and the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party]] (LNP) of Queensland were formed through mergers of the local Liberal and National parties. At the state and territory level, the Liberal Party is in office in two states and one territory. The party is in opposition in the states of [[New South Wales]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[South Australia]], and [[Western Australia]], and in the ACT.

The party's ideology has been referred to as [[Liberalism in Australia|liberal]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Steketee |first=Mike |date=2021-03-12 |title=The revolt of the Liberal moderates |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7164490/the-revolt-of-the-liberal-moderates/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426073936/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7164490/the-revolt-of-the-liberal-moderates/ |archive-date=26 April 2022 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Australia's Welfare Wars Revisited: The Players, the Politics and the Ideologies |date=2007 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=9780868409917 |editor=Philip Mendes |page=123}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pMSTxLmZaw0C&pg=PA103 |title=Keywords in Australian Politics |date=2006 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=9780521672832 |editor1=Rodney Smith |page=103 |quote=The ideology of the Liberal Party has in fact always been a mixture of conservatism, '''social liberalism''' and classical or neo-liberalism ... |access-date=19 March 2023 |editor2=Ariadne Vromen |editor3=Ian Cook |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141105/https://books.google.com/books?id=pMSTxLmZaw0C&pg=PA103 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Conservatism in Australia|conservative]],<ref>{{cite book|author=James C. Docherty|title=The A to Z of Australia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBhD9KuhhXkC&pg=PA186|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-1-4616-7175-6|page=186|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141110/https://books.google.com/books?id=PBhD9KuhhXkC&pg=PA186|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Williams |first1=John R. |year=1967 |title=The Emergence of the Liberal Party of Australia |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |url-status=live |journal=The Australian Quarterly |publisher=JSTOR |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=7–27 |doi=10.2307/20634106 |jstor=20634106 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904081835/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |archive-date=4 September 2021 |access-date=4 September 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="WW">{{cite web |last=Massola |first=James |date=2021-03-20 |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322020317/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |archive-date=22 March 2021 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> [[liberal conservatism|liberal-conservative]],<ref>{{cite journal |title=Right-Wing Politicians Prefer the Emotional Left |author1=Nicole A. Thomas |author2=Tobias Loetscher |author3=Danielle Clode |author4=Mike Nicholls |journal=[[PLOS ONE]] |year=2012 |volume=7 |issue=5 |page=4 |quote = The Liberal Party of Australia has an ideology in line with liberal conservatism and is therefore right of centre. |citeseerx=10.1.1.270.2043 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0036552 |pmid=22567166 |pmc=3342249 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...736552T |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[conservative liberalism|conservative-liberal]],<ref>{{cite book |author1=Peter Starke |author2=Alexandra Kaasch |author3=Franca Van Hooren |title=The Welfare State as Crisis Manager: Explaining the Diversity of Policy Responses to Economic Crisis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BtMQsESYcWwC&pg=PA191 |year=2013 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-137-31484-0 |page=191 |access-date=9 November 2015 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141054/https://books.google.com/books?id=BtMQsESYcWwC&pg=PA191 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[classical liberalism|classical liberal]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Kuo-Tsai |last=Liou |title=Handbook of Economic Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cxxJkKYAzioC&pg=PA357 |year=1998 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4616-7175-6 |page = 357 |access-date=15 September 2020 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141113/https://books.google.com/books?id=cxxJkKYAzioC&pg=PA357 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Liberal Party tends to promote [[economic liberalism]]<ref name="WW" /> and [[social conservatism]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Dennis Raphael|title=Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International Experiences|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zjh4lQAbPrYC&pg=PA66|year=2012|publisher=Canadian Scholars' Press|isbn=978-1-55130-412-0|page=66|access-date=9 November 2015|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326141117/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zjh4lQAbPrYC&pg=PA66|url-status=live}}</ref> The Moderate faction has been referred to as centrist,<ref name="centrist">{{cite news |date=20 March 2014 |title=Centrist Liberals need stronger voice |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/centrist-liberals-need-stronger-voice-20140319-352h1.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=12 July 2017 |title=Turnbull is right to link the Liberals with the centre – but is the centre where it used to be? |url=https://theconversation.com/turnbull-is-right-to-link-the-liberals-with-the-centre-but-is-the-centre-where-it-used-to-be-80799}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=11 July 2017 |title=Malcolm Turnbull hits back at right-wing Liberals, says party was never intended to be conservative |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/malcolm-turnbull-hits-back-at-right-wing-liberals/8695674}}</ref> while the [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]] faction has also been referred to as [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] and [[Right-wing populism|right-wing populist]].<ref name="Bourke-2018">{{cite news |last1=Bourke |first1=Latika |date=19 January 2018 |title='Arrogantly ignored': Right-wing Liberals hit back at Ruddock 'unity' ticket |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/arrogantly-ignored-rightwing-liberals-hit-back-at-ruddock-unity-ticket-20180119-h0ko6b.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212195641/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/arrogantly-ignored-rightwing-liberals-hit-back-at-ruddock-unity-ticket-20180119-h0ko6b.html |archive-date=12 February 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref><ref name="Patrick-2023">{{cite news |last1=Patrick |first1=Aaron |date=2 April 2023 |title=Conservatives used to think Aston was the Liberals' future |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/conservatives-used-to-think-aston-was-the-liberals-future-20230402-p5cxbw |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403132808/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/conservatives-used-to-think-aston-was-the-liberals-future-20230402-p5cxbw |archive-date=3 April 2023 |work=[[Australian Financial Review]] |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Massola |first1=James |author-link=James Massola |date=9 April 2023 |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410122913/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |archive-date=10 April 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment}}</ref>

==History==
===Origins===
{{Main|Lyons government|Menzies government (1939–1941)}}

{{See also|United Australia Party}}
The Liberals Party's immediate predecessor was the [[United Australia Party]] (UAP). Its ideological ancestry originated to the anti-Labor groupings during the first Commonwealth parliaments:  the [[Free Trade Party]] (later the Anti-Socialist Party) and the [[Protectionist Party]]. These parties merged in 1909 as the [[Liberal Party (Australia, 1909)|Commonwealth Liberal Party]], led by Prime Minister [[Alfred Deakin]], in response to the growing electoral prominence of the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]]. Following the Labor Party's [[Australian Labor Party split of 1916|split]] in 1916, the Commonwealth Liberal Party merged into the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)|Nationalist Party]] in 1917 with several Labor outcasts, including [[Billy Hughes]]. While dominated by former Liberals, Hughes became its first leader. The Nationalists governed until 1929.

After another [[Australian Labor Party split of 1931|split]] of the Labor Party, Nationalist Party merged with additional Labor dissidents to form the United Australia Party in 1931, with Labor Party defector [[Joseph Lyons]] as its leader. The political positions of Lyons and other Labor defectors, against the more radical positions of the Labor movement on how to address the [[Great Depression]] had attracted the support of prominent Australian conservatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/lyons/before-office.aspx |title=Before office—Joseph Lyons—Australia's PMs—Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=20 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320053310/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/lyons/before-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> With Australia still suffering the effects of the Depression, the newly formed party won a landslide victory at the [[1931 Australian federal election|1931 federal election]], with the [[Lyons government]] going on to win three consecutive elections. It largely avoided [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian pump-priming]] and pursued a more conservative fiscal policy of debt reduction and balanced budgets as a means of stewarding Australia out of the Depression. 

Lyons' death in 1939 resulted in [[Robert Menzies]] assuming the role of prime minister shortly before the [[World War II|Second World War]]. Menzies served as the [[Menzies government (1939–1941)|prime minister from 1939 to 1941]], but resigned as leader of a wartime minority government amidst an unworkable parliamentary majority. The UAP, now led by Billy Hughes, was dissolved after suffering a heavy defeat in the [[1943 Australian federal election|1943 election]]. In New South Wales, the party merged with the [[Commonwealth Party (New South Wales)|Commonwealth Party]] to form the [[Democratic Party (1943)|Democratic Party]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17869825|title="Democratic Party" Formed|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=25 November 1943|access-date=29 November 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803093444/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17869825|url-status=live}}</ref> In Queensland [[United Australia Party – Queensland|the state party]] was absorbed into the [[Queensland People's Party]].<ref>{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=John |last=Laverty |title=Sir John Beals Chandler (1887–1962) |id2=chandler-sir-john-beals-9724 |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref>

From 1942 onward, Menzies had maintained his public profile with his series of "The Forgotten People" radio talks—similar to [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[fireside chats]] of the 1930s—in which he spoke of the middle class as the "backbone of Australia" but as nevertheless having been "taken for granted" by political parties.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1750/ |title=Menzies' Forgotten People Speech—Australian History, Australian Prime Ministers |publisher=Dl.nfsa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304024519/https://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1750/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm |title=The Forgotten People—Speech by Robert Menzies on 22 May 1942. Liberals.Net: Liberal Party of Australia |publisher=Liberals.net |date=22 May 1942 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303104048/http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Menzies called a conference of conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling Labor Party, which met in Canberra on 13 October 1944 and again in [[Albury]], New South Wales in December 1944.<ref name="Forming the Liberal Party of Australia-1944">{{cite web|url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/partypol/1197811/upload_binary/1197811.pdf|title=Forming the Liberal Party of Australia – Record of the Conference of Representatives of Non-Labor Organisations|date=16 October 1944|access-date=27 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127005013/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/partypol/1197811/upload_binary/1197811.pdf|archive-date=27 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Party History">{{cite web|title= Formation of the Liberal Party of Australia |work= Party History |publisher= Liberal Party of Australia—Queensland Division |url=http://www.qld.liberal.org.au/history/formation.aspx |access-date=11 April 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070426002837/http://www.qld.liberal.org.au/history/formation.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 26 April 2007}}</ref><ref name="Ian Hancock">{{cite web |author=Ian Hancock |title=The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/ian-hancock/the-origins-of-the-modern-liberal-party |access-date=11 April 2007 |work=Harold White Fellowships |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606011050/http://www.nla.gov.au/grants/haroldwhite/papers/ihancock.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Outlining his vision for a new political movement, Menzies said:<ref>{{cite web |date=16 October 1944 |title=Our History—Liberal Party of Australia |url=http://www.liberal.org.au/The-Party/Our-History.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728204242/http://www.liberal.org.au/The-Party/Our-History.aspx |archive-date=28 July 2012 |access-date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Liberal.org.au}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|[W]hat we must look for, and it is a matter of desperate importance to our society, is a true revival of liberal thought which will work for social justice and security, for national power and national progress, and for the full development of the individual citizen, though not through the dull and deadening process of socialism.}}

The formation of the party was formally announced at [[Sydney Town Hall]] on 31 August 1945.<ref name="Ian Hancock"/> It took the name ''Liberal'' in honour of the old Commonwealth Liberal Party. The new party was dominated by the remains of the old UAP; with few exceptions, the UAP [[Parliamentary group|party room]] became the Liberal Party room. The [[Australian Women's National League]], a powerful conservative women's organisation, also merged with the new party. A conservative youth group Menzies had set up, the [[Nationalist Party of Australia#Young Nationalists|Young Nationalists]], was also merged into the new party. It became the nucleus of the Liberal Party's youth division, the [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]]. By September 1945 there were more than 90,000 members, many of whom had not previously been members of any political party.<ref name="Ian Hancock"/>

In New South Wales, the [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|New South Wales division]] of the Liberal Party replaced the [[Liberal Democratic Party (New South Wales)|Liberal Democratic Party]] and [[Democratic Party (1943)|Democratic Party]] between January and April 1945.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135010033|title=Liberal Democratic Party dissolved|publisher=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate|date=16 January 1945|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803052358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135010033|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160685406|title=Liberal Party – Parliamentary Section Formed|publisher=National Advocate|date=21 April 1945|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803093441/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160685406|url-status=live}}</ref> In Queensland, the Queensland People's Party did not become part of the Liberal Party until July 1949, when it became the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division)|Queensland division]] of the Liberal Party.

===Menzies era (1949–1966)===
{{Main|Menzies government (1949–1966)}}

[[File:Robert Menzies 1960 colour (cropped).jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Robert Menzies|Sir Robert Menzies]], founder of the Liberal Party and prime minister 1939–41 ([[United Australia Party|UAP]]) and 1949–66]]
[[File:Menzies Lyons Harrison Holt AAF.jpg|thumb|[[Robert Menzies|Sir Robert Menzies]], Dame [[Enid Lyons]] (the first female member of an Australian Cabinet), [[Eric Harrison|Sir Eric Harrison]], [[Harold Holt]] (Menzies' successor) and [[Thomas White (Australian politician)|Tom White]], in 1946.]]
After an initial loss to Labor at the [[1946 Australian federal election|1946 election]], Menzies led the Liberals to victory at the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]], and the party stayed in office for a record 23 years—the longest unbroken run ever in government at the federal level. Australia experienced prolonged economic growth during the post-war boom period of the [[Menzies government (1949–66)]] and Menzies fulfilled his promises at the 1949 election to end rationing of butter, tea and petrol and provided a five-shilling endowment for first-born children, as well as for others.<ref>Brian Carroll; From Barton to Fraser; Cassell Australia; 1978</ref> While Menzies himself was an unashamed Anglophile, his government concluded a number of major defence and trade treaties that set Australia on its post-war trajectory out of Britain's orbit; opened up Australia to multi-ethnic immigration; and instigated important legal reforms regarding Aboriginal Australians.

