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{{Short description|Political party in Australia (2002–2017)}}
{{For-multi|the Australian political party founded in 2021|Family First Party (2021)|the New Zealand lobby group|Family First New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| name         = Family First Party
| logo         = [[File:Family First 2013.png|150px]]
| colorcode    = #23CDFD
| foundation   = {{start date and age|2002}}
| ideology     = {{plainlist|
* [[Social conservatism]]<ref name=Ghazarian>{{cite web |last1=Ghazarian |first1=Zareh |date= |title=Small Parties, Big Changes: The Evolution of Minor Parties Elected to the Australian Senate |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/359C0D9F778D4F9D8572BA84276BB1D6.ashx |url-status=live |website=aph.gov.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716134134/https://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/359C0D9F778D4F9D8572BA84276BB1D6.ashx |archive-date=16 July 2019 }}</ref>
}}
| headquarters = 77 Fullarton Road, [[Kent Town, South Australia|Kent Town]], [[South Australia]]
| country = Australia
| dissolved    = {{end date and age|2017|04|26|df=y}}
| merged       = [[Australian Conservatives|Conservatives]]
| successor    = [[Family First Party (2021)|Family First (2021)]]
| religion     = [[Christianity]] ([[Assemblies of God]])<ref name=Ghazarian/>
| position     = [[Right-wing]]<ref name=Ghazarian/>
| colours      = {{Color box|#1456F1|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#FF7F00|border=darkgray}} [[Blue]] and [[Orange (colour)|orange]]
}}
{{Conservatism in Australia}}
The '''Family First Party''' was a [[Conservatism in Australia|conservative]] [[political party in Australia]] which existed from 2002 to 2017. It was founded in [[South Australia]] where it enjoyed its greatest electoral support. Since the demise of the [[Australian Conservatives]] into which it merged, it has been refounded in that state as the [[Family First Party (2021)]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/sa/2022/guide/lc-results|title=South Australia Election 2022 - Legislative Council Results|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]}}</ref>

Family First had three candidates elected to the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] during its existence—[[Steve Fielding]] (2005–2011), [[Bob Day]] (2014–2016), and [[Lucy Gichuhi]] (2017; elected on a [[countback]] following Day being declared ineligible). At state level, the party won a seat in the [[South Australian Legislative Council]] across four consecutive state elections ([[2002 South Australian state election|2002]], [[2006 South Australian state election|2006]], [[2010 South Australian state election|2010]], and [[2014 South Australian state election|2014]]). It also briefly had representatives in the [[New South Wales Legislative Council]] and [[Western Australian Legislative Council]], as a result of defections from other parties.

The party was generally considered to be part of the [[Christian right]]. Though it had no formal affiliation with any particular religious organisation, Family First was strongly linked to the [[Pentecostal church]] in South Australia, and nationally from smaller Christian denominations. Family First in South Australia was viewed as an infusion of ex-[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberals]] via [[Robert Brokenshire]] and Day. Originally advocating a moral and family values agenda, Day, who would become Family First's major donor, later reoriented Family First to begin to emphasise issues such as industrial relations reform, free speech and smaller government, which brought Family First closer to [[Cory Bernardi]]'s [[Australian Conservatives]].  Family First and its two state parliamentarians [[Dennis Hood]] and Brokenshire joined and merged with Bernardi's Australian Conservatives on 25 April 2017.<ref name=antonyabc>{{cite news|last1=Green|first1=Antony|title=The Urge to merge - Family First and the Australian Conservatives |url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2017/04/the-urge-to-merge-family-first-and-the-australian-conservatives.html |access-date=4 May 2017 |work=ABC |date=26 April 2017}}</ref>

