30-677: The Liberal Country Party (LCP) was a splinter group of the United Country Party , the Victorian branch of the Australian Country Party , formed after federal MP John McEwen was expelled from the state branch for accepting a ministry in the Lyons - Page Coalition government in 1937. Following a tumultuous party conference in 1938, another federal MP, Thomas Paterson , led a hundred McEwen supporters to form
60-465: A Coalition, the first time the two main non-Labor parties in Victoria had fought an election together since 1950. The Liberals had actually won a majority of the two-party vote in 1988, but came up five seats short of achieving government. It was believed that they had lost seats due to a number of three-cornered contests in rural areas. Cain soon realised that Labor would be heavily defeated if he took
90-711: A new Coalition agreement with the Liberals. The Liberals and Nationals fought the 1992 , 1996 and 1999 elections as a Coalition under Jeff Kennett . The Liberals actually won majorities in their own right in 1992 and 1996. Although Kennett thus had no need for the support of the Nationals, he retained the Coalition, with McNamara as Deputy Premier. However, after the Kennett government's shock defeat in 1999, McNamara's successor as Nationals leader, Peter Ryan , tore up
120-674: A political activity of the Victorian Farmer's Union , which became involved in state politics in 1916. It was then known as the Country Party for many years, until becoming "The Nationals" in 1975. In state parliament it is presently the junior partner in a centre-right Coalition with the Liberal Party , forming a joint Opposition bench. During periods of conservative government, the party's leader also serves as Deputy Premier of Victoria . The candidates sponsored by
150-532: A single block. "United" was dropped from the name in March 1947. The party has had a strained relationship with the Liberal Party of Australia for most of the time since the creation of the latter party in 1944. Following the sacking of Country Party leader John McDonald as Deputy Premier by the Liberals in 1948, in March 1949, the Liberals dissolved and formed the Liberal and Country Party, attempting to merge
180-777: The Victorian Farmers' Union from 1916 initially used the same name but in parliament also called themselves the Country Party . The Country Progressive Party split from the party in April 1926. In 1927 the VFU reorganised and renamed as the Victorian Country Party . The CPP and VCP combined in September 1930 as the United Country Party . In 1937, United Country Party federal MP John McEwen
210-421: The 1982 election , was dogged in its final term by a series of scandals and major corporate collapses which, like neighbouring South Australia , extended and deepened the early 1990s recession in those states. Unemployment reached 11.6% in Victoria in March 1992, with the manufacturing and textiles sector being particularly affected, while state debt was estimated at A$ 30 billion. The State Bank of Victoria ,
240-536: The 1988 state election , the Labor government had won a third term, gaining 46 of the 88 Legislative Assembly seats, but was sent reeling by a budget crisis. Despite this, polling indicated that the Liberal Opposition had been unable to gain any ground under Alan Brown , who had succeeded Jeff Kennett on 23 May 1989. Brown was, however, able to persuade the Nationals to agree to contest the next election as
270-532: The Upper House were also likely to slash the Nationals from four members to just one. Ten days prior to the election, Ryan gave what one commentator described the "speech of the campaign thus far" when he lambasted the major parties for their planned actions. "Welcome", he said, "to Survivor Spring Street", an exercise in reality politics in which "associations that in some instances have been developed for years, amount to an absolute hill of beans", one in which
300-487: The 1960s some seats were uncontested, which can distort the vote shares. 1992 Victorian state election Joan Kirner Labor Jeff Kennett Liberal/National coalition The 1992 Victoria state election , held on Saturday, October 3. was for the 52nd Parliament of Victoria . It was held in the Australian state of Victoria to elect all 88 members of the state's Legislative Assembly and 22 members of
330-492: The 44-member Legislative Council . The Labor government of Premier Joan Kirner , who had replaced John Cain on 10 August 1990, was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal – National Coalition led by Jeff Kennett and Pat McNamara , who had campaigned on comprehensive economic and structural reform as well as changes to industrial relations. It was the largest majority that the Coalition had ever won in Victoria. At
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#1732793724059360-766: The Andrews Government's position 28.9% of the time; of the parties in the Legislative Council, only the Liberal Democratic Party had a lower figure (22.1%). Ongoing leadership instability in the Liberal Party driven by John Pesutto's controversial attitude towards female MPs sparked media speculation in June 2023 that the Nationals might break the coalition to distance themselves from the Liberal infighting. Note that until
390-476: The Coalition agreement. The Nationals were steadily re-defining themselves as a party distinct from the Liberals. Soon after Ryan took over the leadership, they rebranded themselves as the " VicNats ." Ryan uttered several sharp criticisms of the Liberals' most prominent figures, particularly their no-tolls policy on the Melbourne Eastlink freeway and on former leader Robert Doyle 's remarks that
420-464: The Coalition gaining nine seats at Labor's expense. Ultimately, John Cain resigned on 7 August 1990, and on 10 August, Joan Kirner was elected leader. Despite her own personal popularity, support for the government had fallen to 22% by December, with analysts citing concerns over the state debt, lack of confidence in Victorian financial institutions, industrial relations problems and the severity of
450-594: The LCP, a faction of the party loyal to the federal party. The breach had been resolved by 1943. United Country Party (Australia) The Victorian National Party , officially known as the National Party of Australia – Victoria , is an Australian political party that serves as the state branch of the federal National Party in Victoria . It represents graziers, farmers, miners and rural voters. It began as
