An independent politician is an individual politician not affiliated to any political party. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent.
Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties. Sometimes they hold a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, have an ideology comprising ideas from both sides of the political spectrum, or may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel that any major party addresses.
Other independent politicians may be associated with a political party, be former members of it, or have views that align with it, but choose not to stand under its label. Others may belong to or support a political party but believe they should not formally represent it and thus be subject to its policies.
Independents have rarely been elected to the federal Parliament of Australia, although they are more commonly elected to state parliaments. A large number of independents are former members of one of Australia's main parties, the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. On 16 July 2013 a political party named the Australian Independents was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. It was deregistered on 4 February 2016.[1]
House of Representatives[]
As of 2019, three independents sat in the Australian House of Representatives: Andrew Wilkie from Denison in Tasmania (former Greens candidate), Helen Haines from Indi in Victoria and Zali Steggall from Warringah in New South Wales.
Casual vacancies in the House of Representatives of independent members are filled in the same way as for party members, i.e., by a by-election.
Won election as independent[]
Member
Electorate
Term
Notes
Alexander Paterson
Capricornia, Qld
1901–1903
Independent Free Trade.
James Wilkinson
Moreton, Qld
1901–1904
Independent Labour. Joined Labour caucus in 1904.
Sir Frederick Holder
South Australia; Wakefield, SA
1901–1909
Elected as a Free Trader; became an independent on election as inaugural Speaker.
Previously served as a Revenue Tariffist, Liberal, Nationalist, and as the first leader of the Country Party.
Billy Hughes
North Sydney, NSW
1929–1930
Originally a Labor member and then a Nationalist, resigned to cross the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Formed the Australian Party in 1930, which merged with the United Australia Party in 1931.
Walter Marks
Wentworth, NSW
1929–1930
A Nationalist who crossed the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Joined the Australian Party in 1930, and then was defeated as a United Australia Party candidate in 1931.
A Nationalist who crossed the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Joined the Australian Party in 1930, and then the United Australia Party in 1931.
Sir Littleton Groom
Darling Downs, Qld
1929, 1931–1933
As the NationalistSpeaker of the House, refused to use his casting vote to save the Bruce Government. Defeated as an independent in 1929, but re-elected in 1931. Admitted to the United Australia Party in 1933.
Adair Blain
Northern Territory
1934–1949
As the member for the Northern Territory, only had the right to vote on matters directly relating to the Territory.
Percy Spender
Warringah, NSW
1937–1938
Independent United Australia Party. Defeated the endorsed UAP candidate and joined the party soon afterwards.
Independent Labor. First female federal independent MP.
Lewis Nott
Australian Capital Territory
1949–1951
As the member for the Australian Capital Territory, could only vote on matters directly affecting the Territory. Previously the Nationalist member for Herbert in Queensland from 1925 to 1928.
Sam Benson
Batman, Vic
1966–1969
Expelled from the Labor Party for supporting continued Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.
Ted Mack
North Sydney, NSW
1990–1996
Phil Cleary
Wills, Vic
1992, 1993–1996
Disqualified in 1992.
Peter Andren
Calare, NSW
1996–2007
Graeme Campbell
Kalgoorlie, WA
1995–1996
Expelled from the Labor Party for supporting Australians Against Further Immigration. Formed the Australia First Party in 1996.
Paul Filing
Moore, WA
1996–1998
Lost Liberal preselection and ran as an independent.
Pauline Hanson
Oxley, Qld
1996–1997
Disendorsed Liberal. Formed One Nation in 1997.
Allan Rocher
Curtin, WA
1996–1998
Lost Liberal preselection and ran as an independent.
Resigned from the Liberal National Party on election as Speaker.
Craig Thomson
Dobell, NSW
2012–2013
Expelled from the Labor Party.
Dennis Jensen
Tangney, WA
2016
Lost Liberal preselection.
Julia Banks
Chisholm, Vic
2018–2019
Resigned from the Liberal Party.
Craig Kelly
Hughes, NSW
2021–present
Resigned from the Liberal Party.
Senate[]
Independent Senators are quite rare. In modern politics, independent Brian Harradine served from 1975 to 2005 with considerable influence at times. Nick Xenophon was an elected independent Senator from his election to the Senate at the 2007 federal election. Xenophon was re-elected for another six-year term at the 2013 federal election.[2] He was re-elected at the 2016 double dissolution election under the Nick Xenophon Team. DLP Senator John Madigan became an independent Senator in September 2014,[3] but failed to be re-elected at the 2016 election. PUP Senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus became independent Senators in November 2014 and March 2015.[4][5] At the 2016 election, Lazarus lost his seat and Lambie was re-elected under the Jacqui Lambie Network. There are currently no independent senators.
