National Party of Australia

An Australian political party, originally known as the Country Party and adopting its present name in 1975. They have been the minor party in a stable coalition with the Liberal Party of Australia both federally and in most states that holds both during government and in opposition since the 1940's.

When the coalition is in power in a particular parliament, the job of deputy Premier or Prime Minister is usually given to leader of the National Party in that parliament. For instance, the current federal leader, [John Anderson]?, is deputy Prime Minister to John Howard. Therefore, when Liberal Prime Minister Harold Holt died in office, his National depty [Doug Anthony]? was Prime Minister for a period of weeks whilst the Liberal Party elected a new leader. In the Queensland state parliament, the National Party has historically been the numerically stronger coalition partner so the converse arrangement applies.

Its support base and membership are closely associated with the agricultural community. Historically anti-union, the party has vacillated between state support for primary industries and free agricultural trade and has opposed tariff protection for Australia's manufacturing and service industries. They are usually pro-mining, pro-development, and anti-environmentalist. On social issues, they are generally regarded as the most conservative of Australia's mainstream parties. They strongly support the nuclear family (and thus oppose many measures recognising non-traditional relationships), oppose much of the agenda (including treaties, land rights, and apologies over perceived government mistreatment) of many Aboriginal leaders, and are the only mainstream party that has an official policy opposing an Australian republic (whilst the current leader of the Liberal Party opposes an Australian republic, many senior ministers are openly republican and are freely permitted to express those views).

Its membership and support base have been under strain in recent years, being caught between the populist economic and cultural demands of its rural electorate which has been increasingly attracted to [One Nation]? and independents, and pressure from voters in regional centres and its coalition partner to support economic orthodoxy and tolerant social policies.