Australia First Party
Australia First Party Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated | |
|---|---|
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| Abbreviation | AFP |
| President | Jim Saleam |
| Deputy Leader | Peter Schuback |
| Founder | Graeme Campbell |
| Founded | June 1996 |
| Registered | |
| Headquarters | Tempe,New South Wales,Australia |
| Newspaper |
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| Youth wing | Eureka Youth League |
| Ideology | Neo-fascism[9][5] |
| Political position | Right-wing[10][11]tofar-right[4][12] |
| National affiliation | Australian Coalition of Nationalists(since 2016) |
| International affiliation | Alliance for Peace and Freedom[13] |
| Colours | Blue,RedandBlack |
| Slogan | "Identity. Independence. Freedom." |
| House of Representatives | 0 / 151
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| Senate | 0 / 76
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| Eureka flag[14] | |
![Eureka flag[14]](/translate/en.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AEureka_Flag.svg&t=vi) | |
| Website | |
| australiafirstparty | |
| Part of a series on |
| Far-right politics in Australia |
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TheAustralia First Party(AFP), officially known as theAustralia First Party (NSW) Incorporated,is anAustralian nationalistpolitical party founded in 1996 byGraeme Campbell,a former member of theAustralian Labor Party.The policies of the party have been described asnationalist,anti-multiculturalandeconomically protectionist,advocating for strict immigration controls, the prioritization of Australian citizens in employment, and the promotion of Australian culture and values. The party's logo includes theSouthern Crossof theEureka Flag.
The AFP's current leader,Jim Saleam,is aLebanese Australian,a convictedarsonist,a former member of theNational Socialist Party of Australiaand founder of the militant Australianwhite nationalistgroupNational Action.The party has been accused of having ties withfascism[9]andneo-Nazism.[15]In October 2022, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) released a report in which it classified the AFP as a "white nationalist" and "anti-immigrant" group.[7]
As of July 2024, the party is only registered forlocal government electionswith theNew South Wales Electoral Commission(NSWEC) as "Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated (Councils)".[16]
History
[edit]Campbell era
[edit]The Australia First Party was established in June 1996 byGraeme Campbell,and registered as a political party by theAustralian Electoral Commission(AEC) on 13 September 1996. Campbell had been the federalLabormember forKalgoorliesince 1980. However, he was disendorsed by Labor in 1995, and continued to sit in parliament as an independent. He was reelected as an independent at the1996 Australian federal election,and formed AFP soon after. However, AFP was not successful at the1998 federal electionand Campbell lost his seat, blaming his loss on Australia First being eclipsed byOne Nation.In 2009, he claimed that, if not for the presence of a One Nation candidate, he would have picked up an additional 8.5% of the vote, which would have been enough to keep him in the race.
Campbell remained Australia First's leader until June 2001, when he left the party to stand (unsuccessfully) as a One NationSenatecandidate inWestern Australia.At the2004 federal election,Campbell attempted unsuccessfully to regain his old federal seat as an independent. He again stood for the Senate in Western Australia at the2007 federal electionas an independent, but only achieved 0.13% of the vote.[17]
Saleam era
[edit]Saleam has served two jail terms, one for property offences andfraudin 1984 and one for being anaccessory before the factin 1989 for his involvement in theshotgunattack on the home ofAfrican National Congressrepresentative Eddie Funde.[18]
In 2002,Jim Saleamran as an AFP candidate for a seat onMarrickvillecouncil, New South Wales, claiming "to oppose Marrickville being a Refugee Welcome Zone". Later that year the party formed its youth wing, thePatriotic Youth League. AFP was deregistered by the AEC on 13 August 2004 for failing to nominate candidates at elections for four years. By 2007, Saleam had reestablished AFP, and in July 2009, Saleam claimed that the party had 500 members, and announced that he was registering its New South Wales branch, Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated, with the AEC. The branch was registered by AEC on 13 June 2010, in time for the2010 federal election.[19]
At the2013 federal election,AFP was involved inGlenn Druery'sMinor Party Alliance.Saleam stood in theseat of Cookon a platform to end refugee intakes, running againstScott Morrison,and received 617 votes, or 0.67% of the vote.[20]