Newly appointed Family First senator [[Lucy Gichuhi]] did not join the Conservatives, and became an independent senator when Family First was disbanded.<ref name="merger-abc">{{cite news|title=Bernardi's Australian Conservatives to merge with Family First|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-25/cory-bernardi-australian-conservatices-to-merge-with-family/8471244?smid=abcnews-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf73113548=1|access-date=25 April 2017|work=ABC News|date=25 April 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref> Gichuhi was invited to join the Australian Conservatives' voting bloc in the Senate,<ref name="bloc">{{Cite news|title=Bernardi's alliance intends to bloc Xenophon|work=[[The Australian]]|date=27 April 2017|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/cory-bernardis-alliance-intends-to-bloc-nick-xenophon-in-senate/news-story/02c0a616b6c7d66c7a181cee58c5f210}}</ref> but ultimately chose to join the Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australian-success-story-pm-welcomes-gichuhi-to-liberals|title='Australian success story': PM welcomes Gichuhi to Liberals|work=SBS}}</ref> Brokenshire was not re-elected at the [[2018 South Australian state election|2018 state election]], and Hood left the Conservatives to join the [[Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)|Liberal Party]] on 26 March 2018.<ref name="Hood">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-26/australian-conservatives-mp-dennis-hood-joins-liberals/9586822 |title=Dennis Hood dumps Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives to join SA Liberals |first=Nick |last=Harmsen |newspaper=ABC News |date=26 March 2018 |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

==History==
The party was founded 2002 in [[South Australia]], in time to contest the [[2002 South Australian state election|2002 state election]], when former [[Assemblies of God]] pastor [[Andrew Evans (pastor)|Andrew Evans]] became its first elected member, winning a seat in the [[South Australian Legislative Council]]. A second party member, pharmaceutical executive [[Dennis Hood]], was elected to the Legislative Council at the [[2006 South Australian state election|2006 state election]]. [[Robert Brokenshire]] replaced Evans following the latter's retirement in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24070079-2682,00.html |title= New MLC Robert Brokenshire puts major parties on notice |work= [[AdelaideNow]] |date= 24 July 2008 |access-date= 24 July 2008 }}</ref>

At the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal election]], Family First contested seats all over Australia, generally exchanging [[Ranked voting systems|preferences]] with [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] candidates, although in some seats it exchanged preferences with the [[Australian Labor Party]]. In Queensland, the party refused to direct preferences to Liberal candidate Ingrid Tall on the grounds she was openly gay, also refusing to preference Liberal candidate [[Warren Entsch]] for his support for same-sex marriage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/family-first-refuses-preference-swap-with-lesbians-20041005-gdyqvf.html|title=Family First refuses preference swap with lesbians|date=5 October 2004|access-date=10 June 2024|newspaper=The Age}}</ref> At that election, [[Steve Fielding]] was elected as a senator for [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]] for the party. Fielding, along with independent [[Nick Xenophon]] and the five [[Australian Greens]], shared the [[Balance of power (parliament)|balance of power]] in the Senate from July 2008 to July 2011. He lost his seat at the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]].

In June 2008, sitting MP and former [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] member, [[Dan Sullivan (Australian politician)|Dan Sullivan]], joined the [[Western Australia]]n state branch of Family First as an executive member. When three former [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]]s attended the public launch of the branch, it fuelled media speculation that they might try to influence the West Australian branch.<ref name="ABC_Fisher2">{{cite news |title=Fischer throws weight behind Family First in WA |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/22/2281987.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231064717/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/22/2281987.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 December 2012 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2008-06-22 |access-date=2008-06-23 }}</ref><ref name="Y7_Sullivan">{{cite news |title=Sullivan to lead Family First |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/080620/21/17db8.html |publisher=[[Yahoo!7]] |date=2008-06-20 |access-date=2008-06-25 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

During the 2009/10 financial year, party chairman [[Bob Day]] made two loans totalling $405,000 to Family First. After gaining 4% of the vote in several [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] seats in the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]], the party also received around $400,000 in Commonwealth election funding.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/family-first-gets-405000-lifeline-from-its-chairman-20110212-1are4.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | first1=Ruth | last1=Williams | first2=Mark | last2=Hawthorne | title=Family First gets $405,000 lifeline from its chairman | date=2011-02-13}}</ref>

