In addition to political parties registered at the state and national level, a number of political parties and groups compete solely in local government elections in Australia.
Some of these parties are officially registered with electoral commissions in their respective states.
Non-local parties refers to parties in each state or territory that endorse candidates for local elections, but do not exclusively operate at a local level. This differs in each jurisdiction, with the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia only contesting in certain states.
The Australian Greens have endorsed councillors in all states and territories, except South Australia.
New South Wales
Parties with representation Political partyEst.LeaderSeatsRef.LGACouncillors CMIT Clover Moore Independent Team 2004 Clover Moore Sydney CC Community Champions 2023 Kellie Darley Parramatta CFTIP Community First Totally Independent Party 2024 Josh Cotter Campbelltown GRRRP Georges River Residents and Ratepayers 2021 Georges River GFM Good for Manly Northern Beaches LMI Lake Mac Independents 2021 Lake Macquarie LCIT Liverpool Community Independents Team 1994 Liverpool LWI Lorraine Wearne Independents Lorraine Wearne Parramatta OLC Our Local Community 2013 Paul Garrard Parramatta Cumberland Canada Bay PB Peaceful Bayside 2020 Heidi Douglas Bayside RFW Residents First Woollahra 2003 Woollahra SM Serving Mosman Carolyn Corrigan Mosman SIG Shoalhaven Independents Group Patricia White Shoalhaven SI Strathfield Independents Strathfield YNBIT Your Northern Beaches Independent Team 2017 Sue Heins Northern Beaches YWI Yvonne Weldon Independents 2023 Yvonne Weldon Sydney
Parties without representation Some parties are registered for local elections only, even though they may also contest state or federal elections.
Political party Est. Leader LGA Ref. AC Australian Christians 2011 Mike Crichton Various DEM Australian Democrats 1977 Lyn Allison Various AFP Australia First Party 1996 Jim Saleam Various AFP Australian Federation Party 2005 Glenn O'Rourke Various UNI Australia Multinational Unity INC 2023 Various BATT Battler CCH Central Coast Heart 2004 Adam Troy Central Coast CVA Community Voice of Australia 2023 FFP Family First Party 2021 Lyle Shelton Various KRA Kogarah Residents' Association 2011 Georges River MI Manly Independents 1980s Barbara Aird Northern Beaches SCI Science Party NSW 2013 Andrea Leong Various ART The Arts Party NSW 2014 Barry Keldoulis Various LIP The Local Independent Party 2017 Various
Non-local parties Both the Labor Party and Liberal Party endorse candidates for local elections in a large number of New South Wales LGAs, as do several minor parties.
Political party Est. Leader Councillors Ref. AJP Animal Justice Party 2009 AFP Australia First Party 1996 Jim Saleam GRN Australian Greens 1992 No leader ALP 1891 Chris Minns LIB Liberal Party of Australia 1945 Kellie Sloane LP Libertarian Party 2001 SFF Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party 1992 Robert Borsak SA Socialist Alliance 2001 SAP Sustainable Australia Party 2010 William Bourke SBP The Small Business Party 2017 Eddie Dogramaci
Northern Territory
Non-local parties The Territory Labor Party and Country Liberal Party generally do not endorse local government candidates.
Political party Est. Leader Councillors Ref. GRN Australian Greens 1990 No leader
Queensland
At local elections in Queensland, candidates and incumbent councillors can formally register groups (which operate similarly to parties) with the state electoral commission. These groups often contain members of other political parties, including the ALP and LNP.