On 14 July 2015, the AEC de-registered the AFP due to its failure to demonstrate the required 500 members. It was re-registered on 1 March 2016 as "Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated".[21]
AFP contested the2016 federal election,without any success. Saleam stood in theseat of Lindsay,New South Wales, receiving 1068 votes or 1.2% of the vote. In October 2016, the Australia First Party joined with theAustralian Protectionist Party,Nationalist Alternative, Eureka Youth League, and Hellenic Nationalists of Australia to form the Australian Coalition of Nationalists, as a framework for cooperation between these entities.[22]
Saleam also stood for AFP in the2018 Longman by-election,receiving 709 votes or 0.8% of the vote.[23]
Saleam stood in the seat ofCootamundra,New South Wales, in the2017 by-electionas an independent, though still a member of Australia First, as the party was not registered for NSW elections. He received 453 votes, 1% of the total. He again stood in the seat at the2019 New South Wales state electionas an independent. Saleam's platform included the reintroduction of theWhite Australia policyand opposition to Chinese immigration.[24]
On 2 May 2014 the party aligned itself with theGolden Dawnparty of Greece, anultranationalistorganisation, and on 24 July 2016, the party endorsed formerGrand Wizardof theKu Klux KlanDavid Dukefor the 2016 Louisiana election viaTwitter.[25]
On 12 January 2022, the party was de-registered by theAustralian Electoral Commissionfor failing to meet the increased requirement of 1,500 members.[26]
Policies and electoral performance
[edit]The party stands on a nationalist, anti-multicultural and economic protectionist platform. It advocates for strict immigration controls, the prioritization of Australian citizens in employment, and the protection of national sovereignty.[27]The party follows eight core policies in their programme:[28]
- Ensure Australia retains full independence.
- Rebuild Australian manufacturing industries.
- Control foreign ownership.
- Reduce and limit immigration.
- Abolish multiculturalism.
- Introduce Citizen's Initiated Referendums.
- Strengthen the family.
- Strive to rebuild a united Australia.
The Australia First Party has been largely unsuccessful electorally. It has been elected to two local council seats, one inCity of Penrithand one inCity of Prospect.Saleam ran as a candidate in the2018 Longman by-election,receiving 684 votes or 0.8% of the vote.[29]
In the2019 Australian federal election,the party put up three candidates: Susan Jakobi inLalor,Peter Schubeck forLongman,and Michael Chehoff forSwan.[30]
| House of Representatives | |||||
| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats won |
+/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 28,069 | 0.25 (#8) | 0 / 150
|
 0
|
|
| 2010 | 3,670 | 0.03 (#16) | 0 / 150
|
0
|
|
| 2013 | 7,412 | 0.06 (#15) | 0 / 150
|
0
|
|
| 2016 | 6,895 | 0.05 (#24) | 0 / 150
|
0
|
|
| 2019 | 6,786 | 0.05 (#23) | 0 / 150
|
0
|
|
| Senate | ||||||
| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats won |
# of overall seats |
+/– | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 46,765 | 0.41 (#8) | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
0
|
|
| 2010 | 9,680 | 0.08 (#21) | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
0
|
|
| 2013 | 10,157 | 0.08 (#32) | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
0
|
|
| 2016 | 3,027 | 0.02 (#47) | 0 / 40
|
0 / 76
|
0
|
|
Queensland
[edit]| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats |
+/– | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 9,560 | 0.49 (#6) | 0 / 89
|
0
|
New South Wales
[edit]| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats |
+/– | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 4,709 | 0.13 (#44) | 0 / 21
|
0
|
South Australia
[edit]| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats |
+/– | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 9,150 | 1.02 (#10) | 0 / 22
|
0
|
Western Australia
[edit]| Election year | # of overall votes |
% of overall vote |
# of overall seats |
+/– | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 5,856 | 0.60 (#7) | 0 / 36
|
0
|
Activities
[edit]The Australia First Party's activities have mainly consisted of distributing anti-immigration and racist pamphlets and protesting,[31]although they denied involvement in some highly racist leaflets dropped in mailboxes in 2010 Campbelltown.[32]
Cronulla riots (2005)
[edit]The group played a large role in the2005 Cronulla riots.In the week prior to the riots, the AFP encouraged members to go to the seaside suburb ofCronulla.Its website called for "patriots" to show solidarity with victims of "anti-Australian race and hate and violence".[33]AFP claim that 120 members and supporters attended the riots, and both members of the AFP and their youth wing the Patriotic Youth League were seen handing out anti-immigration leaflets and supplying alcohol there.[34]Their website later described the riots as a "civil uprising of the Australian people".[31]