On 21 May 1977, a referendum to amend Section 15 of the Constitution was approved to require future Senate casual vacancies to be filled by a member of the party represented by the former senator at the time of their election, if the state parliament chooses to fill the vacancy. However, this requirement does not apply to independent senators.
Won election or appointed as independent[]
Member
State
Term
Notes
William Trenwith
Victoria
1904–1909
Joined the Liberal Party at the Fusion of 1909.
Reg Turnbull
Tasmania
1962–1969, 1970–1974
Briefly leader of the Australia Party (1969–1970).
Syd Negus
Western Australia
1971–1974
Michael Townley
Tasmania
1971–1975, 1987
Joined the Liberal Party in 1975; resigned to sit as an independent again in 1987.
Cleaver Bunton
New South Wales
1975
Appointed by the New South Wales Parliament to replace a Labor senator.
Albert Field
Queensland
1975
Appointed by the Queensland Parliament to replace a Labor senator.
Brian Harradine
Tasmania
1975–2005
Jo Vallentine
Western Australia
1985–1990
Resigned from the Nuclear Disarmament Party and re-elected under the "Vallentine Peace Group" ticket. Joined the Greens WA in 1990.
Nick Xenophon
South Australia
2008–2016
Re-elected in 2016 under Nick Xenophon Team.
Not elected as independent[]
Member
State
Term
Notes
Thomas Glassey
Queensland
1903
Lost Protectionist preselection.
Anderson Dawson
Queensland
1906
Announced retirement but then changed mind too late to overturn Labor preselection; contested as independent.
Sir Josiah Symon
South Australia
1909–1913
Free Trader who refused to join the Liberal Party at the Fusion of 1909.
Cyril Cameron
Tasmania
1913
Lost Liberal preselection.
James Ogden
Tasmania
1925–1926
Expelled from the Labor Party. Joined the Nationalist Party in 1926.
Walter Duncan
New South Wales
1929–1930
A supporter of Billy Hughes who was excluded from the Nationalist Party along with Hughes and his lower-house colleagues who voted to bring down the Bruce Government. Joined the Australian Party in 1930 and the United Australia Party in 1931.
Robert Elliott
Victoria
1934–1935
Lost Country Party preselection.
John Daly
South Australia
1934–1935
Expelled from the state Labor party for supporting James Scullin's economic policies.
Tom Arthur
New South Wales
1943–1944
Lost Labor preselection.
Thomas Crawford
Queensland
1945–1947
United Australia Party senator who was not asked to join the new Liberal Party.
Agnes Robertson
Western Australia
1955
Lost Liberal preselection. Joined the Country Party three weeks later and won re-election.
Clive Hannaford
South Australia
1967
Resigned from the Liberal Party over the government's support for the Vietnam War.
Reg Wright
Tasmania
1978
Resigned from the Liberal Party.
Neville Bonner
Queensland
1983
Lost Liberal preselection.
George Georges
Queensland
1986–1987
Resigned from the Australian Labor Party.
Don Jessop
South Australia
1987
Lost Liberal preselection.
Irina Dunn
New South Wales
1988–1990
Appointed by the Nuclear Disarmament Party to fill the vacancy caused by Robert Wood's disqualification, and refused to resign to allow Wood to return to the Senate; subsequently expelled from the NDP. Contested 1990 election under the ticket "Irina Dunn's Environment Independents".
Janet Powell
Victoria
1992–1993
Resigned from the Australian Democrats. Contested 1993 election under the ticket "Janet Powell Independents Network".
Resigned from the Labor Party to accept the Liberal Party's nomination as Deputy President of the Senate. Sponsored the registration of the "Queensland First" political party but retired in 1999.
Resigned from the National Party in March 2002. Re-elected as an independent in 2003 and 2007. Resigned from parliament in August 2008 to contest the Lyne federal by-election.
Expelled from the Labor Party on 8 November 2006 after being charged with child sex offences. Resigned from parliament under threat of an expulsion vote on 13 November.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Tim Owen
Newcastle
2014
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party in August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Recontested the 2015 election as an independent and lost.
Expelled from One Nation in October 2000. Founded One Nation NSW in 2001. Resigned from One Nation NSW in December 2004 and served out his term as an independent.
