Political parties in Australia
Australia has a two-party political system like the UK and the USA.
Since the end of World War 2 Australian politics has been dominated by two major parties:
- The Australian Labour Party (ALP)
- The Australian Liberal Party (LIB)
Liberal Party
On the right-leaning side, in favour of a more capitalist society, is the Liberal Party of Australia, the equivalent of Britain’s Conservative Party and America’s Republican Party. Australia currently has a Liberal government, led by Malcolm Turnbull.
Labor Party
On the left side of the political spectrum is the Australian Labor Party, the equivalent of the Labour Party in the UK and the Democratic Party in the US. This party promotes social change and equality of citizens. As the party on the opposite side of parliament to the government, it is currently the ‘Opposition’. The current Opposition Leader is Bill Shorten.
Greens
The third, and much smaller force, in Australian politics is the Greens. The Australian Greens, as the party is officially known, is positioned to the left of Labor with a strong focus on environmental issues. The leader is the party is Richard Di Natale.
The Nationals
Traditionally, the nationals share similar values to the Liberal Party and typically form a coalition government with them.
Independents and fringe
Due to the nature of Australian politics and voting, it’s not uncommon to see parliamentary members voted in as independents. Fringe parties like far-right One Nation also rise and fall over the term.
Source link: http://www.prepareforaustralia.com.au/living-australia/politics-economy/political-parties.aspx
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