Nathan Sykes arrest
[edit]On 20 March 2019, Australia First member Nathan Sykes, described as a "prolific online troll and a lieutenant of Australia's most prominent white supremacist Jim Saleam", was charged with at least eight offences, after allegations that he made repeated and detailed violent threats to Melbourne journalist and lawyer Luke McMahon. He had previously made numerous racist and intimidating online comments targeting high-profile Australians, including ex-Racial Discrimination CommissionerTim Soutphommasane,activistMariam Veiszadehand Guardian journalistVan Badham.[35]
Patriotic/Eureka Youth League
[edit]The Patriotic Youth League was formed in 2002 by formerOne Nationactivist Stuart McBeth as the youth wing of the Australia First Party. It was described by numerous media commentators and academics as afar right,white nationalistyouth organisation that has been linked toneo-Nazism,including the now-disbanded US-basedVolksfront,andhate crimes.[33][36]
The group was mainly active in the northern suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, and played a large role in the2005 Cronulla riots.[37]They distributedwhite powerleaflets in the days prior to the riots, displayed banners saying "Aussies fighting back" at the riots,[37]and also distributed pamphlets and alcohol during the riots.[34]
The league disbanded in 2006, but was reincarnated as the Eureka Youth League in 2010[37][38](not to be confused with the historicalEureka Youth League). As of April 2021[update]the Eureka Youth League has a website[39]andFacebook group,although the last post on the latter was in October 2017.[40]
Racism allegations
[edit]Australia First Party is as of March 2019[update]led by convicted criminal and far-right activistJim Saleam.Saleam was a member of the short-livedNational Socialist Party of Australiaas a teenager during the early 1970s and the founder of the militant Australianwhite nationalistgroupNational Action.[41][27]
Australia First also endorsed independent candidate John Moffat, who was later criticised byB'nai B'rithAnti-Defamation Commission chairman Michael Lipshutz,CronullaLiberal MLAMalcolm KerrandLebanese Muslim AssociationspokesmanJihad Dibfor "inciting racial hatred".[42]
On 10 July 2009, theSydney Morning Heraldreported that David Palmer, theImperial Wizardof theKu Klux Klanin Australia, said several Klan members had secretly joined Australia First. Palmer said Australia First had been identified as anAryanparty and would prove useful "in case the ethnics get out of hand and they need sorting out." The Australia First Party later endorsed formerGrand Wizardof the Ku Klux KlanDavid Dukefor the 2016 Louisiana election viaTwitter.[43]
In July 2010, it was reported that Australia First was distributing leaflets comparing Africans to monkeys, and "blaming Africans for the social problems in Sydney's west". Australia First denied responsibility for the leaflets, claiming that they had been distributed in an attempt to discredit the party.[44]
The Australia First Party usedSinophobiaand fear ofAfrican Australiansin their campaign during the 2019 election.[30][45]
See also
[edit]- Far-right politics in Australia
- Islamophobia in Australia
- Australian nationalism
- Reclaim Australia
- Romper Stomper
- True Blue Crew
- United Patriots Front
- List of white nationalist organizations
Notes
[edit]- ^Each time the party was registered with theAustralian Electoral Commission(AEC), first in 1996, it was later deregistered for not meeting the requirements within theCommonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
References
[edit]- ^"Australia First Party".aec.gov.au.Australian Electoral Commission(AEC).
- ^"Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated".aec.gov.au.Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
- ^"Mar 1: AFP Federal registration restored".australiafirstparty.net.1 March 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 27 February 2017.
- ^abMcFadden, Alexandra (2023)."Wardens of Civilisation: The Political Ecology of Australian Far-Right Civilisationism".Antipode.55(2).Wiley:548–573.doi:10.1111/anti.12903.Retrieved7 February2024.
- ^abcMcSwiney, Jordan (2024).Far-Right Political Parties in Australia: Disorganisation and Electoral Failure.Taylor & Francis.p. 2008.doi:10.4324/9781003413271.ISBN978-1-003-41327-1.Retrieved7 February2024.
- ^Rydgren, Jens, ed. (5 February 2018)."32".The Oxford Handbook of the Radical Right.Oxford Academic.p. 659.doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190274559.013.32.
- ^abc"Far-Right Hate and Extremist Groups – Australia".globalextremism.org.Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. 5 October 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2022.
- ^King, Tom (11 August 2015)."Explainer: Australia's tangled web of far-right political parties".The Conversation.Archivedfrom the original on 14 December 2015.
