:Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party

The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party (AMEP) was formed on 11 May 2013 in Queensland at a public meeting of motoring enthusiasts.{{cite web |url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/about |title=AMEP - About |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822051526/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/about |archive-date=22 August 2014 }} The formation of the party followed moves by state governments, particularly in Queensland, to toughen anti-hooning and vehicle impoundment legislation.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/australian_motoring_enthusiast_party_forms |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226222150/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/australian_motoring_enthusiast_party_forms |title=Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Forms |archive-date=26 February 2014 }}

The Australian Electoral Commission registered the party on 9 July 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Registered_parties/files/aust-motoring.pdf|title=Register Of Political Parties : The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party|publisher=Aec.gov.au|access-date=13 January 2015}}

The AMEP's structure included State Councils and a Central Executive.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/constitution |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213205834/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/constitution |title= The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Constitution - April 2013 |archive-date=13 February 2014 }} The Queensland State Council and the Central Executive were formed when the party was established on 11 May 2013. At that point the Central Executive was made up of the Queensland State Council's office bearers.

The first Annual General Meeting of the AMEP was held on 11 July 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/agm_2013 |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014175138/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/agm_2013 |title=AMEP Annual General Meeting 2013 |archive-date=14 October 2013 }} The Queensland State Council office bearers were returned as the Central Executive's office bearers.

The Victorian State Council was formed on 17 July 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/victorian_state_council_of_amep_established |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228072034/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/victorian_state_council_of_amep_established |title=Victorian State Council of AMEP Established |author=Scott McDonald |archive-date=28 February 2014 }} The Western Australian State Council was formed on 23 July 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/western_australian_state_council_established |access-date=4 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726223934/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/western_australian_state_council_established |title=Western Australian State Council Established |date=25 July 2013 |archive-date=26 July 2014 }} The New South Wales State Council was formed on 7 August 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/new_south_wales_state_council_established |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818125457/http://www.australianmotoringenthusiastparty.org.au/new_south_wales_state_council_established |title=New South Wales State Council Established |author=Matthew Midson |date=8 August 2013 |archive-date=18 August 2013}}

The Victorian State Council was suspended by the party's executive in October 2013 over claims that it had set up a Facebook page without permission and had engaged in what ABC News reported as being labelled "illegal and unauthorised use of AMEP identification, confidential information, incorrect policy announcements, and the misuse of the party brand". The former chairman of the Victorian State Council, Scott McDonald, told the ABC that it was unclear why the action had been taken.{{cite news |last=Caldwell |first=Alison |title=Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party closes Victorian branch over 'blatant disregard' for national executive |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-07/amep-shuts-victorian-branch-ricky-muir/5003480 |access-date=9 October 2013 |newspaper=ABC News |date=8 October 2013}}

The party endorsed Senate candidates in the 2013 Federal Election in New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. The party had been involved in Glenn Druery's Minor Party Alliance.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-05/bitter-dispute-erupts-over-senate-preferences-in-queensland/4939300 |title=Bitter dispute erupts over Senate preferences in Queensland |first=Trevor |last=Bormann |work=ABC News |date=5 September 2013 |access-date=7 June 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/special-features/alliance-of-micro-parties-boosts-odds-for-likes-of-one-nation-or-shooters-and-fishers-gaining-senate-spot-through-preferences/story-fnho52jp-1226713114765 |title=Alliance of micro parties boosts odds for likes of One Nation or Shooters and Fishers gaining Senate spot through preferences |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=5 September 2013 |access-date=7 June 2016 |first=Alicia |last=Wood}}

Ricky Muir represented AMEP in Victoria and won a seat in the senate after preference distribution from a record-low primary vote of 0.51 percent or 17,122 first preferences{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/results/senate/vic/ |title=Senate Results: Victoria |work=ABC News |access-date=7 June 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-01/motoring-enthusiast-ricky-muir-wins-a-seat-in-australian-senate/4991882|title=Motoring Enthusiasts Party member Ricky Muir wins Senate seat |work=ABC News |access-date=13 January 2015|date=October 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2013/09/the-preference-deals-behind-the-strange-election-of-ricky-muir-and-wayne-dropulich-.html |title=Antony Green's Election Blog |publisher=Blogs.abc.net.au |access-date=13 January 2015|date=11 October 2011 }} he assumed his seat on 1 July 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/9/8/election/election-coalition-shy-senate-majority|title=ELECTION: Coalition shy of Senate majority |publisher=Businessspectator.com.au |access-date=13 January 2015|date=8 September 2013 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/tony-abbott-fires-a-warning-shot-at-micro-parties-in-the-senate-20130909-2tf5b.html |access-date=7 June 2016 |url-status=live |title= Tony Abbott fires a warning shot at micro parties in the Senate |first=Dan |last=Harrison |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131091322/http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/tony-abbott-fires-a-warning-shot-at-micro-parties-in-the-senate-20130909-2tf5b.html |archive-date=31 January 2016 |date=9 September 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/09/09/08/50/xenophon-wants-voting-reform |title=Xenophon wants voting reform |work=News.ninesn.com.au |access-date=13 January 2015 |archive-date=17 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117062411/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/09/09/08/50/xenophon-wants-voting-reform |url-status=dead }}

On 10 October 2013 Muir announced he would enter into an alliance with the Palmer United Party.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-10/clive-palmer-joins-forces-with-motoring-enthusiast-ricky-muir-i/5013556 |title=Clive Palmer issues warning to Government as Motoring Enthusiast Ricky Muir joins Senate voting bloc |publisher=Abc.net.au |date= 9 October 2013|access-date=13 October 2013}}

Muir's senior adviser was electoral consultant Glenn Druery, but he was sacked by Muir less than a month later and was escorted out of Parliament. Muir stated that Druery did not "get along with the staff".{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/senator-ricky-muir-sacks-chief-of-staff-glenn-druery-20140801-3cyf5.html |title=Senator Ricky Muir sacks chief of staff Glenn Druery |newspaper=The Age |date=1 August 2014 |first=Heath |last=Aston |access-date=7 June 2016}} Muir also hired former New South Wales state politician Peter Breen to advise him on legislation.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/novice-politician-ricky-muir-undone-by-a-veteran-in-the-business-or-questionable-tactics-20140609-39se4.html |title=Novice politician Ricky Muir undone by a veteran in the business or questionable tactics? |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 June 2014 |first=Matthew |last=Knott |access-date=7 June 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/muir-hires-expollie-to-help-with-legislation-20140701-3b6lg.html | title=Muir hires ex-pollie to help with legislation | work=Sydney Morning Herald | date=2 July 2014 | access-date=10 July 2014 | author=Aston, Heath}}

Muir lost his seat at the federal election held on 2 July 2016,{{cite web|title=Senator Ricky Muir|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=250024|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=4 August 2016}} leaving the AMEP without any representation in the federal parliament.

• Australian Motorist Party

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Defunct Australian political parties}}

Category:Defunct political parties in Australia

Category:Defunct political parties in Queensland

Category:Political parties established in 2013

Category:Political parties disestablished in 2017

Category:Recreational political parties

Category:2013 establishments in Australia

Category:2017 disestablishments in Australia

Category:Automobile associations in Australia