I spent about 18 years as an active member of the Australian Democrats. Most of that time I was a member of the Executive in two states; I was a State president for a term and a candidate in half a dozen Federal and state elections. For nearly all of those years I was proud to be a member. I still consider the AD contribution to Australia to have been extremely significant in a number of ways.

There were a number of internal factors influencing the eventual deterioration of the party -- e.g. giving the vote on all policies to the entire membership, and refusing to allow the parliamentarians to choose their own leaders. I believe, however, that the fundamental factor leading to the AD decline was that it began as an amalgamation of The Australia Party and the New Liberal Movement but never really overcame the big differences in political orientation between the two groups of members.

The organisational paralysis that sometimes resulted allowed particular individuals and particular issues to cause unnecessary difficulties.

Sadly, whatever happened, the result was the Democrats sided with the government in selling Telstra, and their one appealing aspect disappeared- the end result was a party that was a carbon copy of the Liberals, but extremely pro-refugee and pro-David Hicks (which judging by Liberal's and Labor's popularity with and without harsh border policy- sounds like most voters' idea of a nightmare party).

Australian Democrats: past = expensive hangers-on, and future = expensive hangers-on.
They ruined the GST along with a lot of interference in general. In a word, we'd be better off if they were consigned to the scrap heap.

Lots of people with a track record of baracking for another team here saying negative stuff about the only party in Australian political history to never, ever break an election promise or deviate from publicly stated policy.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214935

Geordie, i would agree with you on that one, christianity is making a come back.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214940

popnperish, i would agree to disagree with most of that, the problem with the major mistakes is they are NOT democratically run.

i think the real problem was too many amatuers not being clever enough tactically with either the lame stream media or the major mistakes.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214972

Rainier, true, but the extraordinarily bad performance of the major mistakes has made swinging voters more volatile, they will turn on anybody new at the first mistake.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214976

diver dan, like i said earlier any third party will be "turned on" quickly at the first sign of a mistake, the voters are angry & turn quickly now.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214981

hayden o, those on the inside of the party today also need to take a fresh practical look at where the electorate is heading. "the customer is always right" political parties are selling a product or service & that old business proverb applies to politics, more than any other "retail" industry.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#214991

Jon J, you may be right but 2/3's of the electorate is looking for a third alternative while not "buying" either the RED/greens or nationals. the Australian Democrats are still remebered with some fondness by many voters, they & the DLP may be able to make a comeback.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#215004

crabsy, maybe but there are factions, egos & policy differences in all parties.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#215013

King Hazza, now you know why the RED/green, getup, GAYLP/alp, Socialist Alliance is dying at the next election.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12433#215047

individual, agreed about the GST, but nobody is perfect, the real question is, are the 2 major mistake, pillars & their 3 minor mistake, stumps worse? Most voters think they are & at the next federal election there will be a third alternative. it is just a matter of who they will be?

Formersnag,
there'll be no alternative unless the voters start thinking seriously. As long as public servants are allowed to vote we'll never ever achieve any kind of stable & focused Government.
Only two things can save Australia from becoming the Bangladesh of the southern hemisphere. National Service & flat tax. The rest will quickly fall into place & do away with the present economic insanity.

I think you'll find that the Greens have eaten the Democrats; and thus they're politically dead, unless another fluke happens like in did in the 2010 election the the DLP being elected in VIC for the federal senate after 35 years of being out of politics.
http://bit.ly/ipVbk8