Family First returned to the Australian Senate at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]], when Day was elected as a senator for South Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateSenatorsElected-17496-NAT.htm|title=Senators Elected|publisher=Australian ElectoralCommission}}</ref> He was re-elected at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 double dissolution federal election]]. A few months later, his family-owned building company, Home Australia Group, ran into financial difficulties and was wound up. Day announced immediately that he would resign from the senate as a consequence, however he did not resign immediately, allowing time for the party to develop a process for selecting a replacement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://indaily.com.au/news/politics/2016/10/25/simple-family-first-transition-wildly-optimistic/ |title=Simple Family First transition "wildly optimistic" |first=Tom |last=Richardson |newspaper=[[InDaily]] |date=25 October 2016 |access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> He resigned on 1 November 2016 creating a vacancy in the senate. In April 2017 the high court ruled that he was invalidly elected in July 2016 and had been ineligible to sit in the senate since February 2016.<ref name="DayIneligibleRuling"/> 

The vacancy created by Day's resignation was filled by another Family First senate candidate, [[Lucy Gichuhi]]. Gichuhi was declared by the court of disputed returns on 13 April 2017 to be elected instead of Day, after a special recount of South Australian senate votes.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-13/family-first-lucy-gichuhi-replaces-bob-day-in-senate/8442564 |title=Family First's Lucy Gichuhi set to replace Bob Day in South Australian Senate seat |date=13 April 2017 |work=ABC News |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |first1=Chris |last1=Uhlmann |first2=Matthew |last2=Doran}}</ref><ref name="Day resigned">{{cite news |url=http://indaily.com.au/news/politics/2016/11/01/finally-bob-calls-it-a-day/ |title=Finally, Bob calls it a Day |date=1 November 2016 |first=Tom |last=Richardson |newspaper=[[InDaily]] |access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref> She became Australia's first African Senator.

===Merger with the Australian Conservatives===
On 26 April 2017, a merger between the [[Australian Conservatives]] and the Family First Party was announced, with Family First to be absorbed into the Conservatives.<ref name="merger-aus">{{cite news|last1=Owen|first1=Michael|title=Bernardi and Family First join forces for conservative vote|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/bernardi-and-family-first-join-forces-for-conservative-vote/news-story/c2604388c3b1c7b1b320d7e9678f8b3d|access-date=25 April 2017|work=The Australian|date=25 April 2017}}</ref> Newly appointed Family First senator [[Lucy Gichuhi]] did not join the Conservatives, and became an independent senator when the Family First Party was disbanded.<ref name="gichuhi-ind">{{cite news|last1=Belot|first1=Henry|title=Bernardi unwilling to wait for Gichuhi to 'get her head around' party merger|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-26/cory-bernardi-unwilling-to-wait-for-gicuchi-for-amalgamation/8472754|access-date=26 April 2017|work=ABC News|date=26 April 2017|language=en-AU}}</ref> The party formally relinquished its registration with the [[Australian Electoral Commission]] on 30 August 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_parties/files/2017-6292.pdf |title=Family First Party Voluntary Deregistration |quote=Notice under s 135(1) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 The Family First Party was registered on 5 March 2004 and deregistered on 30 August 2017. Reason: s 135(1) – voluntary deregistration |date=30 August 2017 |access-date=1 September 2017 |publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]]}}</ref>

Psephologist [[Antony Green]] suggested the merger could in part be attributed to the abolition of [[group voting ticket]]s, which makes it more difficult for like-minded parties to swap [[Instant-runoff voting|preferences]] without a certain amount of "leakage" to other parties.<ref name=antonyabc/>

