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Australian Liberty Alliance
Yellow Vest Australia (2019–2020)
Abbreviation
  • ALA
  • YVA
PresidentDebbie Robinson
Founded28 July 2015; 9 years ago (28 July 2015)[a]
Dissolved4 September 2020; 4 years ago (4 September 2020)[3]
HeadquartersSouth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Membership (2016)2,000[4]
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[6][13][14] to far-right[15]
Party affiliationParty for Freedom[b]
Colours
  •   Blue
  •   Red
Website
australianlibertyalliance.org.au
Part of a series on
Far-right politics
in Australia
Active organisations
Defunct organisations
People
Literature
Related topics
Part of a series on
Islamophobia
No mosque
Issues
Status by country
Examples
Attacks on mosques:

Genocide:

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Other incidents:

Media
Opposition
Logo of Yellow Vest Australia.

Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA), briefly known as the Yellow Vest Australia (YVA) between 2019 and 2020, was a minor right-wing to far-right political party in Australia.[19] The party was founded by members of the Q Society and has been described as the political wing of Q Society.[20] The leader was Debbie Robinson (President),[21] who was also national president of the Q Society.[22] On 4 September 2020, the Australian Electoral Commission removed the Yellow Vest Australia from the registered political party list.[3]

The party's core policy was opposition to Islam, with policies focusing on Muslim immigration such as enforcing "integration over separation", replacing multiculturalism with an integrated multi-ethnic society[23] and stopping public funding for "associations formed around foreign nationalities".[24] They vowed to "stop the Islamisation of Australia".[25] Party president Debbie Robinson has made a number of Islam-critical statements including that Islam is "a totalitarian ideology that does not separate its law from its religious entity" and that "Slowly but surely our Judeo-Christian values, ethics and customs are being replaced" and warned that "If we continue to tolerate Islam without understanding it, Australia as a free, secular democracy will be lost".[10][26][27]

Other policies included promoting smaller government, privatising public broadcaster SBS and scaling down the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, opposing taxpayer-funded subsidies for renewable energy, promoting advanced nuclear energy, ending dual citizenship for new citizenship applicants, simplifying the tax system with less income tax and a stronger focus on GST, improving public healthcare by more efficient cooperation with the private healthcare sector, advancing the 'natural family', and restoring civil society.[citation needed]

Policies and ideology

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The party released a manifesto listing twenty key policy areas, including "smarter smaller government", "integration over separation," and "real reconciliation: no place for apartheid in Australia." However, the party focused most of its efforts on its criticism of Islam. That included the party's policy to "stop the Islamisation of Australia",[28] and their efforts to bring to Australia noted anti-Islamic speakers such as Geert Wilders.[29]

Immigration

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The party was focused on stopping immigration from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries into Australia. It wanted Australia to focus its refugee efforts to preference white South African refugees, which the party claims have been victims of South African farm attacks. It also called for Islamic organisations, including mosques and Islamic schools in Australia to respect the human rights and Australian law.[citation needed]

One of their stated goals is to defend human rights and prevent any Sharia court system from being established.[30]

Environment

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The party claimed that they were "neither 'believers' nor 'deniers' when it comes to climate change". They were critical of propositions that taxing CO2 emissions would have a noticeable effect on the global climate system. ALA has raised doubts about the competency of certain scientists and that their studies "are not based on scientific fact, but on computerised speculations and consent among special interest groups", and about climate change in general with their claim that "extreme natural events were described in Australian poetry a century before the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change created hysteria about rising sea levels".[31]

Electoral history

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The Australian Liberty Alliance performed poorly at both state and federal elections it has contested.

