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Voices for the Senate: Australia's newest registered party was meant to run in the federal election

The party was originally known as Independent Voices for the Senate.

Voices for the Senate has formally been registered as a political party by the Australian Electoral Commission, weeks after the federal election that it was set to run in.


The party, originally known as Independent Voices for the Senate, was set up to assist independent senate candidates.


Candidates without a party running in the senate have to be part of a group (eg 'Group R') with a running mate that does not include their name above the line.


If they do not have a running mate, they are listed as ungrouped senate candidates - where it's almost impossible to win a seat.


The Local Party, which did run in the federal election, was also set up similarly to help independent senate candidates.


The party said on Facebook in March that "counting back from the last possible date on which the government can issue the writs for the election, there is a high likelihood that the application process won't be completed in time."

It's possible that if then-PM Scott Morrison had waited another few days to call the election, they would have been registered in time.


The party - which has a registered abbreviation of VOICES4SENATE - now has to almost certainly wait 3 years before being able to run candidates.


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