According to John Macaulay, an executive of the Australian Conservatives Board, and the dissolution document of Family First, the Party did not merge with the Australian Conservatives. The Family First executive voted to dissolve the party, and in accordance with Australian law, they donated all their assets to the Australian Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-04-25 |title=Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives to amalgamate with Family First | first=Louise | last=Yaxley |language=en-AU |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-25/cory-bernardi-australian-conservatives-family-first-to-merge/8471244 |access-date=2022-06-18}}</ref>

== Religious affiliation ==
Although officially eschewing religious labels, many of its candidates and members were from [[Christian fundamentalism|conservative Christian]] backgrounds. Family First co-founder Pastor [[Andrew Evans (pastor)|Andrew Evans]] was the General Superintendent of the [[Assemblies of God in Australia]] for twenty years.<ref name="ABC20040929_TheReligionReport">{{cite news|author=Hassan|first=Toni|author-link=Toni Hassan|date=2004-09-29|title=The Religion Report|work=Radio National|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1209308.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041029003552/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1209308.htm|archive-date=29 October 2004}}</ref> In the [[2002 South Australian state election|2002 South Australian election]] and the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 federal election]], a number of Family First candidates were church members. In [[New South Wales]], 11 of their 23 candidates for the 2004 federal election were from an Assemblies of God church, the Hawkesbury Church in [[Windsor, New South Wales|Windsor]].<ref name="SMH20040924_BehindFamilyFirst">{{cite news
 | author=Mike Seccombe
 | url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/24/1095961858738.html
 | title=Behind Family First is a clan of true believers
 | work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
 | publisher=Fairfax
 | date=2004-09-24
}}</ref>

South Australian Family First Member of the Legislative Council [[Dennis Hood]], the party's state parliamentary leader, is a member of the [[Rostrevor Baptist Church]]. When ''[[Sunday Mail (Adelaide)|Sunday Mail]]'' columnist [[Peter Goers]] stated that Hood was an anti-evolution [[Creationist]],<ref name="SundayMail20060813_Hood">{{ cite news
 | title=This Hood's hardly one of the boyz
 | work=Sunday Mail (Adelaide)
 | date=2006-08-13
}}</ref> Hood did not deny this in his response, while he did attempt to set the record straight on issues of policy.<ref>{{ cite news
 | title=Family First far from extremists
 | work=Sunday Mail (Adelaide)
 | date=2006-08-27
}}</ref>

Family First's preferencing agreement with the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] in the 2004 federal election led [[Barnaby Joyce]], the [[National Party of Australia|National]] senate candidate for Queensland, to publicly slam the party the day before the election, calling them "the lunatic Right", and stating that "these are not the sort of people you do preference deals with".<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[The Australian]]  | title =  Nationals split over Family First deal – Election 2004| first = Greg | last = Roberts |department=Local | page = 9  | date = 8 October 2004}}</ref> Joyce's comments came in response to a pamphlet published by one of the party's Victorian Senate candidates, [[Danny Nalliah]] who in his capacity as a church pastor had criticised other religions and homosexuality.

In September 2004, party leader [[Andrea Mason (politician)|Andrea Mason]] said that Family First is not a Christian party<ref>{{ cite news
 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2004/s1202986.htm
 | title=Family First Party campaigns on family values
 | work=The World Today
 | publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] Local Radio
 | date=2004-09-20
 | author=Karen Barlow & Nance Haxton
}}</ref> and Family First Federal Secretary Dr Matt Burnet issued a press release stating:

<blockquote>The party is not a church party or an Assembly of God party, nor is it funded by AOG churches. It does see itself as socially conservative, with Family Values based on Christian ethics. Like any mainstream party we do not have on record the religious affiliations of any of our members. The Board of Reference in South Australia includes business-people, members of the medical profession, as well as ministers and people from Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Uniting and other church groups. The rapid national growth of the party leading into this election and the late decision to contest in all seats possible, has meant that in some states there are candidates, with strong family values, who have been introduced to the party through the personal relationships they have from their involvement in community/church networks.</blockquote>

A 60-minute documentary was made for the ABC-TV Compass program in 2005 and called "Family First – A Federal Crusade".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/compass/s1358912.htm|title=Compass: Family First: A Federal Crusade - ABC TV|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> It was produced by Dr Bruce Redman from The University of Queensland.