The party was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 28 July 2015[32] and was officially launched at a private function on 20 October 2015 in Perth, with controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders and British anti-sharia activist Anne Marie Waters as keynote speakers.[33][22] The party had extensive connections with the international counter-jihad movement.[34]

At the 2016 Australian federal election, ALA fielded 13 senate candidates and 10 House of Representatives candidates. The party received only 25,337 primary votes in total in the House of Representatives and 102,982 primary votes or 0.74% of the total in the senate.[35] It recorded 0.66% of the senate vote in New South Wales and Victoria, 0.42% in South Australia, 0.33% in Tasmania, 1.08% in Queensland and 1.11% in Western Australia. Their best result in the House of Representatives was the Division of Farrer, where they polled 6.08%.[36] The party spent $1.5 million on the campaign.[10] On 7 April 2017, Kirralie Smith, a former candidate for the Australian Liberty Alliance and a member of the Q Society and Senate candidate for New South Wales in 2016, joined the Australian Conservatives.[37][38]

On 1 October 2018, ALA registered as a political party in Victoria, and contested the 2018 Victorian election.[39] Contesting only the district of Yan Yean, the party received 2.5% of the primary votes in the seat and 0.56% for the Victorian Legislative Council.[40] Avi Yemini ran for the party as the lead candidate for the Southern Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council, where the party received 2,075 votes or 0.48% of the total.[41]

The party has contested several by-elections where it also polled poorly. The party polled 0.85% of the vote at the 2017 Bennelong by-election,[42] 1.39% at the 2018 Batman by-election,[43] 1.18% at the 2018 Perth by-election,[44] and 0.20% at the 2018 Wentworth by-election.[45]

On 9 April 2019, the AEC approved the party's name change to "Yellow Vest Australia", in time to allow the party to field candidates at the 2019 Australian federal election under the party's new name. The party nominated two candidates for the Senate for Victoria and Western Australia. Party president Debbie Robinson (who was also the president of Q Society and stood for the Senate in WA) stated that the new name was inspired by the yellow vests movement in France, claiming that the movement shared the party's representation of "disgruntled voters who are concerned about globalism, immigration (and) the cost of living". She also hoped the change would end confusion with the name of the Liberal Party of Australia.[46]

Results

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Federal parliament

[edit]
House of Representatives
Election year # of
overall votes 		% of
overall vote 		# of
overall seats won 		+/–
2016 25,337 0.19 (#13/45)
0 / 150
 Steady
Senate
Election year # of
overall votes 		% of
overall vote 		# of
overall seats won 		# of
overall seats 		+/–
2016 103,035 0.74 (#12/49)
0 / 40
0 / 76
 Steady
2019 3,263 0.02 (#45/45)
0 / 40
0 / 76
 Steady

State parliaments

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Victorian Legislative Assembly
Election year # of
overall votes 		% of
overall vote 		# of
overall seats won 		+/–
2018 1,232 0.04(#15/15)
0 / 88
 Increase 0
Victorian Legislative Council
Election year # of
overall votes 		% of
overall vote 		# of
overall seats won 		# of
overall seats 		+/–
2018 20,065 0.56(#17/19)
0 / 40
0 / 40
 Increase 0

Deregistration

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In 2019, the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) reviewed all registered political parties, following the review the Australian Liberty Alliance voluntarily de-registered in Victoria. The Australian Liberty Alliance cannot re-register as a political party until after the 2022 State election.[47]

In 2020, the Australian Electoral Commission removed the Yellow Vest Australia from the registered political party list.[3]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Founded in July 2015,[1] the party was formally re-named on 7 April 2019, 41 days before the 2019 federal election.[2]
  2. ^ Party for Freedom's Geert Wilders was a keynote speaker at the foundation of the party in Perth[16] and was a high-profile figure touting an “anti-islam” party for Australia, based on his own party's values.[17][18]