Menzies was strongly opposed to Labor's plans under [[Ben Chifley]] to nationalise the Australian banking system and, following victory at the 1949 election, secured a [[double dissolution]] election for [[1951 Australian federal election|April 1951]], after the Labor-controlled Senate rejected his banking legislation. The Liberal-Country Coalition was returned with control of the [[Australian Senate|Senate]]. The Government was re-elected again at the [[1954 Australian federal election|1954 election]]; the formation of the anti-Communist [[Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)|Democratic Labor Party]] (DLP) and [[Australian Labor Party split of 1955|the consequent split in the Australian Labor Party]] early in 1955 helped the Liberals to secure another victory in [[1955 Australian federal election|December 1955]]. [[John McEwen]] replaced [[Arthur Fadden]] as leader of the Country Party in March 1958 and the Menzies-McEwen Coalition was returned again at elections in [[1958 Australian federal election|November 1958]]—their third victory against Labor's [[H. V. Evatt]]. The Coalition was narrowly returned against Labor's [[Arthur Calwell]] in the [[1961 Australian federal election|December 1961 election]], in the midst of a credit squeeze. Menzies stood for office for the last time at the [[1963 Australian federal election|November 1963 election]], again defeating Calwell, with the Coalition winning back its losses in the House of Representatives. Menzies went on to resign from parliament on 26 January 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/elections.aspx |title=Elections – Robert Menzies – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512011252/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/elections.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Menzies came to power the year the [[Communist Party of Australia]] had led a coal strike to improve pit miners' working conditions. That same year [[Joseph Stalin]]'s [[Soviet Union]] exploded its first [[Soviet atomic bomb project|atomic bomb]], and [[Mao Zedong]] led the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) to power in China; a year later came the invasion of [[South Korea]] by Communist [[North Korea]]. Anti-Communism was a key political issue of the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/australian-biography-bob-santamaria|title=Australian Biography: Bob Santamaria|publisher=National Film and Sound Archive|access-date=20 February 2022|archive-date=18 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218124228/https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/australian-biography-bob-santamaria|url-status=live}}</ref> Menzies was firmly anti-Communist; he committed troops to the [[Military history of Australia during the Korean War|Korean War]] and attempted to ban the Communist Party of Australia in an [[1951 Australian referendum|unsuccessful referendum]] during the course of that war. The Labor Party split over concerns about the influence of the Communist Party over the trade union movement, leading to the foundation of the breakaway Democratic Labor Party whose preferences supported the Liberal and Country parties.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/30/2886680.htm?site=thedrum |title=ABC The Drum – Conviction? Clever Kevin is no Pig Iron Bob |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=30 April 2010 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=23 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623215244/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/30/2886680.htm?site=thedrum |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:JFKWHP-AR8009-C.jpg|thumb|Menzies attending a White House luncheon in his honour with [[John F. Kennedy|President Kennedy]]]]

In 1951, during the early stages of the [[Cold War]], Menzies spoke of the possibility of a looming third world war. The Menzies government entered Australia's first formal military alliance outside of the British Commonwealth with the signing of the [[ANZUS Treaty]] between Australia, New Zealand and the United States in [[San Francisco]] in 1951. External Affairs Minister [[Percy Spender]] had put forward the proposal to work along similar lines to the NATO Alliance. The Treaty declared that any attack on one of the three parties in the Pacific area would be viewed as a threat to each, and that the common danger would be met in accordance with each nation's constitutional processes. In 1954, the Menzies government signed the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty ([[SEATO]]) as a South East Asian counterpart to NATO. That same year, Soviet diplomat [[Vladimir Mikhaylovich Petrov (diplomat)|Vladimir Petrov]] and his wife defected from the Soviet embassy in [[Canberra]], revealing evidence of Russian spying activities; Menzies called a Royal Commission to investigate.<ref>{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=A. W. |last=Martin |id2=menzies-sir-robert-gordon-bob-11111 |title= Sir Robert Gordon (Bob) Menzies |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref>

In 1956, a committee headed by Sir Keith Murray was established to inquire into the financial plight of Australia's universities, and Menzies injected funds into the sector under conditions which preserved the autonomy of universities.

Menzies continued the expanded immigration programme established under Chifley, and took important steps towards dismantling the [[White Australia Policy]]. In the early-1950s, external affairs minister [[Percy Spender]] helped to establish the [[Colombo Plan]] for providing economic aid to underdeveloped nations in Australia's region. Under that scheme many future Asian leaders studied in Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-way-we-were-quiet-maybe-but-certainly-not-dull-20110425-1du0l.html |title=The way we were: quiet, maybe, but certainly not dull |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=26 April 2011 |access-date=1 February 2012 |archive-date=30 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830022408/http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-way-we-were-quiet-maybe-but-certainly-not-dull-20110425-1du0l.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1958, the government replaced the Immigration Act's arbitrarily applied European language dictation test with an entry permit system, that reflected economic and skills criteria.<ref>Jan Bassett (1986) p.273</ref><ref>Frank Crowley p.358</ref> In 1962, Menzies' ''Commonwealth Electoral Act'' provided that all [[Indigenous Australians]] should have the right to enrol and vote at federal elections (prior to this, indigenous people in Queensland, Western Australia and some in the Northern Territory had been excluded from voting unless they were ex-servicemen).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aec.gov.au/Voting/indigenous_vote/indigenous.htm |title=Electoral Milestones – Timetable for Indigenous Australians – Australian Electoral Commission |publisher=aec.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=30 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630123059/http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/indigenous_vote/indigenous.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1949, the Liberals appointed [[Dame Enid Lyons]] as the first woman to serve in an [[Australian Cabinet]]. Menzies remained a staunch supporter of links to the [[Monarchy in Australia|monarchy]] and [[British Commonwealth]] but formalised an [[ANZUS|alliance with the United States]] and concluded the Agreement on Commerce between Australia and Japan which was signed in July 1957 and launched post-war trade with Japan, beginning a growth of [[Coal in Australia|Australian exports of coal]], iron ore and mineral resources that would steadily climb until Japan became Australia's largest trading partner.

Menzies retired in 1966 after serving 20 years in two separate stints, making him Australia's longest-serving prime minister in history. His second 17-year tenure is easily the longest unbroken tenure for a prime minister.

===Transition and resurgence===

==== Holt government (1966–1967) ====
{{Main|Holt government}}

[[File:Harold Holt 1965 01.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Harold Holt]], Prime Minister 1966–67]]
[[File:CongressBuilding SEATO.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Harold Holt]] (second from left), attending the [[Manila Summit Conference]] in [[Manila]], in 1966.]]
[[File:Harold Holt and FCAATSI.jpg|thumb|right|Harold Holt meeting with [[Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)|1967 Referendum]] Aboriginal rights campaigners.]]

[[Harold Holt]] replaced the retiring [[Robert Menzies]] in 1966 and the [[Holt government]] went on to win 82 seats to Labor's 41 at the [[1966 Australian federal election|1966 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/elections.aspx |title=Elections – Harold Holt – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=26 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626020725/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/elections.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> Holt remained prime minister until 19 December 1967, when he was declared presumed dead two days after disappearing in rough surf in which he had gone for a swim. His body has never been found.

Holt's ministerial appointments showed strong continuity with the Menzies era, though whilst Dame [[Enid Lyons]] had served as the first woman member of Cabinet under Menzies with an honorary role, it was Holt's first ministry that included Australia's first female minister, with Senator (later Dame) [[Annabelle Rankin]] serving as [[Minister for Housing (Australia)|Minister for Housing]].  

[[File:Annabelle Rankin ANIB (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|100px|Senator [[Annabelle Rankin]], the first female minister in Australian history.]]
Holt increased Australian commitment to the growing [[Vietnam War|War in Vietnam]], which met with some public opposition. His government oversaw conversion to [[decimal currency]]. Holt faced Britain's withdrawal from Asia by visiting and hosting many Asian leaders and by expanding ties to the United States, hosting the first visit to Australia by an American president, his friend [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. Holt's government introduced the ''Migration Act 1966'', which effectively dismantled the [[White Australia Policy]] and increased access to non-European migrants, including refugees fleeing the [[Vietnam War]]. By the end of 1967, the Liberals' initially popular support for the war in Vietnam was causing increasing public protest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |title=In office – Harold Holt – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315150125/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Holt also called the historic [[Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)|1967 Referendum]] which transferred responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs to the Federal Parliament, and removed a discriminatory clause in the [[Australian Constitution]] excluding [[Indigenous Australians]] from the census. The referendum was one of the few to be overwhelmingly endorsed by the Australian electorate (over 90% voted "Yes").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |title=In office – Harold Holt – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315150125/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/holt/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the success of the referendum, Holt established an Office of Aboriginal Affairs under the prime minister's control, and set up the Council for Aboriginal Affairs, chaired by [[Reserve Bank of Australia]] Governor [[H. C. Coombs]].<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106980357?searchTerm=Holt%20%2B%20Aborigines Aborigine welfare 'matter of great urgency'] The Canberra Times, 3 Nov 1967, p.1</ref>

==== Gorton government (1968–1971) ====
{{Main|Gorton government}}

[[File:JohnGorton1968.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[John Gorton]], Prime Minister 1968–71]]
The Liberals chose [[John Gorton]] to replace Holt. Gorton, a former [[World War II]] [[Royal Australian Air Force]] pilot, with a battle scarred face, said he was "Australian to the bootheels" and had a personal style which often affronted some conservatives.

The [[Gorton government]] increased funding for the arts, setting up the [[Australian Council for the Arts]], the Australian Film Development Corporation and the National Film and Television Training School. The Gorton government passed legislation establishing equal pay for men and women and increased pensions, allowances and education scholarships, as well as providing free health care to 250,000 of the nation's poor (but not universal health care). Gorton's government kept Australia in the [[Vietnam War]] but stopped replacing troops at the end of 1970.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au">{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/in-office.aspx |title=In office – John Gorton – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=26 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026155747/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:John_Gorton_Swearing_In.jpg|thumb|right|[[John Gorton]] being sworn in as prime minister by [[Richard Casey, Baron Casey|Lord Casey]] on 10 January 1968. Gorton led Australia into the tumultuous decade of the 1970s. Gorton declared himself "Australian to the bootheels" and increased funding for [[Australian cinema]] and arts to project a newly assertive Australian nationalism.]]
Following the success of the [[Holt Government]]'s [[1967 Australian referendum (Aboriginals)|1967 Referendum]] which had transferred powers for Aboriginal Affairs to the Federal Government, Gorton established the role of [[Minister for Indigenous Australians|Minister for Aboriginal Affairs]] with [[Bill Wentworth]] serving as the "Minister in charge of Aboriginal Affairs under the Prime Minister". Gorton considered that the "primary aim" of government policy should be to "make Aboriginals self supporting", and to end dependence on welfare and charity.<ref>[https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/original/00001900.pdf Address by John Gorton at the Conference of Commonwealth and State Ministers Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs - 12 July 1968]; pmc.gov.au</ref> The Government introduced the Aboriginal Study Grants Scheme ([[ABSTUDY]]) in 1969, as part of a commitment to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to attain better educational, social and economic outcomes, and in response to low participation of Indigenous Australians in higher education, and to promote participation in secondary education, the Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme (ABSEG) was established.<ref>[https://ieba.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IEBA-Workshop-Factsheet-1-Background-to-ABSTUDY.pdf Background to Abstudy]; Australian Government Department of Social Services</ref>

Gorton maintained good relations with the United States and Britain, but pursued closer ties with Asia. The Gorton government experienced a decline in voter support at the [[1969 Australian federal election|1969 election]]. State Liberal leaders saw his policies as too centralist, while other Liberals didn't like his personal behaviour. In 1971, Defence Minister [[Malcolm Fraser]], resigned and said Gorton was "not fit to hold the great office of Prime Minister". In a vote on the leadership the Liberal Party split 50/50, and although this was insufficient to remove him as the leader, Gorton decided this was also insufficient support for him, and he resigned.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au"/>

==== McMahon government and opposition (1971–1975) ====
{{Main|McMahon government|Snedden shadow ministry}}

[[File:William McMahon 1972 b&w.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[William McMahon]], Prime Minister 1971–72]]
[[File:Neville Bonner 1979.jpg|thumb|Senator [[Neville Bonner]], the first Aboriginal Australian to sit in Federal Parliament.]]
[[File:Billy Snedden 1973 (1).jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Billy Snedden]], Opposition Leader 1972–75]]

Foreign Affairs minister [[William McMahon]] replaced Gorton as prime minister. Gorton initially served as McMahon's deputy leader as well as defence minister, although Gorton would be forced to resign in August 1971 by McMahon on the grounds of "disloyalty". Treasurer [[Billy Snedden]] replaced Gorton as deputy and Fraser was reinstated into the ministry, although Fraser remained unpopular within Liberal ranks for some time over the events of March 1971; Gorton never forgave Fraser and never spoke to him again.

The economy was weakening as the post-war economic boom was drawing to a close. McMahon withdrew Australia's remaining combat troops from Vietnam, but criticised Opposition leader [[Gough Whitlam]] for visiting the communist [[China|People's Republic of China]] (PRC) in July 1971—only to have the US president [[Richard Nixon]] and his National Security Advisor [[Henry Kissinger]] announce a planned visit soon after.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/mcmahon/in-office.aspx |title=In office – William McMahon – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315154636/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/mcmahon/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Billy Snedden and Andrew Peacock in 1973 (1).jpg|thumb|150px|[[Billy Snedden]] and [[Andrew Peacock]] on 12 October 1973. They were the first two Liberal leaders who never got to serve as Prime Minister.]]
During McMahon's period in office, [[Neville Bonner]] joined the Senate and became the first [[Indigenous Australian]] in the [[Australian Parliament]].<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au-2">{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/timeline/results.aspx |title=Timeline – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=4 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804142705/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/timeline/results.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> Bonner was chosen by the Liberal Party to fill a Senate vacancy in 1971 and celebrated his maiden parliamentary speech with a boomerang throwing display on the lawns of Parliament. Bonner went on to win election at the 1972 election and served as a Liberal Senator for 12 years. He worked on Indigenous and social welfare issues and proved an independent minded Senator, often crossing the floor on Parliamentary votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.curriculum.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=15275 |title=Civics &#124; Neville Bonner (1922–1999) |publisher=Curriculum.edu.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430184401/http://www.curriculum.edu.au/cce/default.asp?id=15275 |archive-date=30 April 2012}}</ref>

The [[McMahon government]] ended when [[Gough Whitlam]] led the [[Australian Labor Party]] out of its 23-year period in Opposition at the 1972 election. Following Whitlam's victory, John Gorton played a further role in reform in October 1973 by successfully moving a motion, seconded by Labor minister [[Moss Cass]], which [[LGBTQ rights in Australia#decriminalisation of homosexuality|decriminalised homosexuality on a federal and territory level]].

[[Billy Snedden]] led the party against Whitlam in the [[1974 Australian federal election|1974 federal election]], which saw a return of the Labor government. When Malcolm Fraser won the Liberal Party leadership from Snedden in 1975, Gorton walked out of the Party Room, and quit the party shortly afterwards; he would go on to denounce the [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis|dismissal of the Whitlam Government]], and endorsed and voted for Labor in the [[1975 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/after-office.aspx |title=After office – John Gorton – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=16 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116024212/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/gorton/after-office.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Fraser government (1975–1983) ====
{{Main|Fraser government}}

[[File:Malcolm Fraser 1977 (cropped).jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Malcolm Fraser]], Prime Minister 1975–83]]
[[File:President Ronald Reagan Nancy Reagan Malcolm Fraser and Tamara Fraser in Cross Hall Before The State Dinner for Prime Minister Fraser of Australia - DPLA - 9cdea15d1f7bd806dfa65d4e7d022b36.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Malcolm Fraser]] (second right) and [[Tamie Fraser]] (left) with US president [[Ronald Reagan]] and Nancy at the White House in 1982. Fraser came to power amidst the divisive [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis]], but went on to lead Australia into the 1980s.]]
Following the 1974–75 [[Loans Affair]], the [[Malcolm Fraser]]-led [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal-Country Party Coalition]] argued that the [[Whitlam government]] was incompetent and so delayed passage of the Government's [[money bill]]s in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]], until the government would promise a new election. Whitlam refused, yet Fraser insisted, leading to the divisive [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis]]. The deadlock came to an end when the Whitlam government was controversially dismissed by the [[Governor-General of Australia|governor-general]], [[John Kerr (governor-general)|Sir John Kerr]] on 11 November 1975 and Fraser was installed as caretaker prime minister, pending an election. Fraser won in a landslide at the resulting [[1975 Australian federal election|1975 election]].

