Centre-Line Party

The Centre Line Party was the provisional title of a proposed Australian political party launched by resolution on 29 April, 1977. [Chipp D and Larkin J "Don Chipp: The Third Man", Rigby 1978, ISBN 0 7270 0827 7, p 185] The occasion was a meeting at the Perth Town Hall to which Don Chipp had been invited in the hope that he would accept the position of leader of the new party, which would be an amalgamation of the Australia Party and the New Liberal Movement. On that occasion, Chipp declined to commit himself but did so at a corresponding public meeting in Melbourne on 9 May, 1977. The new party was eventually renamed the Australian Democrats by a ballot of its membership. ["Fifty-six suggestions produced by members were listed on the ballot paper, including Uniting Australia Party, Australian Centre Line Party, Dinkum Democrats, Practical Idealists of Australia and People for Sanity Party!! After the ballot, the suggestion of the Steering Committee, 'Australian Democrats', was overwhelmingly accepted." --Chipp & Larkin 1978, page 188]

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