Liberal Party (1922)

The Liberal Party, Liberal Union or the Liberal Union Party, was a political party in Australia. It was based in Victoria and South Australia. Active mainly in 1922, the party was formed by members of the Nationalist Party of Australia who did not support the leader, Prime Minister Billy Hughes. 

The party was begun by two Victorian men, Thomas Ashworth and Charles Merrett. Two federal Nationalist MPs, Victorian William Watt and South Australian Richard Foster, joined the Liberal Party. In the 1922 federal election three more MPs (John Latham from Victoria, and Malcolm Cameron and Jack Duncan-Hughes from South Australia) were elected. 

When the new Country Party refused to support Hughes, he decided to retire and leave the Prime Ministership to Stanley Bruce. All five Liberals rejoined the Nationalist Party, although they remained officially Liberals until 1925.

References

Category:Political parties in Australia
Category:1925 disestablishments
Category:1920s disestablishments in Australia