Independent Labor (orIndependent Labour) is a description used in Australian politics, often to designate a politician who is an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member but not endorsed by the party at elections or if sitting in a parliament, not a member of the Labor party room caucus.[2] The label has also been used to describe candidate who identify with the labour movement, but not the ALP.[3][4]
The label is often used at local government elections, especially in states or local government areas where the ALP does not endorse any candidates.[5][6] However, registering a party or affiliation as an "Independent Labor" is not permitted in New South Wales under section 64 of the Electoral Act 2017, and the use of the term in electoral material is also considered an offence under section 180 of the act.[7][8]
The first Independent Labour MP in federal politics was James Wilkinson, who was elected at the 1901 election.[9] He had been a member of the ALP previously, and rejoined the party in 1903.[10]
In more recent years, the label has been rarely used outside of local elections. Former MP Brenton Best nominated as an Independent Labor candidate in 2017, and Territory LaborMPJeff Collins used the label after resigning from the party in 2019, before later joining Territory Alliance.[17][18]
On 23 August 2021, former Tasmanian Labor leader David O’Byrne resigned from the party caucus to sit as an Independent Labor MP, which he continued to do so until resigning his ALP membership on 4 February 2024.[19][20]
^"The age of independence? Independents in Australian parliaments"(PDF). Hawker Britton. Parliament of Australia. 21 September 2010. Archived from the original(PDF) on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2024. Some independents have also been current or former party members who did not fully support their party platform. These independents have chosen to indicate their independence of mind by prefixing the word 'independent' with their party name on the ballot paper (for example, Independent Labor).
^"Breakaway Labor Party formed". Border Morning Mail. 10 October 1950. A member of the organisation claims that the new party had already absorbed the Blackburn-Mutton group in Coburg, and was now forming new branches.
^Clune, David. "The Modern Legislative Council Committee System"(PDF). Parliament of New South Wales. p. 8. the Coalition needed the support of an Independent Labor group from 1967-73 to control the Council as imposing a check on the Government
^Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN0730984095.