480-526: The Liberals and the Victorian branch of the Country Party together. This was seen by McDonald as a takeover attempt of the Country Party. Six Country MPs defected and joined the new party, which in 1965 became simply known as the Liberals. While its federal counterpart has been in Coalition with the Liberals and their predecessors for all but a few years since 1923, the Victorian Country (and later Nationals) branch fought elections separately from
510-565: The Liberals from 1952 to 1989. Even the presence of Victorian John McEwen as federal Country Party leader and the number-two man in the government from 1958 to 1971 didn't heal the breach. On 24 July 1975 the party changed its name to the National Party , following the Queensland branch who had made the change the previous year. Pat McNamara became leader of the Victorian Nationals in 1988, and two years later reached
540-578: The Liberals were twenty seats from government, a statement that assumed that the Nationals would support a Liberal government. In mid-2000, McNamara left the parliament and his hitherto safe seat of Benalla was also lost to the ALP. At the 2002 election , the Nationals received 4.3% of the primary vote, maintaining their seven seats in the Assembly and four seats in the Council; the combined total of eleven
570-556: The Nationals from power in 1999), an event which Ryan described as "an impossible dream". Premier Steve Bracks resigned unexpectedly in July 2007. Unlike the Liberal leader, Ted Baillieu , Ryan commended Bracks on his parliamentary career and thanked him for his professionalism. This action is in step with what one commentator describes as "an unprecedented warm relationship with the state Labor Government", which includes reciprocating support for committee chairs. The Nationals stayed on
600-620: The Victorian Economic Development Corporation (VEDC), Tricontinental and Pyramid Building Society failed, whilst the government-backed WorkCare insurance scheme was not in good shape. The Liberal party commenced an advertising campaign in January 1992 with the slogan "Labor: the Guilty Party". The 1990 federal election was the first major sign that all was not well for Victorian Labor, with
630-402: The crossbench until 2008, when they formed a Coalition with the Liberals under Ted Baillieu . The renewed Coalition narrowly won the 2010 state election , but was ousted after one term in 2014 . The Coalition arrangement was maintained while the two parties were in opposition. According to The Age, between November 2018 and November 2021, the Coalition's Legislative Council members voted with
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#1732793724059660-457: The eastern suburbs of Melbourne as well as provincial Victoria. Eight members of Kirner's cabinet were defeated. The Liberals actually won 52 seats, enough for a majority in their own right. Although Kennett thus had no need for National support, the Coalition was retained. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Both the government and opposition had gone through changes during the 1988–1992 term of Parliament. The Labor government, in power since
690-520: The election. While she remained more personally popular than Kennett, commentators had almost universally written off Labor by this time. The Coalition had been well ahead in opinion polling for over two years, and it was obvious almost as soon as the writs were dropped that Kennett would be Victoria's next premier. Victorian state election, 3 October 1992 Legislative Assembly << 1988 – 1996 >> Victorian state election, 3 October 1992 Legislative Council The Labor government
720-432: The party into the next election. He resigned in 1990, and was succeeded by Deputy Premier and Education Minister Joan Kirner . While Kirner was able to win some respect, she was unable to change Labor's fortunes. Prospects for a fourth Labor term became even more remote when Kennett's supporters launched a party room coup that returned him to the leadership on 23 April 1991. Kirner waited as long as she could before calling
750-406: The recession's effects in the state as the primary reasons for the low ratings. Meanwhile, on 23 May 1989, Jeff Kennett was dumped as leader of the Liberal Party by his colleagues in favour of Alan Brown ; Brown led the party until 23 April 1991 when he was himself dumped in a party room spill. During Brown's period as Opposition Leader, the Liberals negotiated the first coalition agreement with
780-472: The support offered through long-standing political partnership "is thrown back in your face". The Nationals went on to increase their primary vote to 5.17%, winning two seats in the Assembly which were offset by two losses in the Legislative Council (the upper house). One notable victory was in Mildura , where Peter Crisp defeated the incumbent Russell Savage (one of the three independents who had removed
810-453: The way that this fellow will be treated and reviled for the rest of his days. And justifiably so." Many commentators had stated that The Nationals were facing electoral oblivion at the 2006 election , especially when rumours emerged of a possible preference deal between the Liberals and the ALP which would favour the Liberals against the Nationals, and the ALP against the Greens . Changes to
840-518: Was defeated by the Coalition, with the latter winning 61 seats of 88 contested in the Assembly on an 8% swing against the Government, and 17 of 22 in the council with a swing of over 9%. It was the second-largest defeat that a sitting government has ever suffered in Victoria. This did, however, represent a considerable improvement in the Government's stocks from the 22-25% indicated in opinion polls in 1990 and 1991. The Liberals made gains primarily in
870-582: Was expelled from the state branch for accepting a ministry in the Lyons - Page Coalition government. Following a tumultuous party conference in 1938, another federal MP, Thomas Paterson , led a hundred McEwen supporters to form the Liberal Country Party (LCP), a new party loyal to the federal party. In April 1943, the LCP reconciled with the UCP. In the state election in June , the two parties notionally fielded separate candidates but formed
900-533: Was the minimum required to maintain Third Party status. However, they did manage to win back Benalla despite the ALP landslide; the only seat the ALP lost at that election. Relations with the Liberal Party soured further at the beginning of 2006 when Senator Julian McGauran defected from the Nationals to the Liberals. Federal party leader Mark Vaile accused McGauran of betrayal. Ryan was equally unsparing, saying of McGauran, "People treat deserters exactly in
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