An independent politician is a person who has served in a political office while not affiliated to any political party. Many of these have either resigned or been expelled from membership in political parties, and some have gone on to form their own political parties over time. In some cases members of parliament sit as an independent while still holding party leadership. This can be for a multitude of reasons including expulsion from party room, de-registration of party and suspension of membership.

Background In Australia, all federal and state governments except Queensland operate on a bicameral parliament, with a lower house and an upper house each. Control of each house is formed by either a majority parliament, where a single party or a coalition of parties, holds enough seats to hold power through an electoral term in their own right. When a party is unable to win enough seats in an election, this is known as a "hung parliament", the larger parties are required to meet with smaller third parties and independents in order to make compromises and agreements in order to have a majority of seats, known as forming a minority government. Most elections in Australian history have resulted in Majority governments. In every case where there have been minority governments, the balance of power has been predominantly in the hands of independent members of parliament, meaning the individual is not attached to, or affiliated with, a political party.

There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent: Parties only run a single candidate in the House of Representatives, in order to limit campaign costs and complexity. Some candidates attempt to become a candidate for a party in the pre-selection stage, and are unsuccessful. Instead of putting their support behind the successful pre-selectees, some choose to transition their efforts into an independent candidacy for office. Some independent politicians come from party backgrounds, and have either voluntarily withdrawn from parties due to factional or values-based misalignment or in protest of certain political actions, or have been removed by the party for similar reasons. Some independent politicians may not find enough common ground with the parties available, either from the positioning on the political spectrum, or the effectiveness in fulfilling their electoral mandate, and believe that standing apart from a party will prove more effective. All politicians in Australia are still required to fulfil their obligations, if elected, regardless of whether they are independent or are part of a political party. All are also afforded the opportunity to speak on behalf of their electorate or district, if a member of the House of Representatives, or state or region, if a member of the senate.

Federal Before 2022, independents were not often elected to the federal Parliament of Australia. Historically independents were more commonly elected to state parliaments. In 2022 seven new independents were elected to the House of Representatives of whom only one was previously active in one of the traditional political parties; many of these were known as teal independents, a loose collective of social progressives challenging moderate Liberal seats. Historically, many independents were former members of one of Australia's main parties, the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. On 16 July 2013, a political party named the Australian Independents was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. It was deregistered on 4 February 2016.

House of Representatives

Casual vacancies in the House of Representatives of independent members are filled in the same way as for party members, i.e., by a by-election.

