Conservative Party of Australia

For the 2016–2019 party led by Cory Bernardi, see Australian Conservatives. For the 1989–1991 associated with Joh Bjelke-Petersen, see Australian Conservative Party.

Conservative Party of Australia
LeaderFast Bucks
FounderFast Bucks
Founded1984
Registered23 October 1984
Dissolved1998
HeadquartersByron Bay, New South Wales

The Conservative Party of Australia was a registered political party in 1984, but was deregistered by the AEC on 21 October 1998 as membership had fallen below the required 500 members.[1]

The party was established by Fast Bucks (formerly John Christopher Anderson and born Johannes Van De Knapp), who ran a banana and avocado farm in Byron Bay, New South Wales. It primarily campaigned on environmental issues and derived its name from conservation rather than conservatism. Bucks stated that the party's name was "as honest as the Labor Party representing the workers, the Liberal Party representing liberality, or the National Party representing the national interest".[2]

Although its "world headquarters" were in Byron Bay, the party chose to run in Queensland at the 1984 federal election, standing for the Senate.[2] During the campaign, Bucks was charged with cultivating marijuana and remanded in custody by the Byron Bay Magistrates Court. It was reported that he had a long criminal record in Victoria, including convictions for assault, resisting arrest, larceny and criminal damage.[3]

  1. ^ Australian Electoral Commission (2011). "Conservative Party of Australia". Party Registration. Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Fast Bucks applies for new title". The Canberra Times. 29 August 1984.
  3. ^ "Qld candidate Fast Bucks named as former criminal". The Canberra Times.