By August 2010, the party maintained its non-denominational stance and affirmed its affinity towards Christianity in stating "Family First in 2010 is independent of any church or denomination...like so many other Australian institutions, at Family First our Christian
heritage is something we are both proud of and grateful for."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sa-familyfirst.org.au/about.htm |title=Family First – South Australia |publisher=Family First |access-date=2010-08-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820120812/http://www.sa-familyfirst.org.au/about.htm |archive-date=20 August 2010 }}</ref>

==Elections and results==
===Federal elections===

====2004 federal election ====
The party agreed to share House of Representatives preferences with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]&ndash;[[National Party of Australia|National]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] at the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 election]]<ref>{{cite press release |url = http://www.familyfirst.org.au/mr/fullpref240904.pdf|publisher = Family First Party|title = House of Representatives Preferencing  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080414012231/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/mr/fullpref240904.pdf |date = 24 September 2004|archive-date = 14 April 2008}}</ref> (with some exceptions discussed below).

Family First picked up 1.76% of the vote nationally. [[Steve Fielding]], the lead candidate in Victoria, was successful in picking up the last Senate seat. Although he received a primary vote of only 1.88% (56,376 votes), he achieved the 14.3% quota required by a run of preferences including those from the [[Australian Labor Party]]. The typically apolitical [[psephologist]] [[Malcolm Mackerras]] stated "The outlandish result occurred in Victoria in 2004 where the Family First party was able to gather tickets from just about everywhere... this is a fluke. And I’ve always referred to Senator Steve Fielding as the Fluke Senator".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reportageonline.com/2010/08/family-first-faces-tough-election/ |title=Family First faces tough election: Reportage 19&nbsp;August 2010 |publisher=Reportageonline.com |date=2010-08-19 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref>

The party also came close to picking up other Senate seats in [[Tasmania]] (largely due to preferences from surplus Liberal votes) and in [[South Australia]] where the then party leader [[Andrea Mason (politician)|Andrea Mason]] narrowly missed out (polling 3.98% and receiving Liberal preferences).

====2007 federal election====
Family First contested the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]], in particular seeking to increase its Senate representation. Nationwide, the party received 1.62% of the primary vote in the Senate, and 1.99% in the House of Representatives, both down slightly on the 2004 result. In Victoria, however, both the [[House of Representatives results for the Australian federal election, 2007#Victoria|lower]] and [[Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2007#Victoria|upper house vote]] increased by 0.64%, to 2.52 and 3.02% respectively. No Family First candidates were elected. Sitting senator Steve Fielding's term did not expire until 2011.

Before the 2007 federal election, [[Fred Nile]] criticized Family First for giving preferences (in some states) to the [[Liberty and Democracy Party]], a [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] political party one of whose policies was to legalize recreational drug use, stating "They gave their preferences to the enemy, the anti-Christian party."<ref>{{cite news|title=Christian party's unholy alliance|publisher=[[Herald Sun]]|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22709097-5013904,00.html|author=Steve Lewis|date=2007-11-06}}</ref> This was suggested as a reason for their poor election result.<ref>{{cite news |title=Electorate strips landscape of the bit-part players|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22819447-5001031,00.html|author=Steve Lewis|date=2007-11-26}}</ref> Fred Nile's own [[Christian Democratic Party (Australia)|Christian Democratic Party]] had also preferenced the Liberty and Democracy Party before any other major party in the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aec.gov.au/pdf/elections/2007/gvt/NSW_2007_gvt.pdf |title=NSW_2007_GVT_A4.indd |access-date=2010-06-16}}</ref>