Fraser maintained some of the social reforms of the Whitlam era, while seeking increased fiscal restraint. His majority included the first Aboriginal federal parliamentarian, [[Neville Bonner]]. In 1976, Parliament passed the ''[[Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976]]'', which, while limited to the Northern Territory, affirmed "inalienable" freehold title to some traditional lands:

<blockquote>The Australian Government grants Aboriginal land that can be successfully claimed under inalienable freehold title. This communal form of title cannot be bought, sold or mortgaged…”<ref name="CLC2025">Central Land Council. The Aboriginal Land Rights Act. CLC, https://www.clc.org.au/the-alra/.</ref></blockquote>

The Fraser government also established the multicultural broadcaster [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-ministers/malcolm-fraser|title=Malcolm Fraser|publisher=National Museum of Australia|website=www.nma.gov.au|access-date=20 September 2019|archive-date=9 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809064644/https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/prime-ministers/malcolm-fraser|url-status=live}}</ref> accepted [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] refugees, opposed minority white rule in [[apartheid]] South Africa and [[Rhodesia]] and opposed Soviet expansionism, but Liberal minister [[Don Chipp]] split off from the party to form a new [[Centrism|centrist]]-[[Social liberalism|social liberal]] party, the [[Australian Democrats]] in 1977.

The Liberals under Fraser won substantial majorities at the [[1977 Australian federal election|1977]] and [[1980 Australian federal election|1980]] elections, but a significant program of economic reform was never pursued. By 1983, the [[Australian economy]] was suffering with the [[early 1980s recession]] and amidst the effects of a severe drought. Fraser had promoted "states' rights" and his government refused to use Commonwealth powers to stop the construction of the [[Franklin Dam]] in Tasmania in 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=In office – Malcolm Fraser – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/fraser/in-office.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315143901/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/fraser/in-office.aspx |archive-date=15 March 2011 |access-date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au}}</ref> The Liberal Party lost to the [[Bob Hawke]]-led [[Australian Labor Party]] in the [[1983 Australian federal election|1983 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/ |title=Robert Hawke – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=17 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117021622/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Internal division ===
{{Main|Peacock shadow ministry (1983–85)|Downer shadow ministry|Hewson shadow ministry|Peacock shadow ministry (1989–90)}}

<!--only last paragraph has a citation-->
[[File:Andrew Peacock 1974 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Andrew Peacock]], Opposition Leader 1983–85, 1989–90]]
[[File:John Hewson 2016 01.jpg|right|thumb|100px|[[John Hewson]], Opposition Leader 1990–94]]
[[File:Alexander Downer 1990s.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Alexander Downer]], Opposition Leader 1994–95]]
A period of division for the Liberals followed, with former Treasurer [[John Howard]] competing with former foreign minister [[Andrew Peacock]] for supremacy. The Australian economy was facing the [[early 1990s recession]]. Unemployment reached 11.4% in 1992. Under Dr [[John Hewson]], in November 1991, the opposition launched the 650-page [[Fightback! (policy)|Fightback!]] policy document—a radical collection of [[Neoliberalism|dry]] ([[Economic liberalism|economic liberal]]) measures including the introduction of a [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|goods and services Tax]] (GST), various changes to [[Medicare (Australia)|Medicare]] including the abolition of [[bulk billing]] for non-[[Social security|concession holders]], the introduction of a nine-month limit on [[unemployment benefits]], various changes to [[industrial relations]] including the abolition of [[Industrial award|awards]], a $13&nbsp;billion personal [[income tax]] cut directed at middle and upper income earners, $10&nbsp;billion in [[government spending]] cuts, the abolition of state [[payroll tax]]es and the [[privatisation]] of a large number of government owned enterprises − representing the start of a very different future direction to the [[keynesian]] [[economic policies]] practised by previous Liberal/National Coalition governments. 

The 15 percent GST was the centrepiece of the policy document. Through 1992, [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] Prime Minister [[Paul Keating]] mounted a campaign against the Fightback package, and particularly against the GST, which he described as an attack on the working class in that it shifted the [[tax burden]] from [[direct taxation]] of the wealthy to [[indirect taxation]] as a broad-based [[consumption tax]]. Pressure group activity and public opinion was relentless, which led Hewson to exempt food from the proposed GST—leading to questions surrounding the complexity of what food was and wasn't to be exempt from the GST. Hewson's difficulty in explaining this to the electorate was exemplified in the infamous [[birthday cake interview]], considered by some as a turning point in the election campaign. Keating won a record fifth consecutive Labor term at the [[1993 Australian federal election|1993 election]]. A number of the proposals were later adopted into law in some form, to a small extent during the Keating Labor government, and to a larger extent during the [[John Howard|Howard]] Liberal government (most famously the GST), while unemployment benefits and bulk billing were re-targeted for a time by the [[Tony Abbott|Abbott]] Liberal government.

===Howard era (1995–2007)===
{{Main|Howard government}}

[[File:Howard John BANNER b.jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[John Howard]], Prime Minister 1996–2007]]
[[File:Vladimir Putin at APEC Summit in Australia 7-9 September 2007-18.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[John Howard]] with [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]] leaders in Sydney in 2007. Howard supported the traditional icons of Australian identity and its international allegiances, but oversaw booming trade with Asia and increased non-European immigration.]]

Labor's [[Paul Keating]] lost the [[1996 Australian federal election|1996 Election]] to the Liberals' [[John Howard]]. The Liberals had been in Opposition for exactly 13 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/keating/in-office.aspx |title=In office – Paul Keating – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers |publisher=Primeministers.naa.gov.au |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=2 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202031451/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/keating/in-office.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> [[John Howard]] was sworn in as prime minister on 11 March, the 13th anniversary of the Liberals entering opposition following the swearing in of Bob Hawke. With Howard as prime minister, [[Peter Costello]] as treasurer and [[Alexander Downer]] as foreign minister, the [[Howard government]] remained in power until their electoral defeat to [[Kevin Rudd]] in 2007.

Howard generally framed the Liberals as being conservative on social policy, debt reduction and matters like maintaining Commonwealth links and the American Alliance but his premiership saw booming trade with [[Asia]] and expanding multiethnic [[immigration]]. His government concluded the [[Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement]] with the Bush administration in 2004.<ref name="Primeministers.naa.gov.au-2"/> Howard's premiership coincided with Al Qaeda's 11 September attacks on the United States. The [[Howard government]] invoked the ANZUS treaty in response to the attacks and supported America's campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Howard differed from his Labor predecessor Paul Keating in that he supported traditional Australian institutions like the [[monarchy in Australia]], the commemoration of [[ANZAC Day]] and the design of the Australian flag, but like Keating he pursued privatisation of public utilities and the introduction of a broad based consumption tax (although Keating had dropped support for a GST by the time of his 1993 election victory). Howard convened the [[1998 Australian Constitutional Convention]] to discuss whether Australia should become a republic and called a [[1999 Australian republic referendum|referendum in 1999]], which saw the minimalist republican model endorsed by the Convention rejected by voters. Howard did not support the republic, but proposed a new preamble to the Constitution that began by expressing hope in God and went on to "honour" Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples "for their deep kinship with their lands and for their ancient and continuing cultures which enrich the life of our country..." This proposed preamble was also voted down in the referendum.

In the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal elections]] the party strengthened its majority in the [[Australian House of Representatives|lower house]] and, with its coalition partners, became the first federal government in twenty years to gain an absolute majority in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]]. This control of both houses permitted their passing of legislation without the need to negotiate with independents or minor parties, exemplified by industrial relations legislation known as [[WorkChoices]], a wide-ranging effort to increase deregulation of industrial laws in Australia.

In 2005, Howard reflected on his government's cultural and foreign policy outlook in oft repeated terms:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://au.chineseembassy.org/eng/xw/t190220.htm |title=Transcript of the Prime Ministerthe Hon John Howard Mpaddress to the Lowy Institute For International Policy |publisher=Au.chineseembassy.org |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208225430/http://au.chineseembassy.org/eng/xw/t190220.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|When I became Prime Minister nine years ago, I believed that this nation was defining its place in the world too narrowly. My Government has rebalanced Australia's foreign policy to better reflect the unique intersection of history, geography, culture and economic opportunity that our country represents. Time has only strengthened my conviction that we do not face a choice between our history and our geography.}}

The [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]] saw the defeat of the Howard federal government, and the Liberal Party was in opposition throughout Australia at the state and federal level; the highest Liberal office-holder at the time was Lord Mayor of Brisbane [[Campbell Newman]]. This ended after the [[2008 Western Australian state election]], when [[Colin Barnett]] became premier of that state.

===Modern day===

==== Opposition (2007–2013) ====
[[File:BrendanNelson.JPG|thumb|100px|left|[[Brendan Nelson]], Opposition Leader 2007–08]]
Following the 2007 federal election, [[Brendan Nelson]] was elected leader by the Parliamentary Liberal Party. On 16 September 2008, in a second contest following a [[2008 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|spill motion]], Nelson lost the leadership to [[Malcolm Turnbull]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/16/1221330800745.html|title=Get behind Turnbull: Nelson tells Libs|last=Hudson|first=Phillip|date=16 September 2008|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=16 February 2009|archive-date=18 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118020358/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/16/1221330800745.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 December 2009, a [[2009 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|subsequent leadership election]] saw Turnbull lose the leadership to [[Tony Abbott]] by 42 votes to 41 on the second ballot.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/01/2758221.htm Shock win for Abbott in leadership vote] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124065002/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/01/2758221.htm |date=24 November 2010}}, [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], 1 December 2009.</ref> Abbott led the party to the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]], which saw an increase in the Liberal Party vote and resulted in the first [[hung parliament]] since the [[1940 Australian federal election|1940 election]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm "Voters leave Australia hanging] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824054316/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/21/2989767.htm |date=24 August 2010}}" ABC News, 21 August 2010</ref>

Through 2010, the party remained in opposition at the [[2010 Tasmanian state election|Tasmanian]] and [[2010 South Australian state election|South Australian state elections]] and [[2010 Victorian state election|achieved state government in Victoria]]. In March 2011, the New South Wales Liberal-National Coalition led by [[Barry O'Farrell]] won government with the largest election victory in post-war [[Australian history]] at the [[2011 New South Wales State Election|State Election]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/bleakest-hour-is-one-for-the-history-books-20110327-1cbyi.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Bleakest hour is one for the history books | date=28 March 2011 | access-date=29 March 2011 | archive-date=29 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829193405/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/bleakest-hour-is-one-for-the-history-books-20110327-1cbyi.html | url-status=live}}</ref> In Queensland, the Liberal and National parties merged in 2008 to form the new [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (registered as the Queensland Division of the Liberal Party of Australia). In March 2012, the new party achieved Government in an historic landslide, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor, [[Campbell Newman]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/he-who-dares-wins-as-lnp-celebrates-in-style-20120325-1vruc.html |title=LNP Celebrate Campbell Newman Queensland Election Victory |date=24 March 2012 |publisher=Brisbane Time |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=12 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712054845/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/he-who-dares-wins-as-lnp-celebrates-in-style-20120325-1vruc.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2013, the Western Australian Liberal-National government won re-election, and [[Tony Abbott]] led the party to government at the [[2013 Australian Federal Election|2013 Australian federal election]]. As of 2025, The 2013 federal election was the most recent election the Liberal party and the Coalition saw an increase in the First preference vote in the House of Representatives.

==== Abbott government (2013–2015) ====
{{Main|Abbott government}}

[[File:Prime Minister Tony Abbott official portrait.jpg|left|thumb|135x135px|[[Tony Abbott]]]]
;
In economic policy, the [[Abbott government]] aimed to rein in a budget deficit that reached [[Australian dollar|A$]]48.5&nbsp;billion by June 2014.<ref name="bloomberg.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-11-23/australia-raises-a-5-7-billion-as-abbott-sells-medibank-in-ipo|title=Australia Raises A$5.7 Billion as Abbott Sells Medibank IPO|first1=Brett|last1=Foley|first2=Phoebe|last2=Sedgman|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=23 November 2014|publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref> It concluded free trade agreements with [[China–Australia Free Trade Agreement|China]], [[Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement|Japan]] and [[Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement|South Korea]]. It removed the Rudd-Gillard era [[Resource Super Profits Tax]] and [[carbon pricing]].<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-22/abolish-the-carbon-tax-promise-check/5344596| title = Promise check: Abolish the carbon tax| website = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date = 22 April 2014}}, ABC Fact checker</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-22/abolish-the-mining-tax-promise-check/5349376| title = Promise Check: Abolish the Mining Tax| website = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date = 22 April 2014}}; ABC Fact Checker</ref> It established the [[National Commission of Audit]] to advise on restoring the Budget to surplus; instituted the [[Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption]]; founded the [[Medical Research Future Fund]]. 

[[File:Abbott and Robb signing the Free Trade Agreement with Chinese President Xi and Minister for Commerce Gao Hucheng November 2014.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister Abbott and Trade Minister [[Andrew Robb]] signing the [[China-Australia Free Trade Agreement|Free Trade Agreement]] with Chinese leader [[Xi Jinping]] and Minister for Commerce [[Gao Hucheng]].]]
Abbott campaigned in opposition and in office to halt the people smuggling trade, and unauthorised maritime arrivals ceased during his term of office under [[Operation Sovereign Borders]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-27/we-will-stop-the-boats-promise-check/5474206 |title=Promise check: We will stop the boats |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]: Fact Checker |location=Australia |date=27 July 2014 }}</ref> In foreign policy, Australia continued its military engagement in the Middle-East, amid the worsening [[Syrian civil war|Syrian conflict]]. In 2015, The Abbott government agreed to resettle an additional 12,000 refugees from the region.<ref name="ABCSyriaairstrikesrefugees">{{cite news|url=http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-09/australia-to-accept-additional-12,000-syrian-refugees/6760386 |title=Australia confirms air strikes in Syria, announces additional 12,000 refugee places |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=9 September 2015 |access-date=4 November 2015}}</ref> Abbott and Australia's first female [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)|foreign minister]] [[Julie Bishop]] challenged [[Russia]] at the [[United Nations]] over the shooting down of [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17|Malaysian Flight MH17]] in [[Ukraine]]. The government launched the [[New Colombo Plan]] to encourage educational exchange with the Indo-Pacific region. Domestically, Abbott campaigned for recognition of [[Indigenous Australians]] in the [[Australian Constitution]], flagging a referendum for 2017, and promised a plebiscite on the issue of [[Same-sex marriage in Australia|same-sex marriage]]. Investments in air and road infrastructure were prioritised. 

