Liberals for Forests was an Australian political minor party. It contested both state and federal elections between 2001 and 2008, but only ever achieved one elected representative – Janet Woollard in Western Australia. It never achieved representation at the federal level.[1]

Liberals for Forests
AbbreviationLFF
FounderKeith Woollard
Founded3 July 1999
Registered1 May 2001
Dissolved2008
IdeologyGreen liberalism
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
1 / 57
(2001−2008)
Albany City Council
1 / 12
(2001)

The party was founded in 1999 by Dr Keith Woollard, husband of Janet Woollard and an ex-AMA president.[2][3] Janet successfully contested a seat at the 2001 state election, and was re-elected in 2005 and again in 2008 as an Independent Liberal.

The party generally professed itself to be ideologically aligned with the centre-right sympathies of the Liberal Party, but was aligned with Labor in certain states such as NSW but with a greater regard to environmentalism.[4]

Despite its low profile, the party gained a respectable proportion of the primary senate vote in some states. For example, in the 2004 election it received only a few hundred votes less than the Australian Democrats in Victoria.

Name edit

The registered party name at the Australian Electoral Commission[5] and the Western Australian Electoral Commission[6] was "liberals for forests" (uncapitalised), but it was known in newspapers as "Liberals for Forests". By late 2009, Liberals for Forests was no longer a registered political party anywhere in Australia.

See also edit

  • Small-l liberal – a term used by LFF candidates to describe themselves in order to attract the support of mildly disenchanted coalition voters
  • Sustainable Australia Party
  • Teal independents – a loosely-aligned group of independent and minor party politicians characterised as strongly advocating for increased action to mitigate climate change.

References edit

  1. ^ The Nationals: The Progressive, Country, and National Party 186287526X Paul Davey – 2006 "A group calling themselves Liberals for Forests fielded a candidate, as they did in six other House of Representatives seats. They produced a how-to-vote card on election day, which the Liberal and National parties argued was misleading to.."
  2. ^ "Dr Keith Woollard today launched in Kings Park a new political party called Liberals for Forests of which he is the President". westpix.
  3. ^ Bolt, Cathy (4 August 1999). "New greenie spits chips". Australian Financial Review.
  4. ^ Worth, David (2004). "Reconciliation in the forest? An exploration of the conflict over the logging of native forests in the south west of Western Australia". Commons Social Change Library.
  5. ^ "AEC redirection page".
  6. ^ "Home | Western Australian Electoral Commission".

External links edit