Home > National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party, originally called the Country Party, adopting the name of National Country Party in 1975 and adopting its present name in 1982. It has been the minor party in stable coalitions with the Liberal Party of Australia both federally and in most states, both in government and in opposition since the 1940s. In late 2003 the name "The Nationals" was adopted for the party nation-wide, a reflection of how the party is generally known.
1 History
The Country Party was formally founded in 1922, from a number of state-based parties such as the Victorian Farmers Union (VFU) and the Farmers and Settlers Party of New South Wales. It was formed by small farmers, particularly wheat-growers, who were dissatisfied with the economic policies of the Nationalist Party government of Billy Hughes. Many returned servicemen from World War I had been allocated land grants after the war, and some of these were former trade unionists who adopted union tactics to the cause of small farmers.
The VFU won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1918, and at the 1919Events January January 1 Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 Spartacist uprising Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution with Spartacist League in the forefront January 9 Spartacus federal elections the state-based country parties won seats in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia. They also began to win seats in the state parliaments. At the 1922 election the Country Party was established as a national party led by Dr Earle PageSir Earle Christmas Grafton Page ( August 8 1880 December 20 1961), Australian politician, was the eleventh Prime Minister of Australia. Born in Grafton, New South Wales, he was educated at state schools and the University of Sydney, where he graduated in of GraftonBrisbane on the Pacific Highway (Highway 1) Grafton (population 17,110), is a small city on the northern east coast of New South Wales, Australia. Situated on the Clarence River, Grafton is located approximately 640 kilometres north of the state capital,, NSW. It won enough seats to deny the Nationalists an overall majority. They demanded the resignation of Hughes as their price for supporting a Nationalist government. Page then became Treasurer in the government of Stanley Bruce.
Page remained dominant in the party until 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26, when his refusal to serve under Robert MenziesSir Robert Gordon Menzies ( 20 December 1894 14 May 1978), Australian politician, was the twelfth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia. He had a rapid rise to power, but his first term as Prime Minister was a failure. He spent eight years in th led to his resignation as leader. The coalition was re-formed under Archie CameronArchie Galbraith Cameron ( 22 March 1895 9 August 1956). Australian politician, was born in rural South Australia, the son of a Scottish-born farmer, and educated at state schools. He worked on his father's farm until 1916, when he joined the Australian A in 1940. In 1949 Arthur Fadden became Treasurer in the second Menzies government, which held office until 1966. This was the period of the Country Party's greatest power. From 1957 to 1989 the Country Party under Frank Nicklin and Joh Bjelke-Petersen dominated governments in Queensland. It also took part in governments in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia.
By the 1960s the Country Party was losing ground electorally to the Liberals as the rural population declined, and in 1975 it changed its name to the National Country Party as part of a strategy to expand into urban areas. This had some success in Queensland under Bjelke-Petersen, but nowhere else. The 1980s were dominated by the feud between Bjelke-Petersen and the national party leadership, which led to defeat at the 1987 federal election and the fall of the Nationals in Queensland in 1989. Since then the party has continued to decline electorally, losing formerly safe seats to the Liberals and to independents.