In 2008, some newspapers claimed that Fielding wanted to "relaunch himself as a mainstream political player, beyond Family First's ultra-conservative evangelical Christian support base." The reports indicated that Fielding had tried to recruit [[Tim Costello]] and others around the beginning of 2008 with a view to forming a new party, but had failed to convince them.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[Herald Sun]]  | title =  Senator wanted to quit| first1 = Ben | last1 = Packham |first2 = Peter| last2 = Jean |department=News | page = 4  | date = 30 September 2008}}</ref> The revelations came after Fielding changed his position on abortion, after being rebuffed by his party for taking a softer approach.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[Herald Sun]]  | title =  Fielding abortion heat Retreat on women's rights comments| first = Ben | last = Packham |department=News | page = 11  | date = 27 September 2008}}</ref> Fielding denied the claims.

====2010 federal election====
At the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]], Family First contested the Senate in all states, but were not successful, with the national vote remaining at around 2%. Fielding's term ended on 30 June 2011, after which the Family First Party no longer had federal parliamentary representation.<ref name=defeat1>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013974.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918035228/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013974.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 September 2010 |title=Senate result confirms Fielding's defeat: ABC 16&nbsp;September 2010 |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2010-09-16 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref><ref name=defeat2>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/family-firsts-steve-fielding-loses-senate-seat-20100916-15ebv.html |title=Family First's Steve Fielding loses Senate seat: The Age 16&nbsp;September 2010 |publisher=Theage.com.au |date=2010-09-16 |access-date=2011-02-01 |location=Melbourne |first=Megan |last=Levy}}</ref><ref name=abcproj>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/senate-results.htm |title=2010 Senate Results – Summary: ABC elections |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2010-07-29 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref>

The Queensland Family First Senate candidate [[Wendy Francis]] created controversy when she compared allowing same-sex marriage to the stolen generations and to "legalising child abuse".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/family-first-candidate-wendy-francis-stands-by-gay--slur-on-twitter-20100809-11s5c.html?autostart=1 |title=Family First candidate Wendy Francis stands by gay slur on Twitter |publisher=The Age |date=2010-08-09 |access-date=2010-08-09 | first=Ben | last=Grubb}}</ref>

====2013 federal election====
{{see also|Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2013#South Australia}}
[[Bob Day]] ran as a Family First Party South Australia Senate candidate at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]] and was successful. The South Australian Senate Family First vote was 3.8% (down 0.3%),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-17496-SA.htm|title=Senate State First Preferences By Group |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref> getting to the 14.3% quota through [[Glenn Druery]]'s [[Minor Party Alliance]] from 19 [[group voting ticket]] party preferences: [[Australian Independents|Australian Independents Party]], [[Australian Stable Population Party]], [[Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|Liberal Democratic Party]], [[Smokers' Rights Party]], [[No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics]], [[Building Australia Party]], [[Rise Up Australia Party]], [[Katter's Australian Party]], [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]], [[Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party]], [[Australian Christians (political party)|Australian Christians]], [[Shooters and Fishers]], [[Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party]], [[Democratic Labour Party (Australia, 1980)|Democratic Labour Party]], [[Animal Justice Party]], [[Australian Greens]], [[Palmer United Party]], [[HEMP Party]], [[Australian Labor Party]].<ref name="smh.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/micromanager-behind-independents-20130909-2tgc7.html|title=Micro-manager behind independents|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/results/senate/sa/|title=Senate Results: South Australia - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2013 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> The nationwide Family First Senate vote was 1.1% (down 1.0%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-17496-NAT.htm|title=Senate State First Preferences By Group |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref> Day assumed his seat on 1 July 2014.