[[File:Julie Bishop and Ken Wyatt.jpg|thumb|Australia's first female Foreign Minister [[Julie Bishop]] with the first Aboriginal Member of the House of Representatives (and later Minister) [[Ken Wyatt]]]]

Treasurer [[Joe Hockey]] delivered two Budgets, the first focused on expenditure reduction measures, but faced a hostile reception in the Senate and media. Partial deregulation of universities, and a $7 contribution to doctor visits were proposed, but blocked by the Senate. The second Budget emphasised stimulus for the small business sector. The Liberal Party faced Cabinet leaks and early leadership instability, after a poorly received first Budget and amid media criticism, with dissenters coalescing around Abbott's leadership rival [[Malcolm Turnbull]].<ref name="Abc.net.au">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/liberal-leadership-spill3a-as-it-happened/6079418 |title=Liberal leadership spill: as it happened |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=9 February 2015 |access-date=23 September 2015}}</ref> 

Abbott became the shortest-serving Australian prime minister since [[William McMahon]], when Turnbull launched a challenge and won [[Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, September 2015|a September 2015 internal leadership ballot]]. Turnbull cited Newspoll results and "economic leadership" as reasons for mounting his challenge.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-14/malcolm-turnbulls-full-press-conference/6774744 |title=Liberal leadership: Malcolm Turnbull's press conference announcing challenge to Tony Abbott|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=15 September 2015 }}</ref>

==== Turnbull government (2015–2018) ====
{{Main|Turnbull government}}

[[File:Malcolm Turnbull PEO (cropped).jpg|left|100px|thumb|[[Malcolm Turnbull]]]]

Turnbull appointed [[Scott Morrison]] as [[Treasurer of Australia|Treasurer]] in an expanded [[First Turnbull Ministry|ministry]], promoting several key supporters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbull-cabinet-reshuffle-women-young-mps-the-big-winners-in-21st-century-team-20150920-gjqugi.html |title=Malcolm Turnbull cabinet reshuffle: Women, young MPs the big winners in '21st century' team |author1=Kenny, Mark |author2=Cox, Lisa |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=20 September 2015 |access-date=2 November 2015 }}</ref> The Turnbull government continued a number of Abbott government initiatives, delivering a [[Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey|plebiscite approving legal recognition of same-sex marriage]], and continuing initiatives on an anti-domestic violence campaign, funding the [[National Disability Insurance Scheme]], signing the China free trade deal, and reforming Senate voting.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/09/15/turnbull-gets-to-work-as-prime-minister0.html |title=Turnbull follows Abbott on climate, marriage |publisher=[[Sky News]] |location=Australia |date=15 September 2015 |access-date=2 November 2015 |archive-date=19 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019074556/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/09/15/turnbull-gets-to-work-as-prime-minister0.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Murrumbidgee River below the Tantangara Dam, NSW, Australia.jpg|thumb|[[Tantangara Reservoir]] was identified for [[Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station]] construction works by the [[Turnbull Government]].]]

The April 2016 refusal of the Senate to pass the government's bill to re-establish [[Australian Building and Construction Commission]] provided Turnbull with a [[double dissolution]] trigger.<ref name="auto3">{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-18/turnbull-government-handed-double-dissolution-trigger/7335968 | title=Turnbull Government handed July 2 double dissolution trigger as Senate rejects ABCC bill | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=18 April 2016}}</ref> An [[2016 Australian federal election|election was held on 2 July 2016]], and the government was returned with its majority in the House of Representatives reduced to one seat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-11/lnp-retains-capricornia-has-76-seats/7587578|title=Election 2016: LNP retains Capricornia, gives Coalition 76-seat majority government|date=11 July 2016|access-date=11 July 2016|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> The now elected Turnbull government secured passage of the Registered Organisations and [[Australian Building and Construction Commission]] legislation. In 2017, it announced construction of the [[Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station]].

Turnbull's ousting of Abbott had divided the Liberal Party rank and file and tensions continued in the parliamentary Party.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Carol |title=Pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to bend to conservatives is stronger than ever |url=http://theconversation.com/pressure-on-malcolm-turnbull-to-bend-to-conservatives-is-stronger-than-ever-68479 |access-date=2022-03-04 |date=November 18, 2016 |website=The Conversation |language=en |archive-date=4 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304221058/https://theconversation.com/pressure-on-malcolm-turnbull-to-bend-to-conservatives-is-stronger-than-ever-68479 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-10/liberal-party-owes-abbott-an-enormous-debt-turnbull-says/6843816 NSW Liberals groan as Malcolm Turnbull tells gathering party is not ruled by factions, new PM praises Tony Abbott]; Australian Broadcasting Corporation; 10 October 2015</ref><ref name="auto1">[https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/jeff-kennett-attacks-malcolm-turnbull-for-selfinterest-and-lack-of-courage-20160308-gne4e3.html Jeff Kennett attacks Malcolm Turnbull for 'self-interest' and lack of courage]; ''The Sydney Morning Herald''; 9 March 2016</ref><ref name="auto2">[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-04/kevin-andrews-says-remarks-on-leadership-ambitions-hypothetical/7298256 Kevin Andrews says remarks about challenging Turnbull for leadership 'hypothetical']; Australian Broadcasting Corporation; 5 April 2016</ref> The government reached the 30-consecutive-Newspoll-losses benchmark Turnbull had used to unseat Abbott, in April 2018.<ref>[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/newspoll/prime-minister-malcolm-turnbull-hits-30-straight-newspoll-losses/news-story/386d5f79a71c6de3184bc60f6b225399 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hits 30 straight Newspoll losses]; www.theaustralian.com.au; 18 April 2018</ref> By-election losses in July 2018 further diminished Turnbull's authority.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-30/malcolm-turnbull-authority-diminished-after-byelections/10050660 Malcolm Turnbull's authority diminished after by-election failures]; www.abc.net.au; 30 July 2018</ref> On 21 August 2018, Turnbull announced a [[Liberal Party of Australia leadership spills, 2018|leadership spill]] ahead of his 39th consecutive Newspoll loss. Turnbull narrowly won in a party room vote against Home Affairs Minister [[Peter Dutton]]. Leadership tension continued, and the party voted to hold a second leadership ballot on 24 August, with Turnbull choosing not to stand. In that ballot, Treasurer [[Scott Morrison]] was seen as a compromise candidate and defeated both Dutton and Foreign Minister [[Julie Bishop]] to become leader of the Liberal Party. Morrison was elected as Turnbull's successor by 45 votes over Dutton with 40.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2018/aug/24/liberal-spill-malcolm-turnbull-peter-dutton-scott-morrison-liberal-spill-politics-parliament-live|title=Turnbull attacks 'wreckers' Abbott and Dutton as he leaves office|work=The Guardian|date=24 August 2018|access-date=24 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-20180824-57ief.html|title=Scott Morrison sworn in as Prime Minister|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=24 August 2018 |access-date=27 August 2018|archive-date=24 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824183412/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-20180824-57ief.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Morrison government (2018–2022) ====
{{Main|Morrison government}}

[[File:Scott Morrison portrait.jpg|left|thumb|114x114px|[[Scott Morrison]]]]
In the first Morrison Ministry, [[Josh Frydenberg]] succeeded Morrison as treasurer and [[Marise Payne]] succeeded Julie Bishop as foreign minister. Following his party room loss, Turnbull quit Parliament, plunging the Coalition into minority government following the [[2018 Wentworth by-election]]. Morrison then restored the Coalition to majority government at the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 Election]].

Frydenberg and Payne remained in their posts in the [[Second Morrison Ministry]], which was notable for including [[Ken Wyatt]] as [[Minister for Indigenous Australians]] – the first [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal Australian]] to sit in [[Cabinet of Australia|Federal Cabinet]] – and seven women members, which was the largest number of women Cabinet members in Australian history.<ref name="ReferenceA">[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-48418359 Ken Wyatt: Australia's first indigenous cabinet minister] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125235405/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-48418359 |date=25 January 2022 }}; bcc.com; 28 May 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-05/fact-check-scott-morrisons-cabinet-contain-record-women/11155528 Scott Morrison says his Cabinet maintains a record representation of women. Is he correct?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219011747/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-05/fact-check-scott-morrisons-cabinet-contain-record-women/11155528 |date=19 February 2022 }}; abc.net.au; 5 June 2019</ref>

[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson G7 Leaders Summit Day Two (51784747542).jpg|thumb|The [[Morrison Government]] negotiated the [[AUKUS]] defence pact with Britain and the United States]]
[[File:P20210924AS-1147-2 (51707173079).jpg|thumb|right|From left to right: Japanese prime minister [[Yoshihide Suga]], Indian prime minister [[Narendra Modi]], U.S. president [[Joe Biden]] and Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]] at the first in-person [[Quadrilateral Security Dialogue|Quad meeting]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], 2021]]

In [[economy of Australia|economic affairs]], after producing the lowest federal budget deficit in a decade, Treasurer Frydenberg predicted a small surplus in the [[2019 Australian federal budget|2019 Federal Budget]], however the outbreak of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]] led to a dramatic increase in government expenditure and a brief recession by September 2020. Pandemic management became a core focus of the Morrison government, which instigated tight border controls, convened a [[National Cabinet (Australia)|National Cabinet]] to co-ordinate State and Territory government responses, and initiated a program of income support for business and workers. Two years into the pandemic, Australia had achieved one of the lowest death rates and highest vaccination rates in the world.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-60284491 Covid: Australia to reopen borders to international travel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219011747/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-60284491 |date=19 February 2022 }}; bcc.com, 7 Feb 2022</ref> By the [[March 2022 Australian federal budget|fourth Frydenberg Budget]] in March 2022 ahead of the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 Election]], Australia’s unemployment rate was at 4% and projected to drop to 3.75%, its lowest figure in 50 years.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/28/government-predicts-unemployment-will-drop-to-50year-low-as-it-spruiks-pre-election-budget Morrison government predicts unemployment will drop to 50-year low as it spruiks pre-election budget] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510062114/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/28/government-predicts-unemployment-will-drop-to-50year-low-as-it-spruiks-pre-election-budget |date=10 May 2024 }}; theguardian.com; 28 Mar, 2022</ref>

In trade and international affairs, the Morrison government concluded free trade agreements with [[Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement|Indonesia]], [[Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement|the United Kingdom]] and [[Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement|India]]. In the [[Indo-Pacific]] region, Morrison launched the Pacific Step-Up initiative to increase engagement with Pacific Island nations, and revived the [[Quadrilateral Security Dialogue]] with Japan, India and United States. He also signed the [[AUKUS]] trilateral security pact with the United Kingdom and the United States to increase defence co-operation. The period was marked by a deterioration in bilateral relations with the increasingly autocratic [[General secretaryship of Xi Jinping|Xi Jinping regime]] in China, with Australia calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of [[COVID-19]] and China responding with trade sanctions.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-07/australia-china-trade-tensions-official-economic-punishment/100273964 Chinese official declares Beijing has targeted Australian goods as economic punishment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219011746/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-07/australia-china-trade-tensions-official-economic-punishment/100273964 |date=19 February 2022 }}; abc.net.au; 7 Jul 2021</ref> Following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in 2022, Morrison committed Australian military, diplomatic and humanitarian aid to support Ukraine's efforts to repel the Russian attack.

The Morrison government was defeated at the [[2022 Australian federal election|2022 election]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-21 |title=Live: Morrison calls Albanese to concede electoral defeat as Labor, independents unseat Coalition |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/federal-election-live-blog-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/101085640 |access-date=2022-05-21 |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521002735/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/federal-election-live-blog-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/101085640 |url-status=live}}</ref> ending nearly nine years of a Coalition government. After the loss, Defence Minister [[Peter Dutton]] was [[2022 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election|elected]] to succeed Morrison as party leader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-poised-to-be-next-opposition-leader-after-scott-morrison-steps-down-20220519-p5amwj.html|title=Peter Dutton poised to be next opposition leader after Scott Morrison steps down|first=James|last=Massola|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 May 2022|accessdate=22 May 2022|archive-date=21 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521202320/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-poised-to-be-next-opposition-leader-after-scott-morrison-steps-down-20220519-p5amwj.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After leaving office, Morrison faced criticism after he revealed that during the pandemic emergency he had [[Scott Morrison ministerial positions controversy|secretly held]] several ministerial positions while serving as prime minister, which resulted in Parliament passing a [[censure]] motion against him.<ref name="Karp">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/30/scott-morrison-accuses-labor-of-politics-of-retribution-and-offers-excuses-in-censure-debate|title=Parliament censures Scott Morrison over secret ministries after Liberal Bridget Archer backs Labor and Greens|first=Paul|last=Karp|work=The Guardian|date=30 November 2022|access-date=30 November 2022|archive-date=30 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130135906/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/30/scott-morrison-accuses-labor-of-politics-of-retribution-and-offers-excuses-in-censure-debate|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Opposition (2022–present) ====
{{Further|Dutton shadow ministry|Ley shadow ministry|Taylor shadow ministry}}[[File:Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter Terrorism (31874365738) (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Peter Dutton]]]]
The incumbent minority Liberal–National Coalition government in New South Wales, led by Premier [[Dominic Perrottet]], was defeated at an [[2023 New South Wales state election|election]] in 2023. The outcome resulted in the first Labor government in the state in 12 years, ending the longest Coalition government in New South Wales history.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=McGowan |first1=Michael |last2=Rose |first2=Tamsin |date=2023-03-25 |title='Back and ready': Chris Minns leads Labor to power after 12 years in opposition at historic 2023 NSW election |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/25/back-and-ready-chris-minns-leads-labor-to-power-after-12-years-in-opposition-at-historic-2023-nsw-election |access-date=2023-03-25 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In 2024, the party won government at elections [[2024 Tasmanian state election|in Tasmania]], [[2024 Queensland state election|Queensland]], and [[2024 Northern Territory general election|in the Northern Territory]].  