References

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  1. ^ Robertson, Joshua (24 July 2015). "Reclaim Australia: 'concerned mums and dads' or a Trojan horse for extremists?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Change of party name, abbreviation and logo – Australian Liberty Alliance" (PDF). aec.gov.au. Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Yellow Vest Australia Voluntary Deregistration" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b Bourke, Latika (7 April 2016). "Australian Liberty Alliance, the anti-Islam, Donald Trump-style party, claims major growth". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ^ Barrett, Jonathan (26 October 2015). "Christian MP Fred Nile to work with anti-Islamic party inspired by Geert Wilders". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Wilders-backed ALA won't join Bernardi". Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ Bachelard, Michael (31 July 2015). "New Aussie anti-Islamic party guns for 20 per cent of the vote". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022.
  8. ^ "The Australian Liberty Alliance and the politics of Islamophobia". The Conversation. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020.
  9. ^ Charis, Chang (26 October 2015). "Is the Australian Liberty Alliance the next One Nation?". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d Seccombe, Mike (25 February 2017). "Inside the sick, sad world of the Q Society and the Australian Liberty Alliance". The Saturday Paper. Schwartz Media. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Stop the Islamisation of Australia". australianlibertyalliance.org.au. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  12. ^ Day, Lauren (21 October 2015). "Australian Liberty Alliance: Geert Wilders unveils Senate candidates amid warnings over 'blatant racism'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018.
  13. ^ "Anti-halal leader Kirralie Smith joins Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 April 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Controversial internet personality Avi Yemini trolls Australia Day protesters". news.com.au. 28 January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  15. ^ Le Grand, Chip (26 September 2015). "Disgruntled Liberals explore far-right party options". The Australian.
  16. ^ "Controversial Dutch MP Geert Wilders in Perth to launch anti-Islam party". ABC News. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022.
  17. ^ Medhora, Shalailah (9 October 2015). "Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders granted a visa for Australia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Geert Wilders calls anti-Islamic ALA 'Australia's first freedom party' – video". The Guardian. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024.
  19. ^ far-right:
  20. ^ "Debbie Robinson 🇦🇺 (@debbie1ala) | Twitter". twitter.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  21. ^ "About Us". Australian Liberty Alliance. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Australian Liberty Alliance: Geert Wilders unveils Senate candidates amid warnings over 'blatant racism'". Australia: ABC News. 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  23. ^ "Australian Liberty Alliance". Australian Liberty Alliance. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019.
  24. ^ "Manifesto and Core Policies" (PDF) (2nd ed.). Wembley, WA, Australia: Australian Liberty Alliance Management Pty Ltd. November 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Stop the Islamisation". Australian Liberty Alliance. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019.
  26. ^ "Q on: Why We Oppose Islam for Australia" (PDF). Q Society of Australia. 2 March 2011. Form Q11025R2 – Q Opposing Islam. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2011.
  27. ^ "Why We Oppose Islam: So much more than just another religion". Q Society of Australia Inc - Australia's Leading Islam-critical Organisation. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 September 2013.
  28. ^ Murray, Oliver (26 April 2016). "Far-right-wing parties after your vote on election day". news.com.au. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  29. ^ "Wilders Senate candidates include ex-Army officer, anti-halal campaigner". ABC News. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  30. ^ proitservice (29 September 2015). "Australian Law and Constitution". www.australianlibertyalliance.org.au. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  31. ^ "Natural Resources and Environment=". www.australianlibertyalliance.org.au. 29 September 2015. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  32. ^ "Australian Liberty Alliance". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  33. ^ Safi, Michael (9 May 2016). "Would-be senator Angry Anderson says he feels Australia's 'pain'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  34. ^ Bessant, Judith; Devries, Melody; Watts, Rob (2021). Rise of the Far Right: Technologies of Recruitment and Mobilization. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781786614933.
  35. ^ "Candidates for the 2016 federal election". Australian Electoral Commission. 11 June 2016. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  36. ^ "Australian Electoral Commission Tally Room, retrieved 27 July 2016". Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  37. ^ Federal Politics (8 April 2017). "Anti-halal leader Kirralie Smith joins Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  38. ^ "Kirralie Smith joins Australian Conservatives". Australian Conservatives. 7 April 2017. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  39. ^ "Currently registered parties - Victorian Electoral Commission". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  40. ^ "State Election 2018 results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  41. ^ "State Election 2018: Southern Metropolitan Region". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  42. ^ "Bennelong By-election". AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  43. ^ "Batman By-election". AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  44. ^ scheme=AGLSTERMS. AglsAgent; corporateName=Australian Electoral Commission; address=50 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra. "House of Representatives division information". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ "Wentworth, NSW". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  46. ^ "Far-right party rebrands as 'Yellow Vest Australia' for elections". news.yahoo.com. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  47. ^ "De-registration of the Australian Liberty Alliance". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
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