AustralianPolitics.com
Originally known as the Country Party, The Nationals have held seats in the federal parliament since 1919.
Changing its name to the National Country Party in the 1970s, then to National Party in the 1980s, and finally to The Nationals in 2003, the rural-based party has seen a steady decline in its voter support base but it remains a crucial coalition partner to the Liberal Party in federal elections.
Archived News Items Aug 26, 2018: The First Morrison Ministry – Statistical Analysis May 29, 2018: No, William McWilliams Wasn’t The Last Country Party Member From Tasmania Dec 19, 2017: The Second Turnbull Ministry Reshuffled – Statistical Analysis Sep 04, 2017: Senate Refers Nash And Xenophon To High Court; Hinch And Gallagher Safe; Hanson Audit Motion Defeated Aug 14, 2017: Barnaby Joyce May Have New Zealand Dual Citizenship; Deputy PM Refers Himself To High Court May 10, 2017: Women In The 45th Australian Parliament Apr 01, 2017: Who’s Left – The Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 Feb 07, 2017: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Jan 18, 2017: Turnbull Ministry: Revised Statistical Analysis Sep 15, 2016: Final Two-Party Figures: Coalition Won 2016 Election With 50.36%; Swing To Labor Of 3.13% Sep 14, 2016: Damian Drum (Nats-Murray) – Maiden Speech Sep 14, 2016: Llew O’Brien (Nats-Wide Bay) – Maiden Speech Sep 14, 2016: Andrew Gee (Nats-Calare) – Maiden Speech Sep 02, 2016: How The Turnbull Government Lost Control Of The House Aug 30, 2016: 45th Parliament Opens; Members And Senators Sworn In; House Speaker And Senate President Re-Elected Unopposed Aug 30, 2016: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Aug 24, 2016: 2016 House Of Representatives Primary Votes: State-By-State Breakdown Aug 22, 2016: 2016 Senate Votes: A Higher But Fragmented Vote For Minor And Micro Parties Aug 21, 2016: The New Senate: The Defeated, The Retired, The New And The Returning Aug 20, 2016: MPs Who Won Their Seats On First Preferences In The 2016 Federal Election Aug 17, 2016: Election Funding Payments: 2016 Federal Election Aug 17, 2016: Seats Changing Hands At The 2016 Federal Election Aug 12, 2016: Government And ALP Agree On Senate Terms; First Elected To Get 6 Years Aug 07, 2016: 2016 Federal Election: The Oncers Who Have Become Twicers Aug 04, 2016: Getting Things Done In The New Senate Aug 04, 2016: One Nation Wins Another Seat In NSW; Coalition Loses One More, Leyonhjelm Returns; Crossbench Grows To 20 Aug 04, 2016: One Nation Wins Two Queensland Senate Seats; Coalition Loses Ground; ALP And Greens Unchanged Jul 31, 2016: New Members Of The House Of Representatives Jul 27, 2016: Election Funding Payments: 2016 Federal Election Jul 25, 2016: Northern Territory Senate Results Finalised: One Each To ALP And CLP Jul 18, 2016: The Second Turnbull Ministry – Statistical Analysis Jul 18, 2016: Turnbull Announces New Ministry Jul 14, 2016: Herbert Still Too Close To Call; LNP Leads By 44 Votes Jul 14, 2016: The 120 Seats That Swung To The ALP In The Federal Election Jul 14, 2016: Seats That Swung To The Coalition In The 2016 Federal Election Jul 13, 2016: National Swing To ALP Currently 3.17%; Swings To ALP In Every State And Territory Jul 11, 2016: Coalition Secures Absolute Majority Of 76; Labor Claims Cowan; Just Two Seats Still Undecided Jul 08, 2016: Government’s Victory Assured But Still No Definite Results In Key Seats Jul 07, 2016: Turnbull Government Returned To Office, But Majority Or Minority Status Still Not Clear Jul 07, 2016: Which Seats Have Changed Hands So Far In The Federal Election? Jul 06, 2016: Undecided Seats: Turnbull Edges Towards Narrow Victory Jul 05, 2016: Update On Undecided Seats – Hung Parliament Looks Most Likely Jul 03, 2016: House Of Representatives Undecided Seats: Latest Figures Jul 03, 2016: Provisional List Of House Of Representatives Seat Winners Jul 03, 2016: Turnbull Likely To Win