In 2025, early polling showed that the Coalition led by Dutton had been poised to win the [[2025 Australian federal election|2025 election]], however, it lost its lead as the year progressed, influenced by poorly received domestic campaigning alongside international damage to conservative politics as the [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|second Trump administration]] took office in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cherney |first=Mike |title=First Canada, Now Australia: The Trump Factor Boosts Another World Leader in an Election |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/first-canada-now-australia-the-trump-factor-boosts-another-world-leader-in-a-close-election-bef1c5a1 |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=3 May 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref> Resultantly, the Coalition was defeated by the incumbent [[Albanese government|Labor government]] in a landslide, with Dutton being defeated in his personal electorate of [[Division of Dickson|Dickson]] in Brisbane.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pal |first=Alasdair |date=3 May 2025 |title=Australia opposition leader Dutton loses seat in shock vote defeat |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-state-broadcaster-abc-projects-opposition-leader-dutton-lose-seat-2025-05-03/ |accessdate=4 May 2025 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> The party's leadership was succeeded to by [[Sussan Ley]], who became the first woman to hold either the position of leader of the Liberal Party or leader of the Opposition.<ref name="bbc.com">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-13 |title=Sussan Ley: Australia's Liberal Party names first female leader |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrn4x1xr2do |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="ABC News">{{Cite news |date=2025-05-13 |title=Sussan Ley becomes first woman to lead Liberal Party |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-13/liberal-party-new-leader-sussan-ley/105285148 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>
 
[[File:Sussan Ley 2019 (Higher Quality).jpg|thumb|left|100px|[[Sussan Ley]]]]Weeks after the election, on 20 May 2025, the National Party briefly dissolved the Liberal–National Coalition agreement. This resulted in the two parties operating separately for the first time since 1987. The Liberal Party thus became the sole opposition party,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staszewska |first=Ewa |date=20 May 2025 |title=No Coalition: How the Liberals and Nationals came together, and how they fell apart |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/no-coalition-liberals-nationals-how-they-came-together-how-they-fell-apart/a5fr9jqvn |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=SBS News}}</ref> though the Coalition was re-united on 28 May when the two parties agreed on several joint policies and unveiled a [[Ley shadow ministry|shadow ministry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/28/liberals-and-nationals-reach-agreement-to-reunite-coalition-a-week-after-dramatic-split|title=Liberals and Nationals reach agreement to reunite Coalition a week after dramatic split|author=Dan Jervis-Bardy & Josh Butler|work=The Guardian|date=28 May 2025}}</ref>

With her election as party leader, Sussan Ley became the first female leader of the Opposition at a federal level in Australian history. In her [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDCiaJdFc1E first address] to the [[National Press Club of Australia]] as leader in June 2025, Ley said:

{{quote|Aspiration is the foundation of the Australian promise: that if you work hard, play by the rules, do your best for your kids and contribute to your community, you will be able to build a better life for yourself and your family. That promise feels distant for many Australians today... As we seek to regain trust with all voters across our great country, the task before me – and my team – is to lead a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia and represents modern Australia.|Sussan Ley, 25 June 2025}}

[[File:Angus Taylor 2018 portrait black.jpg|left|thumb|133x133px|[[Angus Taylor]]]]
In January 2026, several National Party frontbenchers resigned from Ley's shadow cabinet due to significant ideological disagreements between the Liberal and National parties regarding hate speech laws drafted by the [[Albanese government]] in response to the [[2025 Bondi Beach shooting|Bondi Beach shooting]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=McIlroy |first=Tom |last2=Dhanji |first2=Krishani |last3=Jervis-Bardy |first3=Dan |date=21 January 2026 |title=Coalition in crisis as entire Nationals frontbench quits after division over Labor’s hate speech laws |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/21/nationals-coalition-frontbench-sussan-ley-hate-speech-bill |access-date=23 February 2026 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Jake |last2=Borys |first2=political reporter Stephanie |date=20 January 2026 |title=Senior Nationals quit frontbench after defying shadow cabinet on hate speech laws |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-21/nationals-ministries-doubt-coalition-split-hate-speech/106251594 |access-date=23 February 2026 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Ley accepted the resignations, which prompted all remaining National Party members of the shadow ministry to resign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Clare |date=21 January 2026 |title=Coalition on the brink as Nationals quit shadow ministry |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-21/nationals-coalition-littleproud-ley-hate-laws/106254676 |access-date=23 February 2026 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Eight remaining National Party MPs quit Coalition frontbench after policy split |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/eight-remaining-nationals-mps-quit-coalition-frontbench/87kwdxya8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260121180901/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/eight-remaining-nationals-mps-quit-coalition-frontbench/87kwdxya8 |archive-date=21 January 2026 |access-date=2026-02-23 |work=SBS News |language=en-AU |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-21 |title=Live: Nationals leave 'untenable' Coalition after mass frontbench resignation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-22/politics-live-blog-nationals-coalition-liberal-ley-littleproud/106255658 |access-date=2026-01-21 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Amid the height of the tension, National Party Leader [[David Littleproud]] announced the dissolution of the Liberal–National Coalition on 22 January.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-01-21 |title=Nationals leave 'untenable' Coalition after mass frontbench resignation — as it happened |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-22/politics-live-blog-nationals-coalition-liberal-ley-littleproud/106255658 |access-date=2026-02-23 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> This marked the second of two splits during Sussan Ley's leadership in one year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-22 |title=Australia's Liberal-National coalition splits after row over Bondi shooting reforms |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdexxy0k5w7o |access-date=2026-02-23 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> The two parties were re-united on 8 February after 17 days apart.

On 13 February 2026, [[Angus Taylor]] defeated Ley in a [[2026 Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill|leadership spill]], becoming leader of the party and leader of the Opposition.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-12 |title=Taylor says he will focus on standard of living and protecting 'our way of life' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-13/angus-taylor-becomes-liberal-leader/106339798 |access-date=2026-02-23 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Prior to the spill, Taylor resigned from the shadow cabinet during rising internal tensions and [[Opinion polling for the next Australian federal election#Voting intention|historically low opinion polling]], before calling for a spill on 12 February.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-12 |title=Liberal heavyweights resign ahead of leadership spill as pressure mounts on Ley |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/angus-taylor-quits-sussan-ley-leadership-challenge-countdown-begins/ebf401ed-3a38-49b4-9cb3-38af38c8b8b7 |access-date=2026-02-23 |website=Nine News |language=en}}</ref>

==Notable firsts==

* 1949: First Liberal Prime Minister: Sir [[Robert Menzies]] wins [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]].
* 1949: First woman in an [[Australian Federal Cabinet]]: Dame [[Enid Lyons]] appointed vice-president of the executive council in the [[Menzies government (1949–1966)|Menzies government]].
* 1966: First female minister in an Australian Government: Dame [[Annabelle Rankin]] becomes minister for housing in the [[Holt Government]].
* 1971: First [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] parliamentarian: [[Neville Bonner]] becomes a senator for Queensland.
* 1995: First female opposition leader to win an election: [[Kate Carnell]] becomes [[Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory]]
* 2010: First Aboriginal elected to [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]: [[Ken Wyatt]] becomes Member for [[Division of Hasluck|Hasluck]]
* 2013: First [[Palestinian-Australian]] treasurer of Australia: [[Joe Hockey]] appointed treasurer in the [[Abbott government]]
* 2013: First female foreign minister: [[Julie Bishop]] appointed to the role in the Abbott Government
* 2013: First Aboriginal leader of a state or territory: [[Adam Giles]] becomes [[Chief Minister of the Northern Territory]] as leader of the Liberal-affiliated [[Country Liberal Party]]
* 2015: First Aboriginal Assistant Minister in an Australian Government: Ken Wyatt becomes Assistant Minister for Health in the [[Turnbull government]]
* 2015: First female minister for defence: [[Marise Payne]] appointed to the position in Turnbull government
* 2017: First Aboriginal minister in an Australian Government: Ken Wyatt becomes minister for aged care and minister for Indigenous health in the Turnbull government
* 2017: First [[Armenian-Australian]] premier of an Australian state: [[Gladys Berejiklian]] becomes Premier of New South Wales
* 2018: First [[Jewish-Australian]] Treasurer of Australia: [[Josh Frydenberg]] appointed treasurer in [[Morrison Government]]
* 2019: First Aboriginal member for Federal Cabinet: Ken Wyatt appointed minister for Indigenous Australians in the [[Morrison government]]
* 2020: First [[Korean-Australian]] to lead a major political party: [[Elizabeth Lee (politician)|Elizabeth Lee]] becomes Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Capital Territory
* 2025: First female Federal Opposition Leader: [[Sussan Ley]] elected to lead the Liberal Party.

==State and territory level==
{{mcn|section|date=January 2026}}
{{needs expansion|date=January 2026}}
Since the Party's foundation, at the state level, the Liberals have been dominant for long periods in all states except Queensland, where they always held fewer seats than the National Party (though here the Coalition partners merged as the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] in 2008).

=== South Australia ===
{{main|South Australian Liberal Party}}

Following the foundation of the Liberal Party in 1944, the governing [[Liberal and Country League]] (LCL), held office as a Liberal affiliated Party led by [[Premier of South Australia|Premier]] [[Thomas Playford IV|Tom Playford]], and changed its name to Liberal in 1974. Playford was premier from [[1933 South Australian state election|1933]] to the [[1965 South Australian state election|1965 election]], though with assistance from an electoral [[malapportionment]], or [[gerrymander]], known as the [[Playmander]]. The LCL's [[Steele Hall (Australian politician)|Steele Hall]] governed for one term from the [[1968 South Australian state election|1968 election]] to the [[1970 South Australian state election|1970 election]] and during this time began the process of dismantling the Playmander. 

Liberal [[David Tonkin]] became premier at the [[1979 South Australian state election|1979 election]] for one term, losing office at the [[1982 South Australian state election|1982 election]]. The Liberals returned to power at the [[1993 South Australian state election|1993 election]], led by Premiers [[Dean Brown]], [[John Olsen]] and [[Rob Kerin]] through two terms, until their defeat at the [[2002 South Australian state election|2002 election]]. They remained in opposition for 16 years, under a record five [[Leader of the Opposition (South Australia)|opposition leaders]], until [[Steven Marshall]] led the party to victory in the [[2018 South Australian state election|2018 election]]. Marshall was ousted after just one term in 2022 by Labor's [[Peter Malinauskas]] [[2022 South Australian state election|in 2022]].

=== Western Australia ===
{{main|Western Australian Liberal Party}}

[[File:DavidBrand1963.jpg|thumb|100px|WA's longest serving Premier, [[David Brand]], won four elections for the Liberals in the 1960s]]

Sir [[Ross McLarty]] was the first Liberal [[premier of Western Australia]], winning elections for the newly formed party in [[1947 Western Australian state election|1947]] and [[1950 Western Australian state election|1950]]. Sir [[David Brand]] made his mark on the state as Liberal premier with four election victories from [[1959 Western Australian state election|1959]] to [[1968 Western Australian state election|1968]], finally losing to Labor in [[1971 Western Australian state election|1971]]. 

Brand continued as Liberal leader in Opposition until 1973, when he was succeeded by Sir [[Charles Court]] who went on to three election wins in 1974, 1977 and 1980 and was succeeded by [[Ray O'Connor]] who won in 1982, before being defeated by Labor's [[Brian Burke (Australian politician)|Brian Burke]] in 1983. Labor remained in office until 1990, a period marred by the [[WA Inc]] corruption scandals, and the Liberals returned to power in WA for much of the 1990s under [[Richard Court]], who won in [[1993 Western Australian state election|1993]] and [[1996 Western Australian state election|1996]] and losing to Labor in [[2001 Western Australian state election|2001]]. 

The Liberals returned to power [[2008 Western Australian state election|in the 2008 election]], which saw Labor defeated after seven years by [[Colin Barnett]], who became premier after securing support from the [[WA Nationals]] and three independents in a hung parliament. Barnett then won a landslide majority for the Liberal-National Coalition in the subsequent [[2013 Western Australian state election|2013 election]], with the Liberals attaining a majority in their own right. 

Barnett's Liberals suffered a heavy defeat in the [[2017 Western Australian state election|2017 election]] to Labor's [[Mark McGowan]], who again won emphatically in [[2021 Western Australian state election|2021]] following a period of popularity over his management of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The Liberals were reduced to two Lower House seats, leaving the Nationals as the largest opposition party with four seats. In 2025, the Liberals under [[Libby Mettam]] won just seven seats in the Lower House, and the Nationals six, enabling the Liberals to reclaim formal status as the main Opposition Party.

=== Victoria ===
{{main|Victorian Liberal Party}}

[[File:Jeff Kennett.jpg|thumb|100px|Reformist Victorian premier [[Jeff Kennett]] (1992–1999)]]

The Liberals were in power in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] from 1955 to 1982. [[Jeff Kennett]] led the party back to office in that state in 1992, and remained premier until 1999. [[Ted Baillieu]] led the Liberal-National Coalition to government in Victoria in [[2010 Victorian state election|2010]], ending a decade of Labor rule, but announced his retirement from politics ahead of the [[2010 Victorian state election|2014 election]]. He was succeeded briefly as Liberal premier by [[Denis Napthine]], and the one-term government who was defeated by [[Dan Andrews]], who went on to win three successive elections for Labor.

=== New South Wales ===
{{main|New South Wales Liberal Party}}

[[File:(1)Lindt Cafe Reopening 030.jpg|thumb|100px|NSW premier [[Mike Baird]] (2014–2017) at the site of the [[Lindt Cafe siege|Lindt Cafe terror attack]]]]
In New South Wales, the Liberal Party has not been in office as much as its Labor rival, and just three leaders have led the party from opposition to government in that state: Sir [[Robert Askin]], who was premier from 1965 to 1975, [[Nick Greiner]], who came to office in 1988 and resigned in 1992, and [[Barry O'Farrell]] who led the party out of 16 years in opposition in an historic landslide in 2011. The Coalition won a second consecutive landslide in [[2015 New South Wales state election|March 2015]], led by Premier [[Mike Baird]], who ran for election offering an ambitious program of transport and infrastructure development.<ref>[https://www.afr.com/politics/coalition-premier-mike-baird-wins-nsw-election-20150328-1m9zxo Coalition Premier Mike Baird wins NSW election], Financial Review, 29 March 2015</ref> 

Following Mike Baird's resignation in 2017, [[Gladys Berejiklian]] was elected party leader, becoming the first female Liberal premier and leading the Coalition to victory in the [[2019 New South Wales state election]]. Berejiklian and her successor [[Dominic Perrottet]] continued the Party's ambitious program of infrastructure development. The Coalition lost to Labor in the [[2023 New South Wales state election|2023 election]].<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/something-else-on-berejiklian-a-no-show-as-former-premiers-celebrate-metro-20240824-p5k4zx.html Berejiklian a no-show as former premiers celebrate metro]; Sydney Morning Herald, 24 Aug 2024</ref>

=== Tasmania ===
{{main|Tasmanian Liberal Party}}

[[Angus Bethune (politician)|Angus Bethune]] was elected as the first Liberal [[premier of Tasmania]] in [[1969 Tasmanian state election]], but Labor was returned in [[1972 Tasmanian state election|1972]] and governed until [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]] led the Liberals out of the wilderness in [[1982 Tasmanian state election|1982]], and won again in [[1986 Tasmanian state election|1986]]. [[Ray Groom]] won again for the Liberals in 1992 and 1996, before Labor enjoyed 16 years in power from 1998 until [[Will Hodgman]] won office for the Liberals in [[2014 Tasmanian state election|2014]], ushering in an extended period of Liberal government. Hodgman won the [[2018 Tasmanian state election|2018 election]], and his successors [[Peter Gutwein]] won in [[2021 Tasmanian state election|2021]], and [[Jeremy Rockliff]] in [[2024 Tasmanian state election|2024]] & [[2025 Tasmanian state election|2025]].

