Smokers' Rights Party

The Smokers' Rights Party was a registered political party in Australia from 2013 until September 2017.[2]

Smokers' Rights Party
Spokesperson	Clinton Mead[1]
Ideology	Single-issue politics
Website
smokersrights.org.au
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

The party was created in order to feed preferences to David Leyonhjelm of the Liberal Democratic Party.[3][4] With the abolition of group voting tickets in 2016, the Smokers' Rights Party was no longer able to act as a preference feeder, and published a statement recommending that supporters vote for Leyonhjelm in the Senate.[5] It was formally deregistered in September 2017.[2]

The Smokers' Rights Party states that it does not receive funding from the tobacco industry.[6] Despite this, the Liberal Democrats do, having received at least $35000 from Philip Morris in the 2013-2014 financial year.[7]

Smokers Rights fielded only one candidate in the 2016 federal election. This was Joaquim De Lima as a candidate for the Division of Fowler in the House of Representatives.[8] De Lima had previously run as a candidate for the Outdoor Recreation Party (NSW 2011 for Penrith, 2013 Senate NSW, 2014 senate WA, 2015 NSW upper house),[9] and the Liberal Democrats (Federal 2010 for Greenway).

See also

• WIN Party
• List of political parties in Australia

References

1. "What is the Australian Smokers Rights Party?". 2SER.
2. "Notice of deregistration Smokers Rights Party" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017. Notice under s 137(4) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 On 5 September 2017, Stuart Oreo, acting Assistant Commissioner, as a delegate of the Electoral Commission, deregistered the Smokers Rights Party under subsection 137(4) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. Reason: s 137(4) – failure to respond to notice under s 137 (1)
3. "Accusations fly in micro-party stoush", InDaily, 3 December 2013.
4. "Revealed: the libertarian Right's micro-party links", Crikey, 22 August 2013.
5. "How to vote to protect your rights in the 2016 election", Smokers' Rights Party.
6. "Links", Smokers' Rights Party.
7. "'Thank you for smoking': Leyonhjelm confirms Philip Morris backing", The Guardian, 2 October 2014.
8. "Candidates for the 2016 federal election". Australian Electoral Commission. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
9. "Senate candidates don't live here", The West Australian, 22 March 2014.