Science Party (Australia) Explained

Science Party
Colorcode:
  1. 13C5E9
Leader:Dr Andrea Leong
Leader2 Title:Deputy leader
Leader2 Name:Aaron Hammond
Headquarters:New South Wales
National:Fusion Party[1]
Colours: Sky blue
Country:Australia

The Science Party, formerly known as Future Party, is an Australian political party that was established on 2 July 2013.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] The founding leader, James Jansson, was studying for his Doctorate at the Kirby Institute during the party's formation, with a focus on advancing Australian society through technical and long-term solutions.[7] On 22 March 2016, the name was changed to The Science Party after registering with the Australian Electoral Commission.[8] The Science Party has run candidates for the 2013, 2016 and 2019 federal elections, as well as several by-elections in between.[9]

The party was de-registered on 12 January 2022 by the Australian Electoral Commission for failing to meet the increased registration requirement of 1,500 members.[10] It later merged with other parties to become the Fusion Party.[11]

Political philosophy

The Science Party believes that technological development is a positive force in human affairs and values the cultural, economic and technological benefits of modernism. It believes in freedom of expression and has a positive view of the power of free markets and the benefits of high density cities. The party seeks to promote high quality science research and education.[12]

Policies

Science Party policies include the following:[13]

Elections

Federal elections

2013 federal election

The Science Party first ran in the 2013 federal election as The Future Party. The party ran two candidates for the senate in NSW, and one in the New South Wales seat of Kingsford Smith[16] and another in the Queensland seat of Moreton[17] [18] The party has been involved in Glenn Druery's Minor Party Alliance, though it refused to engage in any large scale preference deal.

2016 federal election

In the 2016 federal election, the Science Party fielded two candidates each for the senate in NSW and Tasmania and one in Victoria. To avoid being placed in the ungrouped column, the Victorian and NSW candidates shared the column with the candidate from the Australian Cyclists Party. Together, they received 0.22% of the vote in Australia; 0.41% in NSW, 0.33% in Victoria, and without a shared column in Tasmania, received 0.39% of the vote.

For the House of Representatives, ten candidates ran in NSW:[19] Berowra (receiving 2.1% of votes), Cunningham (2.6%), Grayndler (1.3%), Greenway (1%), Kingsford Smith (2.2%), North Sydney(1.8%), Sydney (1.6%), Warringah (0.9%), Watson (1.9%) and Wentworth (1.2%).

2019 federal election

In 2019, four candidates ran for senate in NSW, receiving 0.4% of the total vote. In the lower house, five candidates from NSW were put forward and the results were: Berowra (1.56% of votes), Grayndler: (2.73%), Kingsford Smith (1.69%), Sydney (3.42%), Watson (2.23%), as well as one from VIC (Mallee, 0.53%) and one from WA (Perth, 1.52%).

By-elections

2015 By-election: James Jansson ran under the title of The Future Party for North Sydney in NSW.

2017 and 2018 By-elections: The Science Party fielded Meow-Ludo Meow-Meow as a candidate in the 2017 New England by-election in response to the 2017–2018 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis. He had previously been the Science Party candidate in the Division of Grayndler at the 2016 federal election. After subsequent resignations, the party fielded candidates in by-elections for the seats of Bennelong, Perth, Longman and Wentworth.

2020 By-election: James Jansson ran in Eden-Monaro (NSW) for the 2020 By-election, receiving 1.13% of the vote.

Electoral results

Senate (NSW)
Election yearLeader
  1. of total

votes

% of totalvotesName of party
(at time of poll)
2013James Jansson4,243 0.10Future Party
201618,367 0.41Science Party (on a joint ticket with the Australian Cyclists Party)
2019Andrea Leong18,972 0.40Science Party

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Our Party . Fusion Party Australia.
  2. Web site: Future Party. Australian Electoral Commission . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160803091453/http://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/party_registration/Registered_parties/science-party.htm . 2016-08-03.
  3. Web site: Neil Mitchell . The Future Party: A party of six nerds. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309100050/http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/the-future-party-a-party-of-six-nerds/20130507-2j4ec.html. 9 March 2014.
  4. Web site: Peter Munro . Smokers, pirates, cola lovers ... new parties add colour to electoral canvas. The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 2013.
  5. Web site: 10 Unusual Political Parties That Could Be On Aussie Ballot Papers This September. Liz Tay. Business Insider Australia. 31 May 2013. 2 September 2013. 20 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210420103827/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/10-unusual-political-parties-that-could-be-on-aussie-ballot-papers-this-september-2013-5. dead.
  6. Web site: sky news . 4 February 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140309100616/http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=893314 . 9 March 2014 .
  7. Web site: 2013-08-28. Election 2013: The Future Party. 2020-12-01. ABC Radio National. en-AU.
  8. Web site: Notice under s.134(6A) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 - Future Party . . 24 March 2016 . 24 March 2016.
  9. Web site: Our People. 2020-12-01. Science Party. en.
  10. Web site: Notice of deregistration – Science Party. Australian Electoral Commission.
  11. Web site: Our Party . fusionparty.org.au . 24 February 2022.
  12. Web site: Sarah Michael . Obscure parties and why they want your vote . NewsComAu . 6 August 2013.
  13. Web site: Federal Policy. Future Party.
  14. Web site: Waleed Aly . Election 2013: The Future Party. Radio National . 28 August 2013.
  15. Web site: Brittany Murphy . Senate party's bid for Southern Tablelands' super city . 11 August 2013 . Goulburn Post.
  16. Web site: Kingsford Smith - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2013 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). ABC News.
  17. Web site: Moreton. ABC News.
  18. Web site: Members' FAQ. Future Party.
  19. Web site: Candidates for the 2016 federal election . 12 June 2016 . 12 June 2016 . Australian Electoral Commission.