Won election as independent MemberElectorateTermNotesAlexander Paterson Capricornia, Qld 1901–1903 Independent Free Trade.James Wilkinson Moreton, Qld 1901–1904 Independent Labour. Joined Labour caucus in 1904.Sir Frederick Holder Wakefield, SA 1901–1909 Elected as a Free Trader; became an independent on election as inaugural Speaker.George Fairbairn Fawkner, Vic 1906–1909 Part of the independent "Corner group". Joined the Liberal Party at the Fusion in 1909.Sir John Quick Bendigo, Vic 1906–1909 Part of the independent "Corner group"; formerly a Protectionist from 1901 to 1906. Joined the Liberal Party at the Fusion in 1909.Sydney Sampson Wimmera, Vic 1906–1909 Part of the independent "Corner group". Joined the Liberal Party at the Fusion in 1909.Agar Wynne Balaclava, Vic 1906–1909 Part of the independent "Corner group". Joined the Liberal Party at the Fusion in 1909.Sir William Lyne Hume, NSW 1909–1913 A Protectionist who refused to join the Liberal Party at the Fusion of 1909.George Wise Gippsland, Vic 1909–19131914–1916 A Protectionist who refused to join the Liberal Party at the Fusion of 1909. Joined the Nationalist Party in 1916.Frederick Francis Henty, Vic 1919–1922 Independent Nationalist. Joined the Nationalist Party in 1922.William Watson Fremantle, WA 1922–1928 Later held the seat for a term representing the United Australia Party.Percy Stewart Wimmera, Vic 1925–19261930–1931 Defected from the Country Party; later formed the Country Progressive Party (1926–1930).William McWilliams Franklin, Tas 1928–1929 Previously served as a Revenue Tariffist, Liberal, Nationalist, and as the first leader of the Country Party.Billy Hughes North Sydney, NSW 1929–1930 Originally a Labor member and then a Nationalist, resigned to cross the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Formed the Australian Party in 1930, which merged with the United Australia Party in 1931.Walter Marks Wentworth, NSW 1929–1930 A Nationalist who crossed the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Joined the Australian Party in 1930, and then was defeated as a United Australia Party candidate in 1931.George Maxwell Fawkner, Vic 1929–1930 A Nationalist who crossed the floor to bring down the Bruce Government. Joined the Australian Party in 1930, and then the United Australia Party in 1931.Sir Littleton Groom Darling Downs, Qld 1929, 1931–1933 As the Nationalist Speaker of the House, refused to use his casting vote to save the Bruce Government. Defeated as an independent in 1929, but re-elected in 1931. Admitted to the United Australia Party in 1933.Adair Blain Northern Territory 1934–1949 As the member for the Northern Territory, only had the right to vote on matters directly relating to the Territory.Percy Spender Warringah, NSW 1937–1938 Independent United Australia Party. Defeated the endorsed UAP candidate and joined the party soon afterwards.Alexander Wilson Wimmera, Vic 1937–1945 Independent Country Party. A member of the United Country Party but sat in parliament as an independent.Arthur Coles Henty, Vic 1940–19411941–1945 Briefly joined the United Australia Party in 1941.Doris Blackburn Bourke, Vic 1946–1949 Independent Labor. First female federal independent MP.Lewis Nott Australian Capital Territory 1949–1951 As the member for the Australian Capital Territory, could only vote on matters directly affecting the Territory. Previously the Nationalist member for Herbert in Queensland from 1925 to 1928.Sam Benson Batman, Vic 1966–1969 Expelled from the Labor Party for supporting continued Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.Ted Mack North Sydney, NSW 1990–1996 Phil Cleary Wills, Vic 19921993–1996 Disqualified in 1992.Peter Andren Calare, NSW 1996–2007 Graeme Campbell Kalgoorlie, WA 1995–1996 Expelled from the Labor Party for supporting Australians Against Further Immigration. Formed the Australia First Party in 1996.Paul Filing Moore, WA 1996–1998 Lost Liberal preselection and ran as an independent.Pauline Hanson Oxley, Qld 1996–1997 Disendorsed Liberal. Formed One Nation in 1997.Allan Rocher Curtin, WA 1996–1998 Lost Liberal preselection and ran as an independent.Bob Katter Kennedy, Qld 2001–2011 Resigned from the National Party in 2001. Formed Katter's Australian Party in 2011.Tony Windsor New England, NSW 2001–2013 Rob Oakeshott Lyne, NSW 2008–2013 Andrew Wilkie Clark, Tas 2010–present Held Division of Denison from 2010 to 2019, when the division was abolished and replaced by the Division of ClarkCathy McGowan Indi, Vic 2013–2019 Kerryn Phelps Wentworth, NSW 2018–2019 Lost seat to Dave Sharma in 2019.Zali Steggall Warringah, NSW 2019–2026 Formed Community Strong Australia.Helen Haines Indi, VIC 2019–present First independent to succeed a previously elected independent (Cathy McGowan).Kate Chaney Curtin, WA 2022–present Zoe Daniel Goldstein, VIC 2022–2025 Dai Le Fowler, NSW 2022–present Formed the Western Sydney Community in 2023. Still sitting as an independent in parliament.Monique Ryan Kooyong, VIC 2022–present Sophie Scamps Mackellar, NSW 2022–present Allegra Spender Wentworth, NSW 2022–2026 Granddaughter of Percy Spender, who also won an election as an independent. Joined Community Strong Australia.Kylea Tink North Sydney, NSW 2022–2025 Andrew Gee Calare, NSW 2022–present Resigned from the National Party in 2022 before being elected as an independent at the federal election in 2025. Nicolette Boele Bradfield, NSW 2025–present

Not elected as independent