Far-Right Political Parties in Australia: Disorganisation and Electoral Failure

This book examines how Australian far-right parties organise and operate to better understand their limited electoral success.
Australian far-right parties have yet to see results comparable to far-right parties in other contexts. Unlike many of their European counterparts that have made significant electoral gains up to and including participation in national governments, the Australian far-right parties of the ‘fourth wave’ have experienced relatively poor electoral results. But this does not necessarily mean that Australia is uniquely hostile to far-right politics. Focusing particularly on the 2019 Australian federal election, this book takes an organisational approach to better understand why Australian far-right parties struggle electorally. Through the novel lens of disorganised parties, the author argues that the failure to develop a functioning party organisation has resulted in Australian far-right parties being unable to effectively navigate their political environment. By focusing on disorganisation, this book provides a new perspective for understanding the limited electoral impact of the far right in Australia today, despite favourable conditions like normalised Islamophobia and growing dissatisfaction with mainstream parties.
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