An independent politician is an individual politician not affiliated to any political party. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent.
Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties. Sometimes they hold a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, have an ideology comprising ideas from both sides of the political spectrum, or may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel that any major party addresses.
Other independent politicians may be associated with a political party, be former members of it, or have views that align with it, but choose not to stand under its label. Others may belong to or support a political party but believe they should not formally represent it and thus be subject to its policies.
As the member for the Australian Capital Territory, could only vote on matters directly affecting the Territory. Previously the Nationalist member for Herbert in Queensland from 1925 to 1928.
Independent Senators are quite rare. In modern politics, independent Brian Harradine served from 1975 to 2005 with considerable influence at times. Nick Xenophon was an elected independent Senator from his election to the Senate at the 2007 federal election. Xenophon was re-elected for another six-year term at the 2013 federal election.[2] He was re-elected at the 2016 double dissolution election under the Nick Xenophon Team. DLP Senator John Madigan became an independent Senator in September 2014,[3] but failed to be re-elected at the 2016 election. PUP Senators Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus became independent Senators in November 2014 and March 2015.[4][5] At the 2016 election, Lazarus lost his seat and Lambie was re-elected under the Jacqui Lambie Network. There are currently no independent senators.
On 21 May 1977, a referendum to amend Section 15 of the Constitution was approved to require future Senate casual vacancies to be filled by a member of the party represented by the former senator at the time of their election, if the state parliament chooses to fill the vacancy. However, this requirement does not apply to independent senators.
Appointed by the Nuclear Disarmament Party to fill the vacancy caused by Robert Wood's disqualification, and refused to resign to allow Wood to return to the Senate; subsequently expelled from the NDP. Contested 1990 election under the ticket "Irina Dunn's Environment Independents".
Resigned from the Labor Party to accept the Liberal Party's nomination as Deputy President of the Senate. Sponsored the registration of the "Queensland First" political party but retired in 1999.
Resigned from the National Party in March 2002. Re-elected as an independent in 2003 and 2007. Resigned from parliament in August 2008 to contest the Lyne federal by-election.
Expelled from the Labor Party on 8 November 2006 after being charged with child sex offences. Resigned from parliament under threat of an expulsion vote on 13 November.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party on 6 August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Resigned from parliament on 12 August.
Stood aside from the Liberal parliamentary party in August 2014 due to Independent Commission Against Corruption investigations. Recontested the 2015 election as an independent and lost.
Expelled from One Nation in October 2000. Founded One Nation NSW in 2001. Resigned from One Nation NSW in December 2004 and served out his term as an independent.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 1940 after winning the seat as an Independent Labor candidate. Re-elected as an independent until he was readmitted to the Labor Party in 1956.
Expelled from the Labor Party in 2004 after being charged with drink-driving offences. Readmitted in 2005, but expelled again in 2006 after further charges were laid.
Resigned from the Democratic Labour Party in June 2017 to join the Australian Conservatives. Resigned from the Australian Conservatives in August 2018.
Resigned from the Labor Party in 1972 after losing preselection for the 1972 election, re-elected as an independent in 1972 and 1974, readmitted to the Labor Party in 1977.
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in May 2010 and sat as an independent until his new party, The Queensland Party, was formally registered in August
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in August 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Resigned from the Liberal National Party in November 2012 and sat as an independent until joining the Palmer United Party in April 2013. Resigned from the Palmer United Party in October 2014 and again sat as an independent until his defeat in 2015
Resigned from the Labor Party in April 1996. Resigned from the Legislative Council in November to contest a Legislative Assembly seat at the 1996 election.
Resigned from the Liberal Party in July 2008. He sat as an independent for a period before recontesting that year's election as a Family First Party candidate.
Appointed to a casual vacancy following the resignation of Independent No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon. Re-elected on an Independent Nick Xenophon Team ticket in 2014. Became purely independent in 2017.
Resigned from the Labor Party to support the sale of ETSA in August 1998. Founded the SA First party in March 1999. Disbanded party and returned to sitting as an independent in 2002. Defeated in 2006.
Resigned from the ALP in August 2009 and sat as an independent before joining the CLP in September 2011. Re-elected as a CLP member in 2012. Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent for two weeks before joining the Palmer United Party. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.
Resigned from the CLP in April 2014 and sat as an independent before joining the Palmer United Party two weeks later. Resigned from the PUP in November 2014 and again sat as an independent.