Overview
In 1977, Don Chipp, a Liberal Member of the House of Representatives and former Minister, was approached by the people of the Australia Party, the New Liberal Movement and by other concerned individuals to hold a series of meetings across Australia with a view to forming a new party.

The motivating force for this was a desire for a party where ordinary people could have real say on policies and directions. After a series of public meetings around Australia, a resolution was passed unanimously to form a new reformist party, and the 'Australian Democrats' was officially launched. It won its first parliamentary seat when Robin Millhouse was elected to the State Parliament in South Australia. At the federal level, the Australian Democrats have been represented in the Parliament since 1977.

(exerpt from Federal Democrats web site)

The Democrats in NSW
In 1981, popular actor Elisabeth Kirkby was elected to the NSW Upper House and held her seat continuously until retirement in 1998. She was joined in 1988 by Richard Jones, founder of Greenpeace Australia and editor of ‘Simply Living’ magazine taking the number in the NSW upper house to two. Richard Jones was re-elected in 1995 but resigned to sit as an independent shortly after. Elisabeth Kirkby was replaced by former Non-Smokers Movement President, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans.

Arthur is an experienced political activist. He was a member of the group BUGA UP, who used satirical graffiti on billboards and street theatre to disrupt tobacco promotion. (He was eventually arrested for spray-painting on a Rothmans billboard, and was convicted but released on appeal.) He also broadcasted radio programs and produced the award winning video, ‘Confessions of a Simple Surgeon’ during the same period.

He was on the Board of NADA (Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies) and also joined the Doctors’ Reform Society, becoming NSW President in 1994 and arguing for the continuation of Medicare and the need for a strong public health system. Since being elected to Parliament Arthur has been a progessive voice in the Upper House campaigning for:

• drug law reform
• open, accountable government
• public education
• public transport
(exerpt from NSW Democrats web site)