The Australian Christians is a political party in Australia that is described as socially conservative and Christian-conservative. It was founded in 2011 and was registered by the Australian Electoral Commission on 15 December 2011.[1] It is primarily active in Western Australia and contests both state and federal election, although it is yet to elect any representatives. The party aims to represent Christian values.[2]
Australian Christians | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President | Mike Crichton |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | 16 Guthrie Street, Osborne Park, Western Australia, 6017 |
| Ideology | Conservatism Social conservatism Christian right |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| Religion | Christianity |
| City of Rockingham | 1 / 13
|
| Website | |
| australianchristians | |
History
editThe party was formed after the Victorian and Western Australian branches of the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) voted to form a new party. The party has endorsed senate candidates in Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania and plans to expand into South Australia and Queensland.[3] The party has decided not to operate in New South Wales, where the CDP has one seat in the Legislative Council.[4]
The party contested the 2012 Melbourne state by-election, receiving about 1% of the vote. The party contested the 2013 Western Australian state election, receiving 1.95% of the vote.[5]
It also contested the 2013, 2016 and 2019 federal elections. At the 2016 federal election, Australian Christians fielded senate candidates for Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland and a total of eighteen candidates for seats in the House of Representatives across Victoria and Western Australia
The Party has been growing across Western Australia, and has contested all State and by-elections since 2011. The Party is headquartered in Osborne Park, WA.
In May 2017, Cory Bernardi, the leader of the Australian Conservatives, met the national and Victoria state leaders of the Australian Christians to discuss a merger between the two parties.[6] In September 2017, the Victoria state leadership of the Australian Christians agreed to merge the branch with the Conservatives, whilst the WA branch remained. (The Australian Conservatives subsequently ceased operating in June 2019).
The Western Australian branch stood candidates for both the House of Representatives and the Senate at the 2019 federal election.[7] It fielded candidates at the 2021 WA state election but did not win any seats.
The May 2022 federal election saw the Australian Christians contest WA seats, both in the senate and for nine in the House of Representatives.[8]
In October 2023, the party had its first ever electoral victory during the 2023 Western Australian local elections, with WA branch president Mike Crichton elected in Rockingham.[9][10] Crichton had run in the Rockingham by-election earlier in the year, receiving 2.44% of the vote.[11]
Election results
editSenate
| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats won |
# of overall seats |
+/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 54,154 | 0.40 #19 | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
|
| 2016 | 66,525 | 0.48 #18 | 0 / 76
|
0 / 76
|
|
| 2019 | 23,983 | 0.16 #28 | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
|
| 2022 | 33,143 | 0.22 #21 | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
|
Western Australia
edit| Election year | Legislative Assembly | Legislative Council | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # votes | % votes | # seats | +/– | # votes | % votes | # seats | # overall seats | +/– | |
| 2013 | 21,451 | 1.81 | 0 / 99
|
 0
|
23,877 | 1.95 | 0 / 22
|
0 / 42
|
|
| 2017 | 27,724 | 2.10
|
0 / 93
|
0
|
26,209 | 1.94 #7
|
0 / 22
|
0 / 42
|
0
|
| 2021 | 20,869 | 1.48 | 0 / 93
|
0
|
28,051 | 1.95 #6
|
0 / 22
|
0 / 42
|
0
|
Victoria
edit| Election year | Legislative Assembly | Legislative Council | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # votes | % votes | # seats | +/– | # votes | % votes | # seats | # overall seats | +/– | |
| 2014 | 26,560 | 0.79 | 0 / 93
|
0
|
35,164 | 1.03 #11
|
0 / 22
|
0 / 42
|
0
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Australian Electoral Commission. "Application for registration approved – Australian Christians". Australian Electoral Commission.
- ^ "About - Australian Christians". Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
- ^ "CDP - Australian Christians". Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ "NSW - Australian Christians". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ "Legislative Council - Results by Party". Western Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ "Cory Bernardi approaches Australian Christians for Family First-style merger". Crikey. 15 May 2017.
- ^ "How To Vote For Australian Christians - Australian Christians". 9 August 2020.
- ^ "Federal Candidates - Australian Christians". 5 October 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "We looked at the elections in over 120 Western Australian councils - here's what we found". 6 News Australia. 27 October 2023.
- ^ Welhan, Monique (30 October 2023). "New City of Rockingham councillors officially sworn in". Coast Live. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Rockingham by-election 2023 | Western Australia - Australian Christians