The New Liberals

{{politics}}
'''The New Liberals''' (TNL) is an [[Australia]]n political party founded by Sydney barrister Victor Kline in 2019. The party's registration with the Australian Electoral Commission was completed in June 2021, over the objections of the [[Liberal Party of Australia]].<ref>Paul Karp. [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jun/03/new-liberals-registration-approved-despite-liberal-party-objection-over-voter-confusion New Liberals’ registration approved despite Liberal party objection over ‘voter confusion’]. [[The Guardian]], 3 June 2021.</ref> Prior to this, the party's first electoral participation consisted of an independent candidate who ran under the TNL banner in a 2020 by-election.<ref>Ben Smyth.[https://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/6763395/bringing-back-the-love-to-eden-monaro/?cs=1554 New Liberals candidate Karen Porter steps up for Eden-Monaro byelection]. Yass Tribune, 20 May 2020.</ref>

Unlike the "conservative liberal" [[Liberal Party of Australia]] (which Kline regards as being a misnomer),<ref>Victor Kline. [https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/ultra-conservative-the-liberal-party-is-far-from-liberal-,15093 'Ultra-conservative': The Liberal Party is far from liberal]. Independent Australia, 17 May 2021.</ref> TNL has "progressive liberal" policies and is seemingly attempting to reclaim the word "liberal" to be more in keeping with the way it is understood in the [[United States]]. TNL's policies include a [[Climate change|climate]] policy of net zero by 2035, the development of a federal anti-corruption commission, a full employment and job guarantee program, increased investment in social housing, and an economic policy based on [[Modern Monetary Theory]].<ref name=pol>[https://www.thenewliberals.net.au/policies/ Policies | The New Liberals]</ref> 

TNL declares the donations it receives in real time.<ref>[https://www.thenewliberals.net.au/real-time-donation-declarations/ Real Time Donation Declarations | The New Liberals]</ref>

Kline has announced that TNL will only be running candidates in seats currently held by the [[Liberal Party of Australia]] (as well as fielding Senate candidates) in the next Federal election,<ref>[https://twitter.com/victorklineTNL/status/1377437961495617541 Victor Kline] on Twitter.</ref> and will be encouraging voters to give last preference to the "old" Liberals (and their coalition partner, the [[National Party of Australia|Nationals]]) under Australia's [[Instant Runoff Voting|preferential voting system]].<ref name=pol/><ref>[https://twitter.com/victorklineTNL/status/1401505058617847813 Victor Kline] on Twitter.</ref>

In August 2021, the [[Liberal Party of Australia|"old" Liberals]] in Federal Government introduced a bill to Parliament to raise the minimum number of members for registered political parties from 500 to 1500, a move that seemed at least partly motivated by a desire to kneecap TNL, among other smaller parties and community groups.<ref name=karp>Paul Karp. [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/13/federal-electoral-reform-bills-criticised-by-small-parties-green-groups-and-charities Federal electoral reform bills criticised by small parties, green groups and charities]. ''[[The Guardian]]'', 13 August 2021.</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/victorklineTNL/status/1425626307698724876 Victor Kline] on Twitter.</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/AusProgressive/status/1425967268794535936/photo/1 Australian Progressives] on Twitter (media release).</ref> In a glorious example of the [[Streisand effect]], this indirectly resulted in the party gaining coverage in ''[[The Guardian]]''<ref name=karp/><ref>Bermet Talant. [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/13/morning-mail-act-lockdown-kandahar-captured-a-sexy-miss-marple Morning mail: ACT lockdown, Kandahar captured, a ‘sexy Miss Marple’]. ''[[The Guardian]]'', 13 August 2021.</ref> and ''{{wpl|Crikey|Crikey,}}''<ref>Emma Elsworthy. [https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/08/13/climate-emergency-ipcc-emissions/ The heat is on]. ''Crikey'', 13 August 2021.</ref> getting exposure by becoming a trending topic on Twitter, and most importantly, receiving nearly a thousand new financial membership applications in little over a day,<ref>[https://twitter.com/victorklineTNL/status/1426094301008719873 Victor Kline] on Twitter.</ref> which more than doubled the party's membership and easily overcame the new threshold. Among the new members was {{wpl|Alex Turnbull|Alex Turnbull,}} the son of former Prime Minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/alexbhturnbull/status/1425716383120166913 Alex Turnbull] on Twitter.</ref>  

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

==External links==
*[https://www.thenewliberals.net.au/ The New Liberals - official website] 

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[[Category:Australian political parties]]
[[Category:Social liberal political parties]]

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Categories: Australian political parties, Social liberal political parties