====2016 federal election====
{{see also|Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2016#South Australia}}
As Family First's sole incumbent, [[Bob Day]] was unexpectedly<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/family-first-senator-bob-day-reelected-in-south-australia-labor-misses-out-20160802-gqj12u.html|title=Family First Senator Bob Day re-elected in South Australia, Labor misses out|first=Michael|last=Koziol|date=2 August 2016}}</ref> successful at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]], despite having unsuccessfully mounted a [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] challenge against [[Australian Senate#Voting|newly implemented Senate voting reforms]] which included the removal of [[group voting ticket]]s, a feature which was crucial to the election of Day at the previous election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-13/senate-voting-reform-challenge-thrown-out-by-high-court/7410986|title=Senate voting reform challenge thrown out by High Court|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=13 May 2016}}</ref> Though the South Australian Senate Family First vote was reduced to just 2.9% (down 0.9%),<ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-SA.htm SA Senate 2016 election: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812141304/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-SA.htm |date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> as the election was a [[double dissolution]], the quota to be elected was halved. Day got to the 7.7% quota largely from Liberal preferences when the Liberal's 5th candidate [[Sean Edwards (politician)|Sean Edwards]] was eliminated from the count, largely due to the fact the Liberal [[how-to-vote card]] recommended Liberal voters to preference Family First.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2016/guide/ssa/htv/|title=Senate How to Votes: South Australia - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2016 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> Electing only six Senators per state at a non-double dissolution election, the 12th and last spot in South Australia at this election came down to a race between Day and Labor's 4th candidate [[Anne McEwen (politician)|Anne McEwen]]. McEwen solidly led Day for the overwhelming majority of the count, until count 445 of a total 457. However, upon Edwards and then [[Pauline Hanson's One Nation|One Nation]] candidate Steven Burgess being eliminated at count 445 and 455 respectively, leaving only McEwen and Day remaining, Day had collected enough preferences to overtake and narrowly defeat McEwen − by just a couple of thousand preference votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2016/08/south-australia-senate-2016-distribution-of-preferences.html|title=South Australia Senate 2016 - Distribution of Preferences}}</ref><ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/External/SenateStateDop-20499-SA.pdf SA Senate 2016 election preference distribution: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805051205/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/External/SenateStateDop-20499-SA.pdf |date=5 August 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2016/08/01/late-count-herbert-finalised-senate-results-imminent/|title=Late count: Herbert finalised, Senate results imminent - The Poll Bludger|date=1 August 2016|access-date=3 August 2016|archive-date=1 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801162608/https://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2016/08/01/late-count-herbert-finalised-senate-results-imminent/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

The nationwide Family First Senate vote was 1.4% (up 0.3%).<ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-NAT.htm Senate 2016 election: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812105302/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-NAT.htm |date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> Elected to the [[Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2016#South Australia|12th and final South Australian Senate spot]], he was entitled to a three-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/coalition-and-labor-team-up-to-clear-out-crossbench-senators-in-2019-20160812-gqr29k.html|title=Coalition and Labor team up to clear out crossbench senators in 2019|first=Fergus|last=Hunter|date=12 August 2016}}</ref> 

Due to the failure of his home construction business, Day resigned from the Senate on 1 November 2016 and a replacement was expected to be selected in the following two to three weeks{{update after|2016|11}}.<ref name="Day resigned"/> In April 2017, the High Court found that he had been invalidly elected to the Senate at the 2016 election because the leasing arrangements for his electoral office had breached section 44 of the [[Constitution of Australia|Constitution]] making him ineligible for the Senate, leading to a special recount of South Australian senate ballots to find a replacement.<ref name="DayIneligibleRuling">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-05/family-first-bob-day-election-ruled-invalid-by-high-court/8417204 |title=Family First ex-senator Bob Day's election ruled invalid by High Court |date=5 April 2017 |work=ABC News |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>

On 13 April 2017 [[Lucy Gichuhi]] was declared the new South Australian senator in place of Day, following a recount of ballots.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Her appointment was challenged by the [[Australian Labor Party]] but the [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] rejected the challenge as to whether she has renounced her Kenyan citizenship or retained a dual Kenyan and Australian citizenship.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/labor-party-to-challenge-eligiblity-of-sa-senator-elect/8452514 |date=19 April 2017 |title=Family First senator Lucy Gichuhi survives ALP challenge over citizenship concerns |first=Matthew |last1=Doran |first2=Henry |last2=Belot |first3=Joanna |last3=Crothers |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> She became Australia's first African Senator.