Parties with representation Political partyEst.LeaderSeatsRef.LGACouncillors BBI Better Brighter Ipswich 2024 Marnie Doyle Ipswich UNI Cairns Unity Team 2012 Terry James Cairns MF Mackay First 2024 Steve Jackson Mackay MICT Mount Isa Community Team 2020 Danielle Slade Mount Isa TB Team Barwick 2023 Phil Barwick Mount Isa EDEN Team Eden 2023 Amy Eden Cairns TGW Team Greg Williamson 2024 Greg Williamson Mackay TJH Team Jenny Hill 2012 Jenny Hill Townsville TMR Team MacRae 2023 Peta MacRae Mount Isa TC TownsvilleCHANGE 2023 Paul Jacob Townsville YVOE Your Voice of Experience 2020 Paul Tully Ipswich
Parties without representation Political party Est. Leader LGA Ref. CCC Community Centred and Connected 2024 Moreton Bay CF Community First 2023 Denis Wall Cairns BTB Locals United – Back to Basics 2016 David Fletcher Mount Isa NQSA North Queensland State Alliance 2018 Peter Raffles Cairns Townsville SNTW Say NO to WOKE 2023 Nathan Essex Toowoomba TSI Team Sheila Ireland 2024 Sheila Ireland Ipswich WG Westgarths 2024 Collective leadership Toowoomba WFOC Working For Our Community 2024 Steven Purcell Helen Youngberry Ipswich
Non-local parties The Queensland Labor Party and Liberal National Party contest Brisbane City Council elections, while several minor parties also endorse candidates across the state.
Political party Est. Leader Councillors Mayors Ref. AJP Animal Justice Party 2009 GRN Australian Greens 1991 No leader ALP 1892 Jared Cassidy LCP Legalise Cannabis 2020 LNP Liberal National Party 2008 Adrian Schrinner LP Libertarian Party 2001 QS Queensland Socialists 2025 Collective leadership
Tasmania
According to psephologist Kevin Bonham, tickets formed for Tasmanian local elections are "alliances of convenience that may have an ideological basis," not necessarily parties.
Parties with representation Political partyEst.LeaderSeatsRef.LGACouncillors BC Better Clarence 2022 Brendan Blomeley Clarence KT Kingborough Thrives 2020 Clare Glade-Wright Kingborough YHI Your Hobart Independents 2022 Anna Reynolds Hobart
Non-local parties The Tasmanian Liberal Party and the Tasmanian Labor Party generally do not endorse local government candidates.
Political party Est. Leader Councillors Ref. GRN Australian Greens 1992 Rosalie Woodruff
Victoria
Parties with representation Political partyEst.LeaderSeatsRef.LGACouncillors BTB Back to Basics Team 2024 Rebecca Bourke Surf Coast IM Innovate Melbourne 2024 Andrew Rowse Melbourne OCI Our Community Independents 2024 Aidan McLindon Whittlesea PEPP People Empowering Port Phillip 2024 Serge Thomann Port Phillip ROPP Residents of Port Phillip 2020 None Port Phillip TK Team Kouta 2024 Anthony Koutoufides Melbourne TM Team Morgan 2016 Gary Morgan Melbourne TNR Team Nick Reece 2024 Nick Reece Melbourne TW Team Wood 2020 Arron Wood Melbourne YFA Yarra For All 2024 Stephen Jolly Yarra YLI Your Local Independents 2024 Oscar Yildiz Merri-bek
Parties without representation Political partyEst.LeaderSeatsRef.LGACouncillors RUTBL Rip Up the Bike Lanes! 2024 Anthony van der Craats Melbourne TH Team Hakim 2020 Jamal Hakim Melbourne TEM Team Elvis Martin 2024 Elvis Martin Melbourne TP Team Participate 2024 Asako Saito Melbourne VFM Voices for Melbourne 2024 Greg Bisinella Melbourne YVMTM Your Voice Matters to Me 2024 Krystle Mitchell Melbourne
Non-local parties The Victorian Labor Party contests multiple LGAs with endorsed candidates, as do several minor parties.
Political party Est. Leader Councillors Ref. AJP Animal Justice Party 2009 FUS Fusion Party 2021 GRN Australian Greens 1992 Ellen Sandell ALP 1891 Jacinta Allan LIB 1945 Jess Wilson LP Libertarian Party 2001 SA Socialist Alliance 2001 VS Victorian Socialists 2018
Western Australia
Local elections in Western Australia are officially non-partisan, and the vast majority of candidates and councillors are not members of any political party.