Narrowly As Voters Punish Coalition; ALP Secures Nationwide Swing Of 3.18% But Falls Short Jun 11, 2016: A Cautionary Tale: Senate Votes In The 2013 Federal Election Jun 10, 2016: Parties And Groups Contesting The Senate In The 2016 Federal Election Jun 10, 2016: Breakdown Of House Nominations: 2016 Federal Election Jun 10, 2016: Nominations – House of Representatives & Senate 2016 Jun 09, 2016: Election Nominations: Three MPs Who Blundered Their Way Out Of Parliament Apr 10, 2016: The Ages Of The Turnbull Government Ministers Mar 13, 2016: John Forrest (Nat-Mallee) 1993 How-To-Vote Card Feb 27, 2016: John Cobb, Nationals MP, To Retire From Calare Feb 18, 2016: Turnbull’s New Ministers Sworn In; Joyce Now Deputy PM Feb 13, 2016: Turnbull Reshuffles Ministry Feb 11, 2016: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Feb 11, 2016: Barnaby Joyce Elected Nationals Leader; Nash New Deputy Dec 29, 2015: First Turnbull Ministry – Revised Sep 21, 2015: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Aug 30, 2014: Rebuilding Australia: Warren Truss Addresses Nationals Federal Council Jul 16, 2014: Sen. Matthew Canavan (Nats-Qld) – Maiden Speech Jun 17, 2014: Valedictory Speech: Senator Ron Boswell (Nats-Qld) Apr 30, 2014: Infrastructure For The 21st Century: Warren Truss Addresses The National Press Club Dec 04, 2013: Andrew Broad (Nats – Mallee) – First Speech Nov 29, 2013: Treasurer Joe Hockey Blocks ADM Takeover Of GrainCorp Nov 27, 2013: AEC Finalises $58 Million Of Election Funding To Candidates In Federal Election Nov 27, 2013: Election Funding Payments: 2013 Federal Election Oct 31, 2013: Seats Changing Hands At The 2013 Federal Election Oct 15, 2013: Orientation Day For New Members Of The House Of Representatives Oct 14, 2013: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Sep 16, 2013: The First Abbott Ministry: Statistical Analysis Sep 16, 2013: The First Abbott Ministry Announced Sep 10, 2013: Federal Election: Latest Results In Key Seats Sep 07, 2013: Abbott Leads Coalition To Decisive Victory; Rudd Saves The Furniture And Quits ALP Leadership; Labor Loses 14 Seats With Lowest Primary Vote Since 1931 Jul 01, 2013: The Nationals – 2013 Federal Constitution Jun 27, 2013: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Mar 06, 2013: John Forrest, Nationals Member For Mallee, Announces Retirement Feb 26, 2013: Scullion: A Genuine Sense Of Bipartisanship Feb 04, 2013: Current Federal Parliamentary Leaders Jan 27, 2013: “Our Plan” – Tony Abbott Releases Coalition Policy Document Dec 13, 2012: Today’s Electoral Anniversaries: Hughes And Fraser Nov 01, 2012: Current Federal Parliamentary Party Leaders Sep 19, 2012: Tony Abbott’s Revised Coalition Shadow Ministry Aug 03, 2012: Abbott Releases Foreign Investment Discussion Paper Jul 01, 2012: The Nationals – 2012-13 Policy Platform Feb 02, 2011: Tony Crook Supports Flood Levy Nov 15, 2010: Victorian Liberals Put The Greens Last As Labor Stitches Up A Deal Nov 04, 2010: Giving Substance To The Words Oct 29, 2010: Election Funding Payments: 2010 Federal Election Oct 27, 2010: George Christensen (LNP-Dawson) – Maiden Speech Oct 26, 2010: Ken O’Dowd (LNP-Flynn) – Maiden Speech Sep 30, 2010: Seats Changing Hands At The 2010 Federal Election Feb 09, 2010: Barnaby Joyce Doorstop Interview On Climate Change And Other Matters May 26, 2009: Turnbull Pushes For Delay of Emissions Trading Scheme Legislation Oct 19, 2008: ACT Government Teeters; ALP Massacred In NSW By-Elections Dec 20, 2007: Seats Changing Hands At The 2007 Federal Election Nov 26, 2007: Nationals Mark Vaile Quits Party Leadership Nov 24, 2007: 2007 Federal Election Night Reports Oct 23, 2007: MPs Retiring At The 2007 Federal Election Sep 17, 2007: Current Federal Parliamentary Party Leaders Jan 24, 2006: Howard Ministry; Nelson To Defence; Nats Lose; Turnbull Tapped Dec 09, 2005: Voluntary Student Unionism: Senator Boswell’s Speech Dec 09, 2005: