National Party of Australia - NSW

National Party of Australia – NSW
Leader	Troy Grant
Deputy Leader	Adrian Piccoli
Founded	1919
Youth wing	Young Nationals
Ideology	Conservatism, Agrarianism[1]
Political position	Centre-right
Colours	Green and Yellow
Legislative Assembly	17 / 93
Legislative Council	7 / 42
NSW Seats in the House of Representatives	7 / 46
NSW Seats in the Senate	2 / 12
Website
nswnationals.org.au
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

The National Party of Australia – NSW is a political party in New South Wales, which forms the state branch of the federal Nationals. Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the Progressive Party, from the 1922 split until 1925. It then used the name the Country Party until 1977, when it became the National Country Party. The party's name was changed to the National Party of Australia in 1982. The party, commonly referred to as "The Nationals," has generally been the minor party in a centre-right Coalition with the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW division) in government. In Opposition it has worked in formal Coalition or separately, but generally in co-operation with the Liberal Party and its predecessor, the United Australia Party. During periods of conservative government, the leader also serves as Deputy Premier of New South Wales.

History

Name changes

• 13 October 1919 – The Farmers' and Settlers' Association of New South Wales, the NSW Graziers' Association and the People's Party of Soldiers and Citizens meet as the first electoral council of the Progressive Party of New South Wales.
• 15 December 1921 – Split of the Progressive Party between urban and rural wings. Rural wing (known as the "True Blues") continues as the Progressive Party.
• 12 August 1925 – Michael Bruxner announces to the NSW Legislative Assembly that the party has changed its name to the Country Party of New South Wales.
• 24 September 1931 – In order to clarify its support for the New England New State Movement, the party name changes to the United Country Party of New South Wales.
• 9 February 1944 – The State Conference agrees to a further name change as the Australian Country Party (N.S.W.).
• 26 June 1976 – The State Conference held in Broken Hill rejects a proposal to follow the federal party and rename itself as the "National Country Party of Australia - NSW".
• 26 June 1977 – The following State Conference held in Coffs Harbour approves the name change to the National Country Party of Australia - NSW.
• 26 June 1982 – The annual State Conference held in Wagga Wagga approves the name change to the National Party of Australia - NSW. The federal party does not make the same change until its Federal Conference on 16 October.
• 25 October 2003 – The NSW Central Council of the party approves the 11 October decision of the federal executive to use the term, The Nationals, in all state and federal election campaigns.^[2]

Leaders of the New South Wales National Party

This is a list of the Leaders of the National Party of Australia in New South Wales.

Party Leader	Start of Term	End of Term	Deputy Premier
Sir Michael Bruxner	1925	1925
Ernest Buttenshaw	1925	1932
Sir Michael Bruxner	1932	1958	1932–1941
Sir Davis Hughes	1958	1959
Sir Charles Cutler	1959	1975	1965–1975
Leon Punch	1975	1985	1975–1976
Wal Murray	1985	1993	1988–1993
Ian Armstrong	1993	1999	1993–1995
George Souris	1999	2003
Andrew Stoner	2003	16 October 2014	2011–16 October 2014
Troy Grant	16 October 2014	incumbent	16 October 2014–present

Deputy Leaders of the New South Wales National Party

Deputy Leader	Start of Term	End of Term
William Fleming	1922	1922
Ernest Buttenshaw	1922	1925
William Missingham	1925	1932
David Drummond	1932	1949
Roy Vincent	1950	1953
Doug Dickson	1953	1958
Sir Charles Cutler	1958	1959
Bill Chaffey	1959	1968
Davis Hughes	1968	1973
Leon Punch	1973	1975
Tim Bruxner	1975	1981
Wal Murray	1981	1984
Ian Armstrong	1984	1993
George Souris	1993	1999
John Turner	1999	2003
Don Page	2003	2007
Andrew Fraser	2007	2008
Adrian Piccoli	2008	Incumbent

References

1. "National Party Constitution" (PDF). Retrieved 19 March 2013.
2. Davey, Paul (2006). The Nationals: The Progressive, Country, and National Party in New South Wales 1919-2006. Leichhardt: Federation Press. pp. 452–453.

External links

• Official website