Independent Liberal (Australia)

The label was first used at a federal election in 1910, following the formation of the Commonwealth Liberal Party in 1907. The party dissolved in 1919, before the present-day Liberal Party of Australia was formed in 1944.

George Wise won the seat of Gippsland at that election as an Independent Liberal. He was a Protectionist who refused to join the party at the Fusion of 1909.

Bob Suggett won re-election in Moorabbin as an Independent Liberal in 1964 after losing party endorsement in 1961. He was then re-admitted to the party.{{Cite web |title=Suggett, Robert Harris |url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=1471 |archive-date=2011-03-31 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110331213808/https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=1471 |website=Parliament of Victoria}}

Bob Such served as an Independent Liberal in the South Australian House of Assembly from 2000 until his death in 2014.{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Tom |title=Bob Such's widow lashes Hospice closure |date=24 February 2015 |url=https://indaily.com.au/news/2015/02/24/bob-suchs-widow-lashes-hospice-closure/ |publisher=InDaily}} His widow, Lyn, said he never put 'Liberal' in his political branding because "if you’re independent, you’re independent – that was his thinking".{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Tom |title=Party over for "Independent Libs" as McFetridge snubbed by former colleagues |date=19 January 2018 |url=https://indaily.com.au/news/politics/2018/01/19/party-independent-libs-mcfetridge-snubbed-former-colleagues/ |publisher=InDaily}}

Pete Smith ran as an Independent Liberal at the 2015 South-West Coast Victorian state by-election to 'represent Liberal supporters who were not members of the party'. He achieved 1.8% of the vote.{{cite web |title=Ind Lib could split Vic by-election vote |date=25 September 2015 |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/ind-lib-could-split-vic-by-election-vote/3b51aa27-7768-4a99-9eaa-37cdd8b4ff68#JbcJThlG9kYsxjTc.99 |publisher=Nine News}}

Duncan McFetridge quit the Liberal Party in 2017 to sit as an Independent Liberal. He attempted to get permission from the party to formally use the description on the ballot paper at the 2018 state election, but was unsuccessful.

Activist Saru Rana contested the 2019 Enfield state by-election in South Australia as an Independent Liberal.

At the 2022 Victorian state election, former Liberal Party member Fred Ackerman ran as a 'Liberal Independent' on a ticket with Mark Barrow.{{cite news |title=Religious right roadmap to Liberal Party control revealed as internal ructions over church groups increase |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-07/religious-right-roadmap-infiltrate-liberal-party/101611840 |newspaper=ABC News|date=6 November 2022 }}{{cite web |title=LIVE RESULTS: All the seats changing hands & how every party went in the Victorian state election |date=13 December 2022 |url=https://www.6newsau.com/post/live-results-all-the-seats-changing-hands-how-every-party-went-in-the-victorian-state-election |publisher=6 News Australia}}

Western Metropolitan MP Moira Deeming started sitting as an Independent Liberal in April 2023 after receiving a 9-month suspension from the parliamentary party.{{cite news |last1=Ilanbey |first1=Sumeyya |last2=Eddie |first2=Rachel |last3=Smethurst |first3=Annika |title=Deeming spared expulsion after plea to colleagues and Pesutto backflip |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/moira-deeming-survives-ballot-to-expel-her-but-cops-nine-month-suspension-20230326-p5cvfg.html |access-date=27 March 2023 |work=The Age |date=27 March 2023 }}{{cite web |title=Mrs Moira Deeming |url=https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/moira-deeming/ |publisher=Parliament of Victoria}} She was later expelled from the parliamentary party in May 2023, but remains a rank-and-file Liberal member.{{cite news |title=Ousted Victorian MP Moira Deeming says she will never quit or resign from Liberal Party |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-14/ousted-victorian-mp-moira-deeming-interview/102344156 |newspaper=ABC News|date=14 May 2023 }}

Multiple members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly have been elected as Independent Liberals, including Harry Shearn (Maylands), Noel Butcher (Gascoyne), Bill Grayden (South Perth) and Edward Oldfield (Mount Lawley). Alfred Cove MP Janet Woollard began sitting as an Independent Liberal after her party, Liberals for Forests, dissolved in 2008.{{cite web |title=Extract from Hansard |url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/2f503fb3c166477fc825758d002cf6fd/$FILE/A38%20S1%2020090319%20p2219c-2240a.pdf |publisher=Parliament of Western Australia |page=1 |quote=I am an Independent Liberal, but as was pointed out today, I am not a member of the Liberal Party}}{{cite web |title=Alfred Cove |date=29 July 2008 |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/alfred-cove-ng-63ef189be7077fcae086a812e60a54f5 |publisher=PerthNow}} She was defeated at the 2013 state election.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2013/guide/alfr.htm|title=WA votes 2013|date=10 March 2013|accessdate=10 March 2013|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

Australian politicians have also been elected under other independent labels, including Independent Labor, Independent Free Trade, Independent UAP and Independent Socialist.{{cite news |title=Northern Territory Labor 'manufactured' leaks to drive out dissenters over budget crisis, politician says |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-22/northern-territory-labor-leak-drive-out-dissenters-budget-crisis/10663766 |newspaper=ABC News|date=22 December 2018 }}

• Independent National (Australia)
• Independent Labor (Australia)
• Independent politicians in Australia
• Teal independent

• Independent conservative, an independent politician in the United Kingdom or Canada with conservative views
• Independent Republican (United States), an independent who is a member of the US Republican Party
• Miscellaneous right, a miscellaneous conservative independent in France

{{Reflist}}

{{Liberal Party of Australia}}

Category:Liberal Party of Australia

Category:Political terminology in Australia