Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is the major social democratic political party in Australia. Sitting on the centre-left of the political spectrum, it is the oldest active party in the country, having been founded in 1891. It is one of the two major parties in Australian politics, its main rival being the Liberal–National Coalition. It has been the ruling party at the federal level since the 2022 federal election, and currently forms government in five of the eight states and territories.

The Labor Party was founded in 1891, being descended from the labour parties founded in the various Australian colonies during the emerging labour movement. After its founding, it began contesting colonial elections, and federal elections after Australian federation, beginning with the 1901 federal election. In 1904, it briefly formed what is considered the world's first labour party government and the world's first social democratic or democratic socialist government at a national level. At the 1910 federal election, Labor became the first party in Australia to win a majority in either house of the Australian parliament. In every election since 1910, Labor has either served as the governing party or the opposition.

The Labor Party is often called the party of unions due to its close ties to the labour movement in Australia and historical founding by trade unions, with the majority of Australian trade unions being affiliated with the Labor Party. The party's structure allocates 50% of delegate representation at state and national conferences to affiliated unions, with the remaining 50% to rank-and-file party members. At the federal and state/colony level, the Australian Labor Party predates both the British and New Zealand Labour parties in formation, winning government, and policy implementation. Internationally, the ALP is a member of the Progressive Alliance, a network of progressive, democratic socialist and social democratic parties, having previously been a member of the Socialist International.