Veterans start own political party

Australian veterans who started their own political party last year, this year gained sufficient membership to officially register the Australian Defence Veterans Party (ADVP) as a political party with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

A party spokesman said that in just under 18 months from the inaugural general meeting held in Canberra on Australia Day 2014, the ADVP had grown to meet the required membership numbers to apply to AEC for registration.

“The ADVP was formed so veterans from Defence and emergency services, as well as serving members from these organisations, can have a voice in the political arena,” the spokesman said.

“For too long our veterans have had to put up with decisions that affect their welfare, such as unfair indexation of pensions, the battle for compensation from injuries sustained during service and the unfair pay deal offered to Defence personnel, just to name a few.

“The ADVP gained registration as a political party as of 15 June 2015 and we will carry their voice on the political stage.”

The ADVP held its second Annual General Meeting in Melbourne to welcome new committee members, table its many policies and communicate the party’s constitution to members – and, of course, celebrate a significant milestone – official registration as Australia’s newest political party.

UPDATE 2017: Like many others, I was excited and enthusiastic to hear that a group of veterans were uniting to throw their hat in the political ring. CONTACT magazine was approached for support by ADVP early on. However, one quick look at their manifesto and I told them “no – CONTACT will not be supporting you” – except I did take their money and carried their paid advertising.
Their manifesto was, in my opinion, a ridiculously naive document – a list of little more than hurried outlines of their ‘official position’ on EVERY topical political issue of the day, and seemed to be attempting to take the most populist stance on each. It also proclaimed to be a party that would ‘represent all Australians equally’, which of course is IMPOSSIBLE. I take no pleasure in saying “I told you so”, because, technically I told no one except the ADVP (and close friends) what I really thought.
The ADVP was officially deregistered in February 2017, less than 18 months after being registered.

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