Voluntary Student Unions Bill: Speech By Senator Barnaby Joyce Dec 09, 2004: Election Funding Payments: 2004 Federal Election Nov 17, 2004: Tony Windsor Accuses Anderson And McDonald Of Bribery Nov 17, 2004: John Anderson Denies Tony Windsor Allegations Oct 31, 2004: Seats Changing Hands At The 2004 Federal Election Oct 26, 2004: Fourth Howard Ministry Sworn In Sep 26, 2004: John Howard’s 2004 Election Policy Speech Sep 13, 2004: Howard And Anderson Release Coalition’s Water Policy Jul 05, 2002: John Anderson Says He Will Resign If Nationals Don’t Improve Position At Next Election Jun 17, 2002: Nationals Leader John Anderson Laments Loss Of Traditional Family Values Dec 06, 2001: Election Funding Payments: 2001 Federal Election Dec 01, 2001: National Party Members – House – 2001 Oct 22, 2001: National Party: John Anderson’s 2001 Federal Election Policy Speech Apr 01, 2001: A Statistical Analysis Of The Howard Ministry – 2001 Feb 17, 2001: Historic Labor Landslide In Queensland Election; Coalition Decimated; One Nation Wreaks Havoc On The Right Feb 14, 2001: The Reshuffled Howard Ministry – February 2001 Feb 11, 2001: The Difficult Task Of Winning A Third Term Jul 01, 2000: National Party Of Australia – 2000 Platform May 14, 2000: Nationals Concede Benalla To ALP May 13, 2000: Historic Victory As Labor Wins Benalla By-Election; Rural Voters Vent More Anger On Coalition May 13, 2000: Benalla By-Election A Test For National Party Nov 04, 1999: McNamara To Resign As Victorian National Party Leader Oct 22, 1999: National Party Dissolves Victorian Coalition Jul 01, 1999: Anderson And Vaile Elected National Party Leaders Jun 30, 1999: Tim Fischer To Retire On July 20 Dec 01, 1998: 1998 Federal Election: Two-Party-Preferred Statistics By State And Seat Nov 27, 1998: Election Funding Payments: 1998 Federal Election Nov 01, 1998: Members Of The House Of Representatives – 1998 Nov 01, 1998: National Party Members – House – 1998 Oct 04, 1998: VCEpolitics.com: 1998 Federal Election ? Week 6 Aftermath Oct 01, 1998: 1998 Federal Election: National Party Advertisement Sep 18, 1998: 1998 Federal Election: Tim Fischer National Party Campaign Launch Oct 20, 1997: The First Howard Ministry – October 1997 May 06, 1996: Howard Proposes Tighter Gun Control Laws And Gun Buy-Back Program In Response To Port Arthur Shootings Apr 01, 1996: National Party Members – House – 1996 Apr 01, 1996: House Of Representatives Members – 1996 Sep 22, 1989: Final Edition Of Newsvoice As Russell Cooper Replaces Mike Ahern As Queensland Premier May 09, 1989: Peacock Defeats Howard In Surprise Challenge; Nationals Replace Sinclair With Blunt May 09, 1989: John Kerin Comments On Leadership Changes In the Coalition May 09, 1989: How Much Does A Leadership Change Cost? May 09, 1989: Peacock And Blunt Announce Their Leadership Positions To The House of Representatives May 04, 1989: Michael Cobb Introduces Private Member’s Bill On Flag Desecration Jul 11, 1987: Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen Comments On The 1987 Federal Election Result Jul 11, 1987: Bob Hawke Claims Victory In 1987 Federal Election Jun 22, 1987: 1987 Federal Election: National Party Policy Speech May 27, 1987: Bob Hawke Announces The 1987 Double Dissolution Election May 25, 1983: Senator Ron Boswell (Nats-Qld) – Maiden Speech Mar 02, 1983: Final Television Broadcasts: 1983 Federal Election Mar 01, 1983: National Party Advertisement: Doug Anthony Feb 21, 1983: Doug Anthony: National Party 1983 Federal Election Policy Speech Dec 09, 1977: National Party – Richmond (NSW) Doug Anthony How-To-Vote Card Jun 30, 1977: So Sing It Loud – National Party Queensland Song Dec 13, 1975: 1975 Federal Election: The Count And Leaders’ Speeches Dec 11, 1975: 1975 Federal Election: Audio Clips From The Campaign Nov 26, 1975: Doug Anthony: Country Party 1975 Federal Election Policy Speech Apr 20, 1939: Earle Page’s Speech Attacking Robert Menzies