Independent Labor (Australia)

This article is about the political affiliation in Australia. For the political grouping in New South Wales, see Independent Labor Group. For other uses, see Independent Labour Party (disambiguation).
Independent Labor
AbbreviationInd. Lab[1]
Victorian Legislative Assembly
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Independent Labor (or Independent Labour) is a description used in Australian politics, often to designate a politician who is an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member but not endorsed by the party at elections, or if sitting in a parliament, not a member of the Labor party room caucus.[2][3] The label has also been used to describe candidate who identify with the labour movement, but not the ALP.[4][5]

Registering a party or affiliation as an "Independent Labor" is not permitted in New South Wales under section 64 of the Electoral Act 2017, and the use of the term in electoral material is also considered an offence under section 180 of the act.[6][7]

As of October 2024, the only MP who is a rank-and-file member of the Labor Party yet is not part of the party's parliamentary caucus is Darren Cheeseman, a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

  1. ^ "Abbreviations of Political party names used in divisional profiles". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024. IND LAB Independent Labor
  2. ^ "Super six set for election collision course". The Courier Mail. The Queensland Times. 26 May 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  3. ^ MacDonald, Lucy (4 February 2024). "David O'Byrne quits Tasmanian Labor after 30 years to stand as an Independent in Franklin". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024. He was eventually kicked out of the parliamentary Labor Party but remained a Labor member, instead sitting as an Independent Labor MP.
  4. ^ "The age of independence? Independents in Australian parliaments" (PDF). Hawker Britton. Parliament of Australia. 21 September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2024. Some independents have also been current or former party members who did not fully support their party platform. These independents have chosen to indicate their independence of mind by prefixing the word 'independent' with their party name on the ballot paper (for example, Independent Labor).
  5. ^ Green, Antony (7 April 2009). "Fremantle By-election - Should the Liberals Run?". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Electoral Act 2017 No 66". legislation.nsw.gov.au. NSW Government. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Regulation of electoral material and election conduct". NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 November 2023.