| Country: | Australia |
| Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) Incorporated | |
| Ideology: | Social liberalism |
| Position: | Centre |
| Newspaper: | Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) Newsletter. ISSN. 2206-5628. |
The Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) Incorporated is an incorporated association,[1] located in Queensland[2] under the Incorporated Associations Act 1981.[3]
The founding of the Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) may be traced to 19 June 1977, when a meeting was held at the Dendy Theatre in Fortitude Valley, to discuss the setting up of a state division of the newly formed Australian Democrats.[4] Dr Michael Macklin, then a lecturer in education at the University of Queensland, was appointed interim chair of the Queensland Steering Committee and, on 21 June 1977, the Steering Committee met for the first time, calling for nominations for a Queensland divisional executive, which would include a chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and other members. Macklin has been described as "the founding figure of the Democrats in Queensland"[5] and, for Macklin, having a "democratically elected executive" was crucial.[6]
On 29 May 1996 the Australian Democrats (Queensland Division) became an incorporated association, registered in Queensland.[7] Under Section 118 of the Constitution of Australia, incorporation means that the registration of the Queensland Division as an association is recognised as valid throughout Australia, notwithstanding its lack of registration as a political party.
Previous political representatives have been, in chronological order: Dr Michael Macklin,[8] Cheryl Kernot,[9] Andrew Bartlett[10] the Rev. John Woodley[11] and John Cherry,[12] each of whom was elected to the Senate. Senator Kernot was elected as national parliamentary leader of the Australian Democrats; as was Senator Bartlett. Macklin served a period as interim leader.
Under Queensland legislation governing incorporated associations, the Queensland Democrats are governed by a democratically elected management committee along lines consistent with traditional processes of the historical Queensland Division prior to the national deregistration[13] of the Australian Democrats in 2015.