Freedom Party of Victoria

Freedom Party of Victoria
AbbreviationFPV
LeaderMorgan Jonas
FoundedJune 2022
Registered29 September 2022
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing to far-right
Colors  Red   Blue
Slogan“Protecting Victorian Jobs – Homes – Families”
Legislative Assembly
0 / 88
Legislative Council
0 / 40
Website
freedompartyvic.com.au

The Freedom Party of Victoria is a right-wing to far right micro party registered in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded and registered in 2022, by anti-vaxxer and alt-right blogger Morgan Jonas, the party ran in the 2022 Victorian state election on an anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine mandate platform, but was unsuccessful in winning any seats.

The party emerged from the protests to the response from the state government during the COVID-19 pandemic, and features many candidates that hold anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown and anti-mandate views. The party's leader is Morgan Jonas, an anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown campaigner and former candidate of the United Australia Party (UAP). Jonas was later involved in stunts by far-right political operatives and the Exclusive Brethren to ambush progressive politicians during the 2025 Australian federal election campaign. From 2022 to 2023 the party's deputy leader was former Liberal National (LNP) Queensland politician Aidan McLindon, who left the party in 2023 to try to rejoin the Liberal Party.

The party contested the 2022 Victorian state election, winning less than 2% of the statewide vote and winning no seats in either chamber of the Victorian Parliament. Actor Damien Richardson ran for the party in 2022. The Party also contested the 2023 Narracan state supplementary election and 2023 Warrandyte state by-election.

In 2023, the party endorsed the No vote during the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.

Critics of the party say that it spreads conspiracy theories and misinformation, especially about vaccines.

The party applied to change its name to Safety Victoria — Violent Crime Prevention in July 2026, which was approved by the Victorian Electoral Commission the following month.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hales, Holly (30 September 2022). "Fringe political parties could prove an election disaster for Dan Andrews". News.com.au.
  2. ↑ Dexter, Rachael (30 October 2022). "Is Melton going to break Labor's 'wall' in the west?". The Age.
  3. ↑ Eddie, Rachel (28 July 2022). "The blocker v the whisperer: Prizefight for preferences before state poll". The Age.
  4. ↑ Dexter, Rachael (28 October 2023). "Prominent 'freedom' protesters back Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Gardiner, Andrew (28 October 2023). "City Builders, the Pentecostal cult driving the Liberal Party to the far right and beyond". Michael West Media. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Smethurst, Annika; Graham, Jackson (6 October 2022). "Micro-parties seeking upper house spots struggle with 'archaic' registration process". The Age.
  7. ↑ "Currently registered parties". vec.vic.gov.au. Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  8. ↑ "Anti-vaxxer's brutal Clive Palmer snub".
  9. 1 2 McLeod, Catie (7 March 2022). "Anti-vaxxer Morgan Jonas flags next move after quitting United Australia Party". news.com.au.
  10. ↑ Smith, Rohan (29 April 2022). "Independent, anti-vaccine mandate candidate clashes with Melbourne radio host Neil Mitchell". news.com.au.
  11. ↑ Bachelard, Sherryn Groch, Michael (October 16, 2026). "'Just business': Brethren leaders admit meeting far-right – and Trump". The Age.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ "Victorian Liberals weigh up whether they will allow former Freedom Party leader Aidan McLindon back into their ranks". Sky News Australia. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  13. ↑ "Party Totals". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  14. ↑ "What strange times we live in when a Prime Minister actively works to divide the country..." Freedom Party of Victoria. 17 April 2023. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023 – via Facebook.
  15. ↑ Wilson, Cam (November 21, 2022). "'Red mist', stolen election claims and an arrest: Victoria's election campaign takes a dark turn".
  16. ↑ Briggs, Casey (15 July 2026). "New political parties are exploiting Victoria's archaic electoral system". ABC News. Archived from the original on 27 October 2026. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "Change of registered political party name and logo - Freedom Party" (Press release). Victorian Electoral Commission. 10 August 2026. Archived from the original on 27 October 2026. Retrieved 27 October 2026.