=== Queensland ===
{{main|Queensland Liberal Party}}

[[File:David Crisafulli photo 2025.png|thumb|121x121px|[[David Crisafulli]]]]
The Liberals were for decades the junior Coalition partner in Queensland, where the Nationals were dominant in a state with a decentralised population. Following the amalgamation of the Liberal and National Parties into the [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (LNP) in 2008, [[Campbell Newman]] led the LNP to a landslide victory in 2012, ending 13 years of Labor rule. However, Labor returned in the [[2015 Queensland state election]] and remained in power for nearly a decade until [[David Crisafulli]]'s victory in [[2024 Queensland state election|October 2024]].

[[File:Fourth Giles ministry.jpg|thumb|left|Country Liberal [[Chief Minister of the Northern Territory|NT Chief Minister]] [[Adam Giles]] (standing second left), the first Aboriginal Australian to head a State of Territory, with his ministers in 2015]]

=== Northern Territory ===
{{main|Country Liberal Party}}

[[File:Lia Finocchiaro Profile.jpg|thumb|100px|Country Liberal [[Lia Finocchiaro]] was elected [[Chief Minister of the Northern Territory]] in 2024]]
The dual aligned [[Country Liberal Party]] governed the [[Northern Territory]] from 1978 to 2001. 
After Labor rule in the [[Northern Territory]] from 2001, the Liberal affiliated [[Country Liberal Party]] returned to office in the [[Northern Territory]] in 2012 under [[Terry Mills (Australian politician)|Terry Mills]], and via a [[2013 Country Liberal Party leadership spill|2013 leadership spill]], elected [[Adam Giles]] as party leader, the first Aboriginal Australian to lead an Australian State or Territory.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/14/adam-giles-australia-aboriginal-leader Adam Giles becomes first Aboriginal leader of a provincial government], The Guardian, 14 Mar 2013</ref> Giles went on to lose the [[2016 Northern Territory general election|2016 Territory Election]], ushering in a decade of Labor rule. [[Lia Finocchiaro]] brought the Country Liberals back into office in [[2024 Northern Territory general election|2024 election]].

=== Australian Capital Territory ===
{{main|Canberra Liberals}}

[[File:Kate Carnell.jpg|thumb|100px|left|ACT Chief Minister [[Kate Carnell]] (1995–1998), was the first Liberal woman to lead a State or Territory and first woman to lead any party from Opposition into Government.]]
[[File:Elizabeth Lee MLA (cropped).jpg|thumb|100px|ACT Opposition Leader [[Elizabeth Lee (politician)|Elizabeth Lee]] (2020–2024), the first Asian-Australian to lead major party.]]

While Labor won government in the [[Australian Capital Territory]]'s inaugural [[1989 Australian Capital Territory election|election in 1989]], the Liberals [[Trevor Kaine]] became the first male [[Chief Minister of the ACT]] after a vote of no-confidence in the [[Rosemary Follett|Follett Government]] in December 1989, but lost the office by the same means, when [[Rosemary Follett]] returned in 1991. 

In winning the [[1995 Australian Capital Territory election|1995 election]], Liberal [[Kate Carnell]] became the first woman to lead any party from Opposition to Government in Australian history, serving as [[Chief Minister of the ACT]] from 1995 to 1998, succeeded by Liberal [[Gary Humphries]] who kept the party in office until 2000. 

The Liberals have remained out of office in the [[Australian Capital Territory]] since [[Gary Humphries]]' loss in 2000. In 2016 while the Federal Liberals narrowly won re-election in [[2016 Australian federal election|July 2016]], the  Canberra Liberals lost their fifth election in a row. [[Elizabeth Lee (politician)|Elizabeth Lee]], a Korean-Australian, won the leadership of the ACT Liberals in 2020, becoming the first Australian of Asian background to lead a major party.<ref>[https://www.sbs.com.au/language/korean/en/podcast-episode/act-liberals-elizabeth-lee-becomes-the-first-asian-leader-of-major-political-parties-in-australia/qkj0uim9m Korean-Australian politician Ms Elizabeth Lee was elected Leader of the Canberra Liberals and became Leader of the Opposition of the Australian Capital Territory.], SBS Korean, 21 Nov 2020</ref> Lee led the party to defeat in the [[2024 Australian Capital Territory election|2024 ACT election]].

The Liberal Party does not officially contest most local government elections, although many members do run for office in local government as independents. An exception is the [[Brisbane City Council]], where both [[Sallyanne Atkinson]] and [[Campbell Newman]] have been elected [[Lord Mayor of Brisbane]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/thepollvault/2007/11/can-do-campbell.html|title=The Poll Vault: Can do Campbell now the Libs man|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128104414/http://blogs.abc.net.au/thepollvault/2007/11/can-do-campbell.html|archive-date=28 November 2007}}</ref>

==Ideology==
{{Liberalism in Australia|Parties1}}
{{Conservatism in Australia|Parties}} 
{{See also|Liberalism in Australia|Conservatism in Australia}}
From its foundation, the Liberal Party has had a great internal diversity in policy positions among its members, primarily defining itself as an anti-Labor, anti-Socialist party that supports individual freedom and private enterprise.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Emergence of the Liberal Party of Australia |publisher=JSTOR |jstor=20634106 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |last1=Williams |first1=John R. |journal=The Australian Quarterly |year=1967 |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=7–27 |doi=10.2307/20634106 |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904081835/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20634106 |url-status=live|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hancock |first=Ian |title=The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party |date=1994 |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/ian-hancock/the-origins-of-the-modern-liberal-party |quote=History of Liberalism in Australia |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606011050/http://www.nla.gov.au/grants/haroldwhite/papers/ihancock.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The party's founder and longest-serving leader [[Robert Menzies]] envisaged that Australia's middle class would form its main constituency.

Towards the end of his term as Prime Minister of Australia and in a final address to the Liberal Party Federal Council in 1964, Menzies spoke of the "Liberal Creed" as follows:<ref name="The Australian-2009">{{cite news |date=26 October 2009 |title=We believe: the Liberal party and the liberal cause |url=https://www.theaustralian.com/news/opinion/we-believe-the-liberal-party-and-the-liberal-cause/story-e6frg6zo-1225791120808 |work=The Australian}} {{dead link|date=March 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|As the etymology of our name "Liberal" indicates, we have stood for freedom{{spaces}}... We took the name 'Liberal' because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing in the individual, his right and his enterprise, and rejecting the socialist panacea. We have realised that men and women are not just ciphers in a calculation, but are individual human beings whose individual welfare and development must be the main concern of government{{spaces}}... We have learned that the right answer is to set the individual free, to aim at equality of opportunity, to protect the individual against oppression, to create a society in which rights and duties are recognised and made effective.}}

Soon after the election of the [[Howard government]] the new prime minister [[John Howard]], who was to become the second longest-serving Liberal prime minister, spoke of his interpretation of the "Liberal Tradition" in a Robert Menzies Lecture in 1996:<ref>{{cite speech |last=Howard |first=John |author-link=John Howard |title=The Liberal Tradition: The Beliefs and Values Which Guide the Federal Government |event=1996 Sir Robert Menzies Lecture |date=1996-11-19 |url=https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/original/00010171.pdf |access-date=18 November 2024 |language=en |archive-date=28 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241128020250/https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/original/00010171.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|Menzies knew the importance for Australian Liberalism to draw upon both the classical liberal as well as the conservative political traditions. He believed in a liberal political tradition that encompassed both [[Edmund Burke]] and [[John Stuart Mill]]—a tradition which I have described in contemporary terms as the [[Broad church#In politics|broad church]] of Australian Liberalism.}}

Until the 2022 election, the Liberals were in electoral terms largely the party of the middle class (whom Menzies, in the era of the party's formation called "[[The forgotten people]]"), though such class-based voting patterns are no longer as clear as they once were. In the 1970s a left-wing middle class emerged that no longer voted Liberal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.auspsa.org.au/sites/default/files/the_australian_greens_and_the_moral_middle_class_robert_simms.pdf|title=The Australian Greens and the Moral Middle Class|first=Robert|last=Simms|publisher=Australian Political Studies Association|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=17 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317001349/https://www.auspsa.org.au/sites/default/files/the_australian_greens_and_the_moral_middle_class_robert_simms.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> One effect of this was the success of a breakaway party, the [[Australian Democrats]], founded in 1977 by former Liberal minister [[Don Chipp]] and members of minor liberal parties. During the prime ministership of John Howard, the Liberals did increasingly well among socially conservative working-class voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/22355/49047_1.pdf%3Bsequence=1|title=John Howard, Economic Liberalism, Social Conservatism and Australian Federalism|last=Hollander|first=Robyn|year=2008|publisher=Australian Journal of Politics and History|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803152134/https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/22355/49047_1.pdf%3Bsequence=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Until 2022 the Liberal Party's key support base remained the upper-middle classes—in 2010, 16 of the 20 richest federal electorates were held by the Liberals, most of which were safe seats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/mumble/index.php/theaustralian/comments/median_income_seats/ |title=Liberals still dominate the top end – Mumble |date=7 December 2010 |access-date=29 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628234504/http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/mumble/index.php/theaustralian/comments/median_income_seats/ |archive-date=28 June 2012 | url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the 2022 election, 16 of the 20 poorest seats in Australia were held by the Liberal Party,  while it held only five of the 20 wealthiest electorates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/the-people-who-need-a-voice-are-those-hit-by-rise-in-power-prices-john-roskam/ar-AAXBNKC |title='The people who need a voice are those hit by rise in power prices': John Roskam |publisher=Msn.com |date=2022-05-23 |accessdate=2022-06-08 |archive-date=8 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608042723/https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/the-people-who-need-a-voice-are-those-hit-by-rise-in-power-prices-john-roskam/ar-AAXBNKC |url-status=live}}</ref> In country areas they either compete with or have a truce with the Nationals, depending on various factors.

Menzies was an ardent [[Constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarchist]], who supported the [[monarchy in Australia]] and links to the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. Today the party is divided on the question of republicanism, with some (such as former leader [[Peter Dutton]]) being monarchists,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-11 |title=Australia's PM says referendum on republic not his priority |url=https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-king-charles-iii-prince-philip-australia-government-and-politics-e3ae71c8ab6a368f52ff3e4e9ea8ae0e |access-date= |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=20 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720141614/https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-king-charles-iii-prince-philip-australia-government-and-politics-e3ae71c8ab6a368f52ff3e4e9ea8ae0e |url-status=live}}</ref> while others (such as his successor [[Sussan Ley]]) are [[Australian republicanism|republicans]]. The Menzies government formalised Australia's [[ANZUS|alliance with the United States]] in 1951 and the party has remained a strong supporter of the mutual defence treaty.

Domestically, Menzies presided over a fairly regulated economy in which utilities were publicly owned, and commercial activity was highly regulated through centralised wage-fixing and high [[tariff]] protection. Liberal leaders from Menzies to [[Malcolm Fraser]] generally maintained Australia's high tariff levels. At that time the Liberals' coalition partner, the [[National Party of Australia|Country Party]], the older of the two in the coalition (now known as the National Party), had considerable influence over the government's economic policies. It was not until the late 1970s and through their period out of power federally in the 1980s that the party came to be influenced by what was known as the [[New Right]]—a conservative liberal group who advocated market deregulation, privatisation of public utilities, reductions in the size of government programs and tax cuts.

Socially, while liberty and freedom of enterprise form the basis of its beliefs, elements of the party include both what is termed ''small-l liberalism'' and social conservatism. Historically, Liberal governments have been responsible for the carriage of a number of notable socially liberal reforms, including the opening of Australia to multiethnic immigration under Menzies and [[Harold Holt]]; Holt's [[Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)|1967 Referendum]] on Aboriginal Rights;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx |title=Fact sheets – National Archives of Australia |publisher=Naa.gov.au |date=27 May 1967 |access-date=27 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104121728/http://naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx |archive-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[John Gorton]]'s [[Australian Council for the Arts|support for cinema and the arts]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://australianscreen.com.au/chronology/1960s/ |title=Chronology 1960s – ASO |publisher=Australianscreen.com.au |access-date=27 April 2010 |archive-date=22 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322233811/http://australianscreen.com.au/chronology/1960s/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and Malcolm Fraser's [[Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976]].

The Liberal Party is a member of the [[International Democracy Union]] and the [[Asia Pacific Democrat Union]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2016 |title=International Democracy Union - Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU) |url=http://idu.org/asia-pacific-democrat-union-apdu/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616235358/http://idu.org/asia-pacific-democrat-union-apdu/ |archive-date=16 June 2017 |access-date=12 June 2017 |website=[[International Democracy Union]]}}</ref>

== Factions ==
{{Further|Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Centre Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)}}
According to Ronald Mizen of ''[[The Australian Financial Review]]'', following the [[2025 Australian federal election|2025 federal election]] there are two major factional groupings in the federal parliamentary Liberal Party: the Moderates and the National Right. Factional alignments are "fluid and often built around personalities", with several individuals either identifying with multiple factions or remaining unaligned.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/how-a-crushing-defeat-shifted-factional-power-in-the-liberal-party-20250526-p5m27u|title=How a crushing defeat shifted factional power in the Liberal Party |newspaper=Australian Financial Review|date=29 May 2025|access-date=8 June 2025|first=Ronald|last=Mizen}}</ref> 

During the [[Morrison government]] years, the Liberal Party consisted of three broad factional groupings: a [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|moderate wing]], a [[Centre Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|centre-right wing]] and a [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|right wing]], led by [[Simon Birmingham]], [[Scott Morrison]] and [[Peter Dutton]] respectively, with the Centre-Right being the largest faction, with 32 of 91 Liberal MPs belonging to the group.<ref name=factions1>{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=1 February 2022 |archive-date=22 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322020317/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-s-who-in-the-liberals-left-right-and-centre-factions-20210303-p577gv.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[2022 Australian federal election]] saw a significant realignment of factional affiliations within the Liberal Party: the National Right became the largest faction with 27 of 65 Liberal MPs aligned with the faction, the Centre-Right went from being the largest faction to the smallest faction, plummeting from 32 members to just 6, the Moderates' membership dropped from 22 members to 14, while a Centrist faction emerged, comprising 11 members.<ref name=factions2>{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=How Morrison's shattering defeat gave Dutton a seismic shift in factional power |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 April 2023 |access-date=4 December 2023 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410122913/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-morrison-s-shattering-defeat-gave-dutton-a-seismic-shift-in-factional-power-20230330-p5cwoq.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2025, Ley of the moderate faction was elected leader of the party.<ref name="ABC News"/><ref name="bbc.com"/> Still, members of the Liberal Party often are grouped into the three-faction system.