- ^abWatson, Joey (17 January 2019)."A brief history of Nazism in Australia".ABC News.
- ^
- Brook, Benedict (9 May 2019)."Labor's new political ad has been slammed for being racist".News.au.Retrieved17 February2024.
The head of the right-wing Australia First party has told news.au that far from being annoyed at Labor borrowing its name, Mr Shorten could actually have "done us a favour" by "legitimising" his party.
- Chan, Gabrielle (21 November 2017)."Malcolm Roberts says Trump's election 'the beginning of the western spring' – as it happened".The Guardian.Retrieved17 February2024.
Recently the Australian Electoral Commission approved the use of the Eureka flag - which features the Southern Cross - on the logo of right wing party Australia First in NSW.
- "Australia First Party president James Saleam's bid to clear name".The Daily Telegraph.19 January 2022.Retrieved17 February2024.
Right-wing Australia First Party leader James Saleam claims innocence, court.
- King, Charlotte (20 October 2016)."Australia First unfazed by MP's efforts to protect Eureka flag".ABC News.Retrieved17 February2024.
The right-wing Australia First Party says it is unfazed by threats of a private members' bill that would protect the Eureka flag from improper use.
- Aston, Heath (19 August 2013)."WikiLeaks attacked for directing preferences to right-wing parties".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved17 February2024.
- Brook, Benedict (9 May 2019)."Labor's new political ad has been slammed for being racist".News.au.Retrieved17 February2024.
- ^Crouch, David (2014).Colonial Psychosocial: Reading William Lane.Newcastle upon Tyne:Cambridge Scholars Publishing.p. 165.ISBN978-1443867559.Retrieved21 May2024.
- ^"Factsheet: Stormfront Downunder".bridge.georgetown.edu.Georgetown University.19 November 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 28 September 2020.
- ^"Australia First Joins Alliance for Peace and Freedom".australiafirstparty.net.Australia First Party. 11 September 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2021.
- ^Judd, Bridget (14 April 2016)."Australia First Party's use of Eureka flag angers rebels' descendants in Ballarat".ABC News.Archivedfrom the original on 22 April 2016.
- ^Daly, Kristen (4 August 2014)."We Went Inside the Sydney Headquarters of the Extreme-Right Australia First Party".vice.Vice.
- ^"Local government register of political parties".New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived fromthe originalon 9 July 2024.Retrieved9 July2024.
- ^Cambell Era:
- Scott Bennett (16 February 1999)."The Decline in Support for Australian Major Parties and the Prospect of Minority Government".Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2010.Retrieved24 January2010.
- ?Antony Green(2007)."Senate Results Western Australia".Federal Election 2007.ABC News.Retrieved24 January2010.
- Australian Electoral Commission
- Antony Green (21 December 2007)."Kalgoorlie".Australia Votes 2007.ABC News.Retrieved24 January2010.
- ^Gibson, Jano; Frew, Wendy (12 January 2008)."No apology for white Australia policy".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved4 February2013.
- ^Marrickville Council:
- West, Andrew (29 February 2004)."White separatist takes on Marrickville".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved14 July2006.
- Jensen, Erik (9 July 2009)."Right-wing genie out of the bottle".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved9 July2009.
- "Parties and Representatives".AEC redirection page – Australian Electoral Commission.
- ^2013 election:
- "Bitter dispute erupts over Senate preferences in Queensland".ABC News.ABC. 5 September 2013.
- "Alliance of micro parties boosts odds for likes of One Nation or Shooters and Fishers gaining Senate spot through preferences".The Daily Telegraph.5 September 2013.
- ^Registration:
- "Deregistered/renamed political parties".Australian Electoral Commission.Retrieved14 July2015.
- "Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated".Australian Electoral Commission.7 March 2016.Retrieved16 March2016.
- ^"The formation of the Australian Coalition of Nationalists".protectionist.net.Australian Protectionist Party.21 October 2016.Retrieved17 February2024.
- ^Longman by-election:
- Murray, Oliver (26 April 2016)."Far-right-wing parties after your vote on election day".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved3 June2016.
- Pollard, Krystyna (19 May 2016)."Controversial Saleam to stand for Australia First in Lindsay".Penrith City Gazette.Retrieved3 June2016.
- "House of Representatives division information".Australian Electoral Commission.Archived fromthe originalon 17 August 2018.Retrieved29 July2018.