Non-local parties Political party Est. Leader Councillors Ref. GRN Australian Greens 1990
Former parties Parties with representation Political partyPeriodLeaderStateSeatsRef.LGACouncillors ACRM Albury Citizens and Ratepayers Movement 20??–2019 Various NSW Albury AWP Australian Women's Party 2019–2023 Dai Le NSW Fairfield BTIT Bob Thompson's Independent Team 20??–2020 Bob Thompson NSW Campbelltown BCP Brisbane Civic Party 1973–1976 John Andrews QLD Brisbane BHF Broken Hill First Team 2004–2007 Ron Page NSW Broken Hill UNI Cairns Unity Team 1994–2008 Kevin Byrne QLD Cairns City CRPL Camberwell Ratepayers' Protection League 1921–1922 A. A. Williams VIC Camberwell CMO Citizens' Municipal Organisation 1935–1976 Various QLD Brisbane CUP Citizens' United Party 19??–19?? Daniel Connolly QLD Warwick CRA Civic Reform Association 1920–1991 Various NSW Sydney CFA Community First Alliance 2004–2008 Sonya Phillips NSW Baulkham Hills Sutherland Warringah CFT Community First Team 2004–2024 Josh Cotter NSW Campbelltown CSESCK Community Service Environment Save Campbelltown Koalas 2012–2018 Sue Dobson NSW Campbelltown GIP Glen Iris Progress Association 1920s–1940s VIC Camberwell GWA Greg Williamson Alliance 2016–2024 Greg Williamson QLD Mackay ICV Independent Community Voice 1997–2023 Lesley Furneaux-Cook NSW Burwood ILA Independent Lake Alliance ????–2021 Greg Piper NSW Lake Macquarie IRP Independent Reform Party 1933–19?? John Allman QLD Warwick JAT Jayne Arlett's Team 2015–2016 Jayne Arlett QLD Townsville KPI Kerryn Phelps Independents 2018–2021 Kerryn Phelps NSW Sydney LSI Living Sydney Independents 1994–2004 Various NSW Sydney MF Melbourne First 1996–20?? Ivan Deveson VIC Melbourne ML Melbourne Living 2001–2012 John So Gary Singer VIC Melbourne MPP Municipal Progressive Party 1920s–1930s Various NSW Auburn NBCA Northern Beaches Community Alliance 2017–2019 Alex McTaggart NSW Northern Beaches OSF Our Sustainable Future 20??–2024 Elly Bird NSW Lismore PBLG Parramatta Better Local Government Party 2008–2012 Michael McDermott NSW Parramatta PMLP Progressive Municipal Labor Party 19??–1944 NSW Cessnock Municipality PP Progressive Party 19??–19?? QLD Townsville RAGAA Residents Action Group for Auburn Area 2004–2016 NSW Auburn SWI Shire Watch Independents 1999–2016 Various NSW Sutherland SCPA South Camberwell Progress Association 1930–1933 VIC Camberwell SA Sydney Alliance 1999–2003 Kathryn Greiner NSW Sydney SMIT Sydney Matters Independent Team 2016–2017 Angela Vithoulkas NSW Sydney SI Sydney Independents 2003–2004 Dixie Coulton John Fowler NSW Sydney TA Team Adelaide 2018–2022 Alexander Hyde SA Adelaide TD Team Doyle 2008–2018 Robert Doyle VIC Melbourne TJW Team Josh Weazel 2020–2020 Josh Weazel QLD Woorabinda TSC Team Sally Capp 2020–2024 Sally Capp VIC Melbourne TT Team Tyrell 2008–2012 Les Tyrell QLD Townsville BST The Ben Shields Team 2020–2022 Ben Shields NSW Dubbo LST The Living Sydney Team 2012–2016 Angela Vithoulkas (until 2014) NSW Sydney TLCP Totally Locally Committed Party 2004–2024 Fred Borg NSW Campbelltown TF Townsville First 2012–2016 Dale Last QLD Townsville WI Woodville Independents 2012–2013 Paul Garrard NSW Parramatta WI Woollahra Action Committee 1960s–2004 NSW Woollahra YWP Your Warringah 2008–2017 Michael Regan NSW Warringah
Parties without representation