==Organisation==
{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Leader
! House or Senate
! Electorate
! Faction
|-
! colspan=5| Party office
|-
! [[President of the Liberal Party of Australia|President]]
| [[John Olsen]]
| colspan=3 {{n/a}}
|-
! Treasurer
| Charlie Taylor
| colspan=3 {{n/a}}
|-
! Director
| Andrew Hirst
| colspan=3 {{n/a}}
|-
! colspan=5| Parliament
|-
! [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia|Leader]]
| [[Angus Taylor]]
| align=center| [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| [[Division of Hume|Hume]] (NSW)
| [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|-
! [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia#Federal deputy leaders|Deputy Leader]]
| [[Jane Hume]]
| align=center| [[Australian Senate|Senate]]
| [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]] ([[Australian Senate|Senate]])
| [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderate]]
|-
! [[Manager of Opposition Business in the House (Australia)|Manager of Opposition Business in the House]]
| [[Dan Tehan]]
| align=center| House of Representatives
| [[Division of Wannon|Wannon]] (Vic)
| [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|-
! [[Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate]]
| [[Jonathon Duniam]]
| align=center| [[Australian Senate|Senate]]
| [[Tasmania]] (Tas)
| [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|-
! Senate Leader
| [[Michaelia Cash]]
| align=center| Senate
| [[Western Australia]]
| [[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|-
! Deputy Senate Leader
| [[Anne Ruston]]
| align=center| Senate
| [[South Australia]]
| [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderate]]
|}

The Liberal Party's organisation is dominated by the six [[autonomous]] state divisions, reflecting the party's original commitment to a federalised system of government (a commitment which was strongly maintained by all Liberal governments bar the Gorton government until 1983, but was to a large extent abandoned by the Howard government, which showed strong centralising tendencies).<ref name="OER">{{cite journal |title=The Australian party system |url=https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/aust-politics-policy/chapter/the-australian-party-system/ |website=Open Educational Resources Collective |date=29 March 2024 |access-date=8 May 2025 |last1=Ghazarian |first1=Zareh }}</ref> Party policy is made almost entirely by the parliamentary parties as opposed to the federal and state and territorial party organisations, although Liberal party members do have a degree of influence over party policy.<ref name="Our Structure-2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|title=Our Structure|date=12 June 2013|access-date=17 May 2014|archive-date=7 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507162001/http://www.liberal.org.au/our-structure|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="OER"/>

The Liberal Party's basic organisational unit is the ''branch'', which consists of party members in a particular locality. For each electorate there is a ''conference''—notionally above the branches—which coordinates campaigning in the electorate and regularly communicates with the member (or candidate) for the electorate. As there are three levels of government in Australia, each branch elects delegates to a local, state, and federal conference.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

All the branches in an Australian state are grouped into a ''Division''. The ruling body for the Division is a ''State Council''. There is also one ''Federal Council'' which represents the entire organisational Liberal Party in Australia. Branch executives are delegates to the Councils ''ex-officio'' and additional delegates are elected by branches, depending on their size.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

Preselection of electoral candidates is performed by a special [[electoral college]] convened for the purpose. Membership of the electoral college consists of head office delegates, branch officers, and elected delegates from branches.<ref name="Our Structure-2013" />

===Federal parliamentary leaders===
{{Main article|Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia}}

{{empty section|date=November 2025}}

=== State and territory divisions ===
{{Main list|List of state divisions of the Liberal Party of Australia
}}

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:96%;"
!colspan=2 rowspan=3 |Division
!rowspan=3 |Leader
!colspan=7| Last election
!rowspan=3| Status
!rowspan=12 style="width:1px"|
! colspan="2" | [[Parliament of Australia|Federal representatives]]
|-
!colspan=4| Lower House
!rowspan=15 style="width:1px"|
!colspan=2| Upper House
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 2022–2025|MPs]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Members of the Australian Senate, 2022–2025|Senators]]
|-
!Year
!Votes (%)
!Seats
![[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]] (%)
!Votes (%)
!Seats
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}};"|
|[[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Queensland]]{{efn|The [[Liberal National Party of Queensland]] (LNP) is the result of a merger of the [[Queensland Liberal Party]] and the [[Queensland National Party]] to contest elections as a single party. It is officially a division of the federal Liberal Party, affiliated with The National Party.}}
|[[David Crisafulli]]
|align=center|[[2024 Queensland state election|2024]]
|align=right|41.5
|{{composition bar|52|93|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|align=right|53.8
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|Queensland has maintained a [[Unicameralism|unicameral legislature]] since 1922.}}
|bgcolor=#BBF3BB align=center|'''[[Crisafulli ministry|Majority government]]'''
|{{composition bar|10|30|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|{{composition bar|2|12|hex={{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Country Liberal Party}};"|
|[[Country Liberal Party|Northern Territory]]{{efn|The [[Country Liberal Party]] is an associate of both the Liberal and [[National Party of Australia|National]] parties on a federal level.}}
|[[Lia Finocchiaro]]
|align=center|[[2024 Northern Territory general election|2024]]
|align=right|49.0
|{{composition bar|17|25|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|align=right|57.1
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|The Northern Territory has a [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] parliament.}}
|bgcolor=#BBF3BB align=center|'''[[Finocchiaro ministry|Majority government]]'''
|{{composition bar|0|2|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|{{composition bar|1|2|hex={{party color|Country Liberal Party}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Tasmanian Liberal Party|Tasmania]]
|[[Jeremy Rockliff]]
|align=center|[[2024 Tasmanian state election|2024]]
|align=right|36.67
|{{composition bar|14|35|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|Tasmania uses a [[Semi-proportional representation|semi-proportional]] system and thus [[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]] is not calculated.}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|Tasmania elects [[Tasmanian Legislative Council|Legislative Councillors]] on a periodic basis, with elections held almost every year.}}
|{{composition bar|4|15|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#CCF9CC align=center|'''[[Second Rockliff ministry|Minority government]]'''
|{{composition bar|0|5|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|4|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[New South Wales Liberal Party|New South Wales]]
|[[Kellie Sloane]]
|align=center|[[2023 New South Wales state election|2023]]
|align=right|26.78
|{{composition bar|24|93|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|45.73{{efn|name=NSW|Combined with the [[New South Wales National Party]].}}
|align=right|29.78{{efn|name=NSW}}
|{{composition bar|9|42|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Liberal–National Coalition]] opposition
|{{composition bar|5|46|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|4|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}};"|
|[[South Australian Liberal Party|South Australia]]
|[[Ashton Hurn]]
|align=center|[[2022 South Australian state election|2022]]
|align=right|35.67
|{{composition bar|13|47|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|align=right|45.41
|align=right|34.38
|{{composition bar|8|22|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Shadow ministry of David Speirs|Opposition]]
|{{composition bar|3|10|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|{{composition bar|6|12|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|liberal sa}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Canberra Liberals|Australian Capital Territory]]
|[[Mark Parton]]
|align=center|[[2024 Australian Capital Territory election|2024]]
|align=right|33.5
|{{composition bar|9|25|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right {{N/A}}{{efn|The ACT uses a [[Semi-proportional representation|semi-proportional]] system and thus [[Two-party-preferred vote|TPP]] is not calculated.}}
|align=center colspan=2 {{N/A}}{{efn|The ACT has a [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] parliament.}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)|Opposition]]
|{{composition bar|0|3|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|0|2|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Victorian Liberal Party|Victoria]]
|[[Jess Wilson]]
|align=center|[[2022 Victorian state election|2022]]
|align=right|29.76
|{{composition bar|19|88|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|45.00{{efn|name=Victoria|Combined with the [[Victorian National Party]].}}
|align=right|29.44{{efn|name=Victoria}}
|{{composition bar|14|40|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Liberal–National Coalition]] opposition
|{{composition bar|6|39|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|3|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}};"|
|[[Western Australian Liberal Party|Western Australia]]
|[[Basil Zempilas]]
|align=center|[[2025 Western Australian state election|2025]]
|align=right|28.0
|{{composition bar|7|59|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|align=right|42.9
|align=right|27.27
|{{composition bar|10|36|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|bgcolor=#FFBBBB align=center|[[Western Australian Liberal Party|Liberal]]{{en dash}}[[National Party of Western Australia|National]] opposition alliance
|{{composition bar|5|15|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|{{composition bar|5|12|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
|-
|}

===Federal presidents===
{{Further|President of the Liberal Party of Australia{{!}}List of Federal Presidents of the Liberal Party}}
[[File:Liberal Party headquarters.jpg|thumb|right|R.G. Menzies House, the Liberal Party's national headquarters, in the Canberra suburb of [[Barton, Australian Capital Territory|Barton]]]]
{{empty section|date=November 2025}}

===Networks and party wings===
The Liberal Party has several party wings and networks. Major party wings include:

* The [[Australian Liberal Student's Federation]] (the students' wing)
* The [[Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia|Federal Women's Committee]] (the women's wing)
* The [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberals]] (the youth wing)

Other networks include an overseas wing (Australian Liberals Abroad)<ref name="Australian Liberals Abroad-2013">{{cite web | url=https://www.liberal.org.au/australian-liberals-abroad | title=Australian Liberals Abroad | date=12 June 2013 | access-date=21 September 2023 | archive-date=24 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924223942/https://www.liberal.org.au/australian-liberals-abroad | url-status=live}}</ref> and a [[Norfolk Island]] wing (operated by the [[Canberra Liberals]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party |title=Join the Party &#124; Canberra Liberals |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-date=28 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128184559/https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Election results==
===House of Representatives===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Position
! Status
|-
! [[1946 Australian federal election|1946]]
| rowspan=8| [[Robert Menzies]]
| 1,431,682
| 32.95
| {{Composition bar|15|74|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 15
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[1949 Australian federal election|1949]]
| 1,813,794
| 39.39
| {{Composition bar|55|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 40
| {{increase}} 1st
| rowspan=9 {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
![[1951 Australian federal election|1951]]
| 1,854,799
| 40.62
| {{Composition bar|52|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{decrease}} 2nd
|-
! [[1954 Australian federal election|1954]]
| 1,745,808
| 38.31
| {{Composition bar|47|121|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{steady}} 2nd
|-
! [[1955 Australian federal election|1955]]
| 1,746,485
| 39.73
| {{Composition bar|57|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 10
| {{increase}} 1st
|-
![[1958 Australian federal election|1958]]
| 1,859,180
| 37.23
| {{Composition bar|58|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
|-
![[1961 Australian federal election|1961]]
| 1,761,738
| 33.58
| {{Composition bar|45|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 13
| {{decrease}} 2nd
|-
![[1963 Australian federal election|1963]]
| 2,030,823
| 37.09
| {{Composition bar|52|122|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{steady}} 2nd
|-
![[1966 Australian federal election|1966]]
| [[Harold Holt]]
| 2,291,964
| 40.14
| {{Composition bar|61|124|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{increase}} 1st
|-
![[1969 Australian federal election|1969]]
| [[John Gorton]]
| 2,125,987
| 34.77
| {{Composition bar|46|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 15
| {{decrease}} 2nd
|-
![[1972 Australian federal election|1972]]
| [[William McMahon]]
| 2,115,085
| 32.04
| {{Composition bar|38|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| rowspan=2| {{steady}} 2nd
| rowspan=2 {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[1974 Australian federal election|1974]]
| [[Billy Snedden]]
| 2,582,968
| 34.95
| {{Composition bar|40|127|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
|-
![[1975 Australian federal election|1975]]
| rowspan=4| [[Malcolm Fraser]]
| 3,232,159
| 41.80
| {{Composition bar|68|127|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 28
| {{increase}} 1st
| rowspan=3 {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
![[1977 Australian federal election|1977]]
| 3,017,896
| 38.09
| {{Composition bar|67|124|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| rowspan=2| {{steady}} 1st
|-
![[1980 Australian federal election|1980]]
| 3,108,512
| 37.43
| {{Composition bar|54|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 13
|-
![[1983 Australian federal election|1983]]
| 2,983,986
| 34.36
| {{Composition bar|33|125|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 21
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| rowspan=5 {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[1984 Australian federal election|1984]]
| [[Andrew Peacock]]
| 2,951,556
| 34.06
| {{Composition bar|45|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| rowspan=4| {{steady}} 2nd
|-
! [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]]
| [[John Howard]]
| 3,175,262
| 34.41
| {{Composition bar|43|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
! [[1990 Australian federal election|1990]]
| [[Andrew Peacock]]
| 3,468,570
| 35.04
| {{Composition bar|55|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
|-
! [[1993 Australian federal election|1993]]
| [[John Hewson]]
| 3,923,786
| 37.10
| {{Composition bar|49|147|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
|-
! [[1996 Australian federal election|1996]]
| rowspan=5| [[John Howard]]
| 4,210,689
| 38.69
| {{Composition bar|75|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 26
| {{increase}} 1st
| rowspan=4 {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1998 Australian federal election|1998]]
| 3,764,707
| 33.89
| {{Composition bar|64|148|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 11
| {{decrease}} 2nd
|-
![[2001 Australian federal election|2001]]
| 4,244,072
| 37.40
| {{Composition bar|68|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{increase}} 1st
|-
![[2004 Australian federal election|2004]]
| 4,741,458
| 40.47
| {{Composition bar|74|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{steady}} 1st
|-
![[2007 Australian federal election|2007]]
| 4,546,600
| 36.60
| {{Composition bar|55|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}
| {{decrease}} 20
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| rowspan=2 {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
![[2010 Australian federal election|2010]]
| rowspan=2|[[Tony Abbott]]
| 3,777,383
| 30.46
| {{Composition bar|60|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|name=CA|Including the 17 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{steady}} 2nd
|-
![[2013 Australian federal election|2013]]
| 4,134,865
| 32.02
| {{Composition bar|74|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|Including the 16 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| {{increase}} 14
| {{increase}} 1st
| rowspan=3 {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2016 Australian federal election|2016]]
| [[Malcolm Turnbull]]
| 3,882,905
| 28.67
| {{Composition bar|60|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|name=LP|Including the 10 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room.}}
| {{decrease}} 14
| {{decrease}} 2nd
|-
! [[2019 Australian federal election|2019]]
| rowspan=2| [[Scott Morrison]]
| 3,989,435
| 27.97
| {{Composition bar|61|151|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|name=CA}}
| {{increase}} 1
| rowspan=3| {{steady}} 2nd
|-
! [[2022 Australian federal election|2022]]
| 3,502,713
| 23.89
| {{Composition bar|42|151|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|name=LP}}
| {{decrease}} 19
| rowspan=3 {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2025 Australian federal election|2025]]
| [[Peter Dutton]]
| 3,205,216
| 20.69
| {{Composition bar|28|150|color=#FFF|hex={{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}}}{{efn|Including the 10 LNP MPs who sit in the Liberal party room}}
| {{decrease}} 14
|}

