Liberal Party of Australia

As one of the two main parties in Australian politics, the Liberal Party of Australia is a right-leaning coalition partner to the left-leaning Labor Party. To replace the United Australia Party, it was formed in 1944.

In Australia's coalition government, the Liberal Party has a commanding position with the National Party. It has been over a century since the Liberal Party and its predecessors formed a government with the National Party. During the Abbott (2013–2015), Turnbull (2015–2018) and Morrison (2018–2022) administrations, the Coalition was in charge of the federal government. Liberal Party leader Morrison resigned after the party lost the 2022 Australian federal election. Josh Frydenberg, the deputy leader, also lost his seat, putting Peter Dutton, a veteran Liberal MP, in the best position to replace Scott Morrison as leader of the Liberal Party.

Every state and territory, as well as the Australian Capital Territory, have their own local Liberal parties (ACT). A member of this group is the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party (CLP). The Queensland state divisions of both the CLP and the Liberal National Party (LNP) were created via mergers of the local Liberal and National parties. Both New South Wales and Tasmania, where the Liberal Party has held government since 2011, and since 2014, respectively, are federally recognised states. In the states of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, as well as the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, the party is in opposition.

The conservative, liberal-conservative, conservative-liberal, and classical liberal ideologies of the party have all been used to describe it. Australian economic liberalism (free markets and limited government) and social conservatism are hallmarks of the Liberal Party. Sir Robert Menzies and John Howard, two former leaders of the party, hold the record for the longest tenures as Prime Ministers of Australia.