Legal Conceptions of Political Parties Through the Lens of Anti-Discrimination Law
in Joo-Cheong Tham et al (eds), ELECTORAL DEMOCRACY: AUSTRALIAN PROSPECTS (Melbourne University Press, 2011) ch 7 / 120-139.
University of Queensland TC Beirne School of Law Research Paper No. 10-03
21 Pages Posted: 22 Mar 2010 Last revised: 1 Nov 2018
Date Written: March 16, 2010
Abstract
To what degree should political party affairs be subject to anti-discrimination law? This paper addresses this question primarily against the backdrop of UK and Australian law, whilst drawing on European and US literature and examples. It argues for caution in applying anti-discrimination law blindly to the internal affairs of parties. This conclusion is argued based on the need for competition between parties and to avoid inhibiting parties representing minority or under-represented interests rather than from a freedom of association perspective per se.
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