===Election reviews===
{{expand section|small=no|date=March 2026}}

{| class="wikitable sortable; text-align:center"
|+ Australian federal elections
|-
! Election !! Election result !! Review title !! Panelists !! Ref
|-
| [[2025 Australian federal election|'''2025''']] ||rowspan=2 {{no|[[Parliamentary opposition|Opposition]]}} || [https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Tabled_Documents/15339 ''Review of the 2025 federal election''] ||
*[[Pru Goward]]
*[[Nick Minchin]]
|| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-03/inside-liberal-2025-election-review/106410316 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310233610/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-03/inside-liberal-2025-election-review/106410316 |archive-date=10 March 2026 |access-date=27 March 2026 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=3 March 2026 |title=Hidden review slams senior Liberals' lack of reflection after devastating election loss |first=Clare |last=Armstrong |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[2022 Australian federal election|'''2022''']] || [https://cdn.liberal.org.au/2022/2022_election_review.pdf ''Review of the 2022 Federal Election''] ||
*[[Pru Goward]]
*[[Nick Minchin]]
|| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-22/liberal-election-review-recommends-party-changes/101800030 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260217042337/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-22/liberal-election-review-recommends-party-changes/101800030 |archive-date=17 February 2026 |access-date=27 March 2026 |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=22 December 2022 |title=Liberals' election post-mortem blames COVID-19, scandals and faction warlords for loss |first1=Jake |last1=Evans |last2=Hitch |first2=Georgia |name-list-style=and |url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

===Results timeline===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%; text-align:center"
|-

! Year
! {{flagicon|Australia}}<br>[[Australia|AU]]
! class="unsortable"| 
! {{flagicon|Australian Capital Territory}}<br>[[Australia Capital Territory|ACT]] !! {{flagicon|New South Wales}}<br>[[New South Wales|NSW]] !! {{flagicon|Northern Territory}}<br>[[Northern Territory|NT]] !! {{flagicon|Queensland}}<br>[[Queensland|Qld]] !! {{flagicon|South Australia}}<br>[[South Australia|SA]] !! {{flagicon|Tasmania}}<br>[[Tasmania|Tas]] !! {{flagicon|Victoria}}<br>[[Victoria (state)|Vic]] !! {{flagicon|Western Australia}}<br>[[Western Australia|WA]]
|-
! 1945
| ''N/A''
| rowspan=82 bgcolor=lightgrey| 
| rowspan=44| ''N/A''
| rowspan=2| ''N/A''
| rowspan=29| ''N/A''
| rowspan=2| ''N/A''
| rowspan=2| ''N/A''
|  ''N/A''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.5
| rowspan=2|  ''N/A''
|-
! 1946
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 32.3
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.2

|-
! 1947
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| 29.6
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 25.7
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.4
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.2
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.2
|-
! 1948
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1949
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.4
|-
! 1950
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.5
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 29.9
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.5
| rowspan=5 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 47.6
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.7 <br> {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.1
|-
! 1951
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.6
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#BFC0F5; border-top-style:hidden"|
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1952
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 24.9
|-
! 1953
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.9
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 21.3
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.5
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.0
|-
! 1954
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.3
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1955
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.7
| style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.3
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.8
|-
! 1956
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.1
| style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 25.1
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.7
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.6
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.1
|-
! 1957
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.2
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1958
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.2
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|
{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.2
|-
! 1959
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.4
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.0
| rowspan=5 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.1
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.5
|-
! 1960
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 24.0
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1961
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.6
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.4
|-
! 1962
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.9
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.5
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.2
|-
! 1963
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.1
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1964
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=5 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.5
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.6
|-
! 1965
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.6
| rowspan=3 style="background:#A8E1ED; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.9
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 48.0
|-
! 1966
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.1
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 25.5
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1967
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.5
|-
! 1968
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.5
| style="background:#44B2C9; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 43.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|  style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 44.0
|-
! 1969
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.7
| style="background:#44B2C9;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal and Country League}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.0
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1970
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#A8E1ED; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.7
|-
! 1971
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 35.7
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.7
|-
! 1972
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.0
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 22.2
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.4
|-
! 1973
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.8
| style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#A8E1ED; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.8
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.3
|-
! 1974
| style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.9
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}} 
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  49.0
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 31.1
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.3
|-
! 1975
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.5
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1976
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 36.3
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.5
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.9
|-
! 1977
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.1
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{decrease}} 40.1
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 25.2
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.2
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 49.4
|-
! 1978
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.0
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1979
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 47.9
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.3
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.4
|-
! 1980
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.4
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 50.0
| style="background:#898BE8; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 26.9
|  rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 43.7
|-
! 1981
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 27.6
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#898BE8;border-top-style:hidden"|{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1982
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.7
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 48.5
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.3
|-
! 1983
| style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.4
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 58.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 14.9
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.9
|-
! 1984
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.1
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 32.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1985
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.9
|-
! 1986
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 16.5
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 54.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.3
|-
! 1987
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.4
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{decrease}} 39.4
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1988
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.5
|-
! 1989
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| 14.9
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 21.1
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 46.9
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 42.8
|-
! 1990
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.0
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 48.8
|-
! 1991
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.2
| rowspan=3 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1992
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 29.0
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.4
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 54.1
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.2
|-
! 1993
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.1
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 52.8
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.1
|-
! 1994
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 51.9
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1995
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.5
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 22.7
|-
! 1996
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.7
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.2
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 44.0
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.9
|-
! 1997
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 54.7
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 40.4
| style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 1998
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.9
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 37.8
| rowspan=3 style="background:#f5b25d ;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 16.1
| rowspan=4 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.1
|-
! 1999
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 24.8
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 42.2
|-
! 2000
|-
! 2001
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 37.4
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.6
| rowspan=4 style="background:#F7CC97; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 45.4
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 14.3
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.2
|-
! 2002
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 39.9
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 27.4
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.9
|-
! 2003
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 24.7
|-
! 2004
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 40.5
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.8
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 18.5
|-
! 2005
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#F7CC97; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 25.7
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.6
|-
! 2006
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 20.1
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 34.0
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 31.8
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 34.4
|-
! 2007
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.6
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 27.0
|-
! 2008
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.6
| rowspan=4 style="background:#F7CC97; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 45.4
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.4
|-
! 2009
| rowspan=3 style="background:#A2B7EB; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.6
| rowspan=4 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2010
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.5
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.7
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.0
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.0
|-
! 2011
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.6
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}

|-
! 2012
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.9
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 50.6
| style="background:#5B7FD4; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 49.6
|-
! 2013
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 32.0
| rowspan=3 style="background:#f5b25d ;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#5B7FD4;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 38.4
|-
! 2014
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 44.8
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 51.2
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.5
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2015
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 35.1
| rowspan=2 style="background:#A2B7EB; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 41.3
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2016
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.7
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.7
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#F7CC97; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.8
|-
! 2017
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=3 style="background:#A2B7EB; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.7
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.2
|-
! 2018
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 38.0
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 50.3
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 30.4
|-
! 2019
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 28.0
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 32.0
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
|-
! 2020
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.8
| rowspan=3 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}{{Colour box|{{party color|National Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#F7CC97; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 31.3
| rowspan=4 style="background:#A2B7EB; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 35.9
|-
! 2021
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 48.7
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 21.3
|-
! 2022
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 23.9
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 35.7
| rowspan=2 style="background:#4D50D1;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 29.7
|-
! 2023
| rowspan=4 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 26.8
|-
! 2024
| rowspan=3 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 33.5
| style="background:#f5b25d; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"|  {{increase}} 49.2
| style="background:#5B7FD4; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 41.6
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 36.7 <br> {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}

|-
! 2025
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 20.7
| rowspan=2 style="background:#f5b25d ;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Country Liberal Party }}|border=silver}}
| rowspan=2 style="background:#5B7FD4;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal National Party of Queensland}}|border=silver}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 39.9 
| rowspan=2 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{increase}} 28.0
|-
!2026
| rowspan=1 style="background:#BFC0F5; vertical-align:top"| {{decrease}} 19.7 {{efn|Results not yet final}}
| style="background:#4D50D1; color:#FFFFFF;border-top-style:hidden"| {{Colour box|{{party color|Liberal Party of Australia}}|border=silver}}
| {{N/A}} {{efn|The [[2026 Victorian state election]] will be held on 28 November 2026}}
|-
! Year
! {{flagicon|Australia}}<br>[[Australia|AU]]
! class="unsortable"| 
! {{flagicon|Australian Capital Territory}}<br>[[Australia Capital Territory|ACT]] !! {{flagicon|New South Wales}}<br>[[New South Wales|NSW]] !! {{flagicon|Northern Territory}}<br>[[Northern Territory|NT]] !! {{flagicon|Queensland}}<br>[[Queensland|Qld]] !! {{flagicon|South Australia}}<br>[[South Australia|SA]] !! {{flagicon|Tasmania}}<br>[[Tasmania|Tas]] !! {{flagicon|Victoria}}<br>[[Victoria (state)|Vic]] !! {{flagicon|Western Australia}}<br>[[Western Australia|WA]] 
|-
| colspan=13 align=left| '''Bold''' indicates best result to date.<br>{{Colour box|#bfc0f5|border=silver}} Present in legislature (in opposition)<br>{{Colour box|#7b7de8|border=silver}} Junior coalition partner<br>{{Colour box|#4d50d1|border=silver}} Senior coalition partner
|}

== Donors ==
{{update section|date=September 2024}}
{{See also|Political funding in Australia}}
For the 2015–2016 financial year, the top ten disclosed donors to the Liberal Party were: Paul Marks (Nimrod resources) ($1,300,000), [[Richard Pratt (Australian businessman)|Pratt Holdings]] ($790,000), Hong Kong Kingson Investment Company ($710,000), Aus Gold Mining Group ($410,000), [[Village Roadshow]] ($325,000), Waratah Group ($300,000), [[Walker Corporation]] ($225,000), Australian Gypsum Industries ($196,000), National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association ($177,000) and [[Westfield Corporation]] ($150,000).<ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party Group|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|website=periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831171109/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonorGroup.aspx|archive-date=31 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Summary by Party|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|website=periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au|access-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920120002/http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/SummaryDonor.aspx|archive-date=20 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Liberal Party also receives undisclosed funding through several methods, such as "associated entities". [[Cormack Foundation]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Liberal Party's Victorian branch takes biggest donor to court|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/liberal-partys-victorian-branch-takes-biggest-donor-to-court-20171122-gzqzv1.html|website=The Age|date=22 November 2017 |access-date=15 August 2025}} </ref> Eight by Five, Free Enterprise Foundation, Federal Forum and Northern Sydney Conservative forum are entities which have been used to funnel donations to the Liberal Party without disclosing the source.<ref>{{cite news|title=Australian political donations: Who gave how much?|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=24 October 2016 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/aec-political-donations-table/7959394|access-date=7 September 2017|archive-date=2 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402162754/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-24/aec-political-donations-table/7959394|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=ICAC findings into Liberal Party slush fund Eight By Five, illegal donations to be handed down|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=29 August 2016 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/icac-findings-liberal-party-slush-fund-eight-by-five-handed-down/7796194|access-date=15 August 2025|archive-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906094941/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/icac-findings-liberal-party-slush-fund-eight-by-five-handed-down/7796194|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Investigations close into political donations made to Liberal Party slush fund, Eightbyfive|url=https://www.theaustralian.com/national-affairs/investigations-close-into-liberal-party-slush-fund-eightbyfive/news-story/961ed5bc00740ba61ee384359e22866f|access-date=7 September 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Politics}}
* [[Country Liberal Party (Northern Territory)]]
* [[Liberal National Party of Queensland|Liberal National Party (Queensland)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)]]
* [[Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)]]
* [[List of political parties in Australia]]
* [[Turnbull Government]] (2015–2018)
* [[Abbott Government]] (2013–2015)
* [[Liberalism in Australia]]
* [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderates]]
* [[Young Liberals (Australia)|Young Liberal Movement of Australia]]
* [[List of major liberal parties considered right]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{Refbegin|40em}}

* [[Gerard Henderson|Henderson, Gerard]] (1994). ''Menzies' Child: The Liberal Party of Australia 1944–1994'', Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales.
* [[Dean Jaensch|Jaensch, Dean]] (1994) ''The Liberals'', Allen and Unwin, Sydney, New South Wales.
* Nethercote, John (ed.)(2001), ''Liberalism and the Australian Federation'', Federation Press, Annandale, New South Wales. {{ISBN|1-86287-402-6}}
* Simms, Marian (1982) ''A Liberal Nation: The Liberal Party and Australian Politics'', Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, New South Wales. {{ISBN|0-86806-033-X}}
* Starr, Graeme (1980) ''The Liberal Party of Australia: A Documentary History'', Drummond/Heinemann, Richmond, Victoria. {{ISBN|0-85859-223-1}}
* Tiver, P.G. (1978), ''The Liberal Party. Principles and Performance'', Jacaranda, Milton, Queensland. {{ISBN|0-7016-0996-6}}
**  Tiver, P. G.  "Political Ideas in the Liberal Party" (PhD Dissertation, ,Australian National University; ) ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  1973. 28820440) Full Text


{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Liberal Party of Australia}}
* {{official website|http://www.liberal.org.au/}}
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn1072848 Liberal Party of Australia ephemera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050107210728/http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn1072848 |date=7 January 2005}} digitised and held by the National Library of Australia
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090113023419/http://xena.lib.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/library?form=Accessions-new-3.sum&name_1=Liberal+Party+Of+Australia%2C+Victorian+Division&name_2=&group=&activit=&submit=Submit+Query Records of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party] held at the University of Melbourne Archives

{{Liberal Party of Australia}}
{{Leaders of the Liberal Party of Australia}}
{{New South Wales representatives}}
{{Victoria representatives}}
{{Queensland representatives}}
{{Western Australia representatives}}
{{South Australia representatives}}
{{Australian senators}}
{{Political parties in Australia}}
{{Politics of Australia}}
{{International Democracy Union}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liberal Party of Australia}}
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia| ]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Classical liberal parties]]
[[Category:Conservative liberal parties]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in Australia]]
[[Category:International Democracy Union member parties]]
[[Category:Liberal conservative parties]]
[[Category:Liberal parties in Australia]]
[[Category:Centre-right parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1945]]