Who is the Australian Labor Party?

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is a centre-left, social democratic political party in Australia. It is one of the country’s two major political parties and has traditionally focused on public healthcare, education, workers’ rights, social welfare, and economic reform.

You can read more about Australia’s major political parties here.

Brief history of the Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is Australia’s oldest political party. It was founded in the 1890s following the Australian trade union movement and formally entered federal politics at Federation in 1901 when they gained 16 seats in the House of Representatives and 8 in the Senate.

At the federal level, major reforms introduced by Labor governments include:

  • Medicare
  • The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
  • Universal superannuation
  • The Sex Discrimination Act 1984
  • The Racial Discrimination Act 1975
  • Native Title Act 1993
  • The 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered by Kevin Rudd

Labor operates branches in every Australian state and territory. As of recent electoral cycles, the ALP holds government federally under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and governs in five of Australia’s eight states and territories.

Key people in the Labor Party

Anthony Albanese - Prime Minister of Australia and federal leader of the ALP

Peter Malinauskas - Premier of South Australia

Jacinta Allan - Premier of Victoria

Chris Minns - Premier of New South Wales

Labor Party Policies

The ALP develops its policies through its National Conference and National Policy Forum processes. Key policy priorities include:

  • Cost-of-living relief measures
  • Housing affordability initiatives
  • Strengthening and expanding Medicare
  • Climate action and energy transition
  • Economic growth and job creation
  • Social equity and inclusion

State and territory branches set additional local priorities. For example, the South Australian Labor branch emphasises quality health services, better pay and safer worksites, better schools, clean, reliable and affordable energy, business and economic growth, and environmental protection.

How has Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party voted?

At the federal level, the ALP votes as a caucus in the Australian Parliament. Voting records for individual MPs can be viewed through independent tracking platforms such as They Vote For You, which compiles parliamentary division data.

Voting records are publicly available through parliamentary records and independent tracking sites:

Who donates to the Australian Labor Party?

If you are searching for who donates to the Australian Labor Party, donation information is published through Australia’s federal electoral disclosure system.

Under federal law, political parties must disclose donations above the reporting threshold (currently $16,900 for the 2024–25 financial year).

Federal Donation Summary (2024–25)

According to filings with the Australian Electoral Commission, disclosed donors to the ALP for the 2025 federal election cycle include:

  • Labor Holdings (an investment arm of the ALP)
  • The Mining and Energy Union
  • Pratt Holdings (paper and packaging company)
  • SA Progressive Business (a Labor fundraising entity)
  • The United Workers Union

Political donation data is publicly searchable via the AEC transparency register.