Gordon Moyes
2009
Expelled from the Christian Democratic Party in March 2009. Joined the Family First Party in November 2009.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 1940 after winning the seat as an Independent Labor candidate. Re-elected as an independent until he was readmitted to the Labor Party in 1956.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 2004 after being charged with drink-driving offences. Readmitted in 2005, but expelled again in 2006 after further charges were laid.
Resigned from the Democratic Labour Party in June 2017 to join the Australian Conservatives. Resigned from the Australian Conservatives in August 2018.
Refused to support the merger of the Queensland Labor Party into the Democratic Labor Party. Re-elected as an independent in 1963 and 1966.
Ed Casey
Mackay
1972–1977
Resigned from the Labor Party in 1972 after losing preselection for the 1972 election, re-elected as an independent in 1972 and 1974, readmitted to the Labor Party in 1977.
Resigned from the Labor Party in January 2001 in the wake of the
Cate Molloy
Noosa
2006
Resigned from the Labor Party in August 2006 after losing preselection for the 2006 election
Aidan McLindon
Beaudesert
2010
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in May 2010 and sat as an independent until his new party, The Queensland Party, was formally registered in August
Rob Messenger
Burnett
2010–2012
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in May 2010. Defeated in 2012.
Alex Douglas
Gaven
2012–2013, 2014–2015
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in August 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Carl Judge
Yeerongpilly
2012–2013, 2014–2015
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in October 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Scott Driscoll
Redcliffe
2013
Suspended from the Liberal National Party in March 2013. Resigned from parliament in November 2013.
Billy Gordon
Cook
2015–2017
Expelled from the Labor Party in March 2015. Retired in 2017.
Rob Pyne
Cairns
2016–2017
Resigned from the Labor Party in March 2016. Defeated in 2017.
Rick Williams
Pumicestone
2017
Resigned from the Labor Party in October 2017 after being disendorsed for the 2017 election, at which he was then defeated as an independent.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 1977 after publicly opposing its policy on homosexuality.
Sam Piantadosi
North Metropolitan Region
1996
Resigned from the Labor Party in April 1996. Resigned from the Legislative Council in November to contest a Legislative Assembly seat at the 1996 election.
Mark Nevill
Mining and Pastoral
1999–2001
Resigned from the Labor Party in August 1999.
Tom Helm
Mining and Pastoral
2000–2001
Resigned from the Labor Party in July 2000 after losing preselection for the 2001 election.
Paddy Embry
South West
2003–2004
Resigned from One Nation in May 2003. Joined the New Country Party in 2004.
Alan Cadby
North Metropolitan
2004–2005
Resigned from the Liberal Party in June 2004 after losing preselection for the 2005 election.
John Fischer
Mining and Pastoral
2004–2005
Resigned from One Nation in June 2004.
Frank Hough
Agricultural
2004
Resigned from One Nation in June 2004. Sat as an independent until joining the New Country Party the same year.
Shelley Archer
Mining and Pastoral
2007–2008
Resigned from the Labor Party in November 2007.
Anthony Fels
Agricultural
2008
Resigned from the Liberal Party in July 2008. He sat as an independent for a period before recontesting that year's election as a Family First Party candidate.
Max Trenorden
Agricultural
2012–2013
Resigned from the National Party in late 2012 after losing preselection for the 2013 election.
Philip Gardiner
Agricultural
2012–2013
Resigned from the National Party in late 2012 in protest at Trenorden's preselection loss.
Appointed to a casual vacancy following the resignation of Independent No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon. Re-elected on an Independent Nick Xenophon Team ticket in 2014. Became purely independent in 2017.
Not elected as independent[]
Member
District
Term
Notes
James Wilson
Central No. 1
1915–1918
Expelled from the United Labor Party in 1915, sat as an independent until joining National Labor in 1917.
Frederick Wallis
Central No. 2
1918–1921
Expelled from Australian Labor Party in 1918.
Alfred von Doussa
Southern
1921
The Liberal Union refused to accept his preselection nomination for the 1921 election.
Resigned from the Labor Party to support the sale of ETSA in August 1998. Founded the SA First party in March 1999. Disbanded party and returned to sitting as an independent in 2002. Defeated in 2006.
Trevor Crothers
South Australia
1999–2002
Resigned from the Labor Party to support the sale of ETSA in June 1999. Defeated in 2002.
Resigned from the ALP in August 2009 and sat as an independent before joining the CLP in September 2011. Re-elected as a CLP member in 2012. Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent for two weeks before joining the Palmer United Party. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.
Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent before joining the Palmer United Party two weeks later. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.