National Party of Australia – Victoria
Leader	Peter Walsh
Deputy Leader	Steph Ryan
Youth wing	Young Nationals
Ideology	Conservatism Agrarianism
Political position	Centre-right
Colours	Green and Yellow
Legislative Assembly	6 / 88
Legislative Council	1 / 40
House of Representatives	3 / 37 (Victorian seats)
Senate	1 / 12 (Victorian seats)
Website
vic.nationals.org.au
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

The National Party of Australia – Victoria^[1] is a political party in Victoria, which forms the state branch of the federal Nationals. Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally. The Victorian Farmer's Union formed in 1914 was the precursor to the Victorian Country Party, later the Nationals.

The party, commonly referred to as "The Nationals," is presently the junior partner in a centre-right Coalition with the Liberal Party, forming a joint Opposition bench. During periods of conservative government, the leader also serves as Deputy Premier of Victoria.

Name[edit]

The candidates sponsored by the Victorian Farmers' Union initially used the same name but in parliament also called themselves the Country Party.^[2] In 1927 the VFU was reorganised and renamed as the Victorian Country Party.^[3] A separate party, the Country Progressive Party, had been formed in April 1926 but merged with the Victorian Country Party in September 1930, with the combined party now named the United Country Party.^[4] "United" was dropped from the name in March 1947.^[5] On 24 July 1975 the party changed its name to the National Party, following the Queensland branch who had made the change the previous year.^[6] From 1999 to 2003, it was popularly known as the VicNats. In 2003, in tandem with the national party, it adopted the short name The Nationals.

Relationship with Liberals[edit]

The party has had a strained relationship with the Liberals for most of the time since the end of World War II. While its federal counterpart has been in Coalition with the Liberals and their predecessors for all but a few years since 1923, the Victorian branch fought elections separately from the Liberals from 1952 to 1989. Even the presence of Victorian John McEwen as federal Country Party leader and the number-two man in the government from 1958 to 1971 didn't heal the breach.^{[citation needed]}

Pat McNamara became leader of the Victorian Nationals in 1988, and two years later reached a new Coalition agreement with the Liberals. The Liberals and Nationals fought the 1992, 1996 and 1999 elections as a Coalition under Jeff Kennett. The Liberals actually won majorities in their own right in 1992 and 1996. Although Kennett thus had no need for the support of the Nationals, he retained the Coalition, with McNamara as Deputy Premier.^{[citation needed]}

However, after the Kennett government's shock defeat in 1999, McNamara's successor as Nationals leader, Peter Ryan, tore up the Coalition agreement. The Nationals stayed on the crossbench until 2008, when they formed a Coalition with the Liberals under Ted Baillieu. The renewed Coalition narrowly won the 2010 state election, but was ousted after one term in 2014.^{[citation needed]}

Leaders of the Victorian National Party[edit]

This is a list of the Leaders of the National Party of Australia in Victoria.

Election results[edit]

Note that until the 1960s some seats were uncontested, which can distort the vote shares.

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Government
1917	none	21,183	6.13	4 / 65	4	3rd	Crossbench
1920	John Allan	64,500	14.41	13 / 65	9	3rd	Crossbench
1921	John Allan	45,348	14.01	12 / 65	1	3rd	Crossbench
1924	John Allan	43,961	11.97	13 / 65	1	3rd	Crossbench
1927	John Allan	62,218	8.13	10 / 65	3	3rd	Crossbench
1929	John Allan	55,876	8.83	11 / 65	1	3rd	Crossbench
1932	John Allan	83,519	12.33	14 / 65	1	3rd	Coalition
1935	Murray Bourchier	115,064	13.71	20 / 65	6	2nd	Coalition
1937	Albert Dunstan	89,286	11.35	20 / 65	0	2nd	Minority government
1940	Albert Dunstan	109,626	14.06	22 / 65	2	1st	Minority government
1943	Albert Dunstan	123,902[1]	14.39	25 / 65	5	1st	Minority government
1945	Albert Dunstan	163,940	18.67	18 / 65	7	2nd	Opposition
1947	John McDonald	177,698	14.92	20 / 65	2	2nd	Coalition
1950	John McDonald	128,537	10.64	13 / 65	7	3rd	Coalition
1952	John McDonald	85,843	8.34	12 / 65	1	2nd	Opposition
1955	Herbert Hyland	122,999	9.53	10 / 66	2	3rd	Crossbench
1958	Herbert Hyland	127,228	9.30	9 / 66	1	3rd	Crossbench
1961	Herbert Hyland	102,184	7.14	9 / 66	0	3rd	Crossbench
1964	Herbert Hyland	132,067	8.76	10 / 66	1	3rd	Crossbench
1967	George Moss	136,126	8.65	12 / 73	2	3rd	Crossbench
1970	George Moss	107,011	6.40	8 / 73	4	3rd	Crossbench
1973	Peter Ross-Edwards	113,029	5.96	8 / 73	0	3rd	Crossbench
1976	Peter Ross-Edwards	144,818	7.10	7 / 81	1	3rd	Crossbench
1979	Peter Ross-Edwards	119,385	5.61	8 / 81	1	3rd	Crossbench
1982	Peter Ross-Edwards	111,579	4.97	8 / 81	0	3rd	Crossbench
1985	Peter Ross-Edwards	174,727	7.29	10 / 88	2	3rd	Crossbench
1988	Pat McNamara	188,776	7.76	9 / 88	1	3rd	Crossbench
1992	Pat McNamara	204,525	7.83	9 / 88	0	3rd	Coalition
1996	Pat McNamara	184,419	6.69	9 / 88	0	3rd	Coalition
1999	Pat McNamara	135,930	4.80	7 / 88	2	3rd	Crossbench
2002	Peter Ryan	125,003	4.30	7 / 88	0	3rd	Crossbench
2006	Peter Ryan	153,299	5.17	9 / 88	2	3rd	Crossbench
2010	Peter Ryan	213,492	6.75	10 / 88	1	3rd	Coalition
2014	Peter Ryan	185,619	5.53	8 / 88	2	3rd	Opposition

See also[edit]

• Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Party of Australia.

• Official website