- ^Cootamundra election:
- Grey, Lachlan (27 August 2017)."Australia First leader Jim Saleam to contest Cootamundra by-election in November".Cootamundra Herald.Retrieved10 September2017.
- "Right wing extremist makes election bid in sleepy NSW 'cherry capital'".
- ^Golden Dawn:
- Gemenis, Kostas; Nezi, Roula (January 2012),The 2011 Political Parties Expert Survey in Greece(PDF),University of Twente,p. 4
- Repoussi, Maria (2009),"Battles over the national past of Greeks: The Greek History Textbook Controversy 2006–2007"(PDF),Geschichte für heute. Zeitschrift für historisch-politische Bildung(1): 5
- Grumke, Thomas (2003), "The transatlantic dimension of right-wing extremism",Human Rights Review,4(4): 56–72,doi:10.1007/s12142-003-1021-x,S2CID145203309,
On 24 October 1998 the Greek right-wing extremist organisationChrisi Avgi(Golden Dawn) was the host for the 5th European Youth Congress in Thessaloniki.
- "Australia FirstParty (@AustFirstParty)".Retrieved1 February2018.
- ^"Notice of deregistration – Australia First Party (NSW) Incorporated"(PDF).
- ^abGreason, David (1994),I was a teenage fascist, pp.283,284,289,McPhee Gribble
- ^"The Eight Core Policies of the Australia First Party"(PDF).australiafirst.net.Retrieved17 February2024.
- ^By-elections:
- "Profile of Cr. Bruce Preece".City of Prospect. Archived fromthe originalon 19 September 2006.Retrieved20 January2007.
- "2006 Local Government Election Results"(PDF).Local Government Association of South Australia. p. 47. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 30 June 2007.Retrieved20 January2007.
- Schiller, Emma (14 September 2012)."Australia First Party council candidate elected".Penrith Press.Retrieved22 September2012.
- ^abHood, John (23 January 2019)."Susan Jakobi, Australia First Party for Lalor in 2019".Australia First Party.Retrieved14 May2019.
- ^abMulcair, John (10 October 2006)."Rally held at MP's office".St. George and Sutherland Shire Leader (Sutherland edition).p. 11.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2006.Retrieved13 October2006.
- ^Australia First Denies Racist Mailbox FlyersArchived20 November 2010 at theWayback Machine
- ^abEwin Hannan; Richard Baker (13 December 2005)."Nationalists boast of their role on the beach".The Age.Retrieved17 May2018.
- ^abBaker, Richard (14 December 2005)."Australia First: reclaiming the agenda".The Age.p. 11.Archivedfrom the original on 3 February 2006.Retrieved4 April2021.
- ^McKenzie, Nick; Baker, Richard (22 March 2019)."Police swoop on right-wing troll over alleged violent threats".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved23 March2019.
- ^Patriotic Youth League:
- "Neo-Nazi link to campus anti-foreigner campaign".The Sydney Morning Herald.2 December 2004.Retrieved1 July2010.
- Adam Bennett (19 December 2004)."Race hate group unstuck".Retrieved17 May2018.
- Sarah Price (29 August 2004)."Campus racism rises" The Sydney Morning Herald ".
- ^abcWhite, Alex (7 October 2015)."The pro-white gangs spreading race hate across Australia".The Herald Sun.News International.Retrieved3 April2021.
- ^Campion, Kristy (20 March 2019)."Right-wing extremism has a long history in Australia".The Conversation.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^"Eureka Youth League".Eureka Youth League.Retrieved3 April2021.
- ^"Eureka Youth League".Facebook.Retrieved3 April2021.
- ^West, Andrew (29 February 2004)."No Apology For White Australia Policy".Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved4 February2013.
- ^Roberts, Greg (5 January 2007)."Cronulla candidate campaigns for race hatred".The Australian.p. 4.Retrieved18 May2011.
- ^Jensen, Erik (10 July 2009)."We have infiltrated party: KKK"(reprint).The Sydney Morning Herald.Fairfax.p. 1.Retrieved10 July2009.
- ^"Racist leaflets not ours: Australia First".ABC Online.ABC.27 July 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 25 July 2010.Retrieved31 July2010.
- ^Campaign poster for Lalor with caption "No China city in Werribee"[permanent dead link]
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Australia First (historic – 2008–2012)Archived30 September 2011 at theWayback Machine
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| State and territory parliaments (parties not represented federally) |
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| OtherAEC-registered parties | |
