Australian Democrats: centrist social liberalism in federal politics (1977–2007)

1. Australian Democrats founded under Don Chipp

   May 9, 1977Labels: Don Chipp, Australia Party, New Liberal

   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia
   • New LM

2. First Senate breakthrough at 1977 election

   Dec 10, 1977Labels: 1977 federal, Senate seats

   • Senate 1977
   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia

3. Party registers with the Australian Electoral Commission

   Jul 5, 1984Labels: Australian Electoral, party registration

   • AEC

4. Janine Haines becomes party leader in Parliament

   Aug 18, 1986Labels: Janine Haines, Senate leader

   • MOAD
   • Senate Bio
   • PEO

5. Australia Card bills defeated after civil-liberties fight

   Dec 1, 1986Labels: Australia Card, Janine Haines

   • Senate Bio
   • PEO

6. Democrats reach peak Senate vote share

   Mar 24, 1990Labels: 1990 federal, Senate vote

   • Senate Bio
   • Britannica
   • Wikipedia

7. Meg Lees begins leadership amid internal pressures

   Oct 15, 1997Labels: Meg Lees, Cheryl Kernot

   • Meg Lees
   • Wikipedia

8. Democrats help pass GST legislation in Senate

   Jun 28, 1999Labels: GST legislation, Howard Government

   • 1999 Australia
   • ABC
   • Meg Lees

9. Democrats reach peak Senate numbers

   Jul 1, 1999Labels: Senate composition, 1999 2002

   • Wikipedia
   • ABC

10. Natasha Stott Despoja elected leader by members

    Apr 6, 2001Labels: Natasha Stott, membership vote

    • Britannica
    • Wikipedia
    • Spill 2001

11. Leadership instability continues with interim leader Brian Greig

    Aug 23, 2002Labels: Brian Greig, interim leader

    • Brian Greig
    • Wikipedia

12. Andrew Bartlett takes leadership during electoral decline

    Oct 5, 2002Labels: Andrew Bartlett, electoral decline

    • Bartlett
    • Wikipedia
    • Britannica

13. Howard Coalition wins Senate majority, reducing crossbench leverage

    Oct 9, 2004Labels: 2004 federal, Howard Coalition

    • Fed 2004
    • Britannica

14. Lyn Allison becomes leader for final federal phase

    Nov 3, 2004Labels: Lyn Allison, party rebuilding

    • Lyn Allison
    • Wikipedia

15. 2007 election defeat ends Democrats’ Senate pipeline

    Nov 24, 2007Labels: 2007 federal, Senate defeat

    • ABC 2007
    • Senate 2007
    • IFES

16. Final Democrats senators leave federal Parliament

    Jun 30, 2008Labels: final senators, parliament exit

    • Lyn Allison
    • Britannica

17. AEC deregisters party after membership threshold failure

    Apr 16, 2015Labels: Australian Electoral, deregistration

    • AEC