====Federal by-elections since 2004====
Following the resignation of [[Mark Latham]] and their acquisition of a Senate seat in 2004, Family First contested the [[2005 Werriwa by-election]] and in the absence of a Liberal candidate received 2,890 first preference votes. They had not contested Werriwa in 2004.

As a result of their relatively poor form in the 2007 election, Family First did not contest the [[2008 Gippsland by-election]], but in [[2008 Mayo by-election|a later by-election for the seat of Mayo]] they won 11.40% of the vote but only ran fourth in the absence of a Labor candidate, a total that was only 4% above their vote in the 2007 general election.

Family First did not stand a candidate in any of the [[2008 Lyne by-election|2008 Lyne]], [[2009 Bradfield by-election|2009 Bradfield]] or [[2009 Higgins by-election|2009 Higgins]] by-elections.

===State elections===

====2002 South Australian election====
The first election Family First contested was the [[2002 South Australian state election]]. [[Andrew Evans (pastor)|Dr Andrew Evans]] received a primary vote of 4.02% which, along with preferences from other parties, was sufficient to obtain the 8.3% quota and get elected to one of the 11 seats in the [[South Australian Legislative Council]].

====State elections from 2004 until 2017====
In the [[2005 Western Australian state election|2005 Western Australian election]], Family First polled 21,701 votes in the Legislative Council where it contested 34 candidates<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/documents/state/2005/LA%20Elected%20Members%20of%20Parliament%20-%20P21.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614162310/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/documents/state/2005/LA%20Elected%20Members%20of%20Parliament%20-%20P21.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> compared to 57 candidates in major parties.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=WA Electoral Commission |title=State General Election Results on www.waec.wa.gov.au |url=http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/documents/state/2005/LA%20Candidates%202005%20-%20P11.pdf |access-date=25 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019172629/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/documents/state/2005/LA%20Candidates%202005%20-%20P11.pdf |archive-date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[2006 South Australian state election|2006 South Australian election]], Family First's vote increased to 4.98% in the Legislative Council, and a second Member of the Legislative Council was elected – former pharmaceutical executive [[Dennis Hood]]. In several rural and outer metropolitan seats, Family First's vote approached 10% – and in the seat of [[Electoral district of Kavel|Kavel]], Tom Playford, a descendant of former [[Premier of South Australia|premier]] [[Thomas Playford IV|Tom Playford]], achieved a vote of 15.7%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/kave.htm |title=2006 South Australian Election. Kavel Electorate Profile. Australian Broadcasting Corp |publisher=ABC |date=2006-04-20 |access-date=2010-06-16}}</ref> In the Legislative Council, Family First shares the [[balance of power (parliament)|balance of power]] with the other minor parties and independents.

In the 2006 Queensland state election, Family First received a primary vote of 7% in contested seats (many seats were not contested), with a high of 14.5% and several other seats posting results of 10%.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/minor-parties-hail-poll-results/2006/09/10/1157826802417.html |title=Minor parties hail poll results – National |publisher=theage.com.au |date=2006-09-10 |access-date=2010-06-16 | location=Melbourne}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/QLD.htm |title=:: Family First – Queensland:: |publisher=Qld-familyfirst.org.au |access-date=2010-06-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507131445/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/QLD.htm |archive-date=7 May 2010 }}</ref> Queensland does not have an upper house, and these results were insufficient for any candidates to be elected.

In the [[2006 Victorian state election]], Family First's vote increased from 1.9% to 4.3% of first preferences.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[The Age]]  | title =  Family First buoyed| first =  Mathew| last = Murphy | page = 10 | date = 27 November 2006 | access-date = 16 August 2010 | url =http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=AGE061127LT7D66FJ28N }}</ref> However, no candidates were elected.

In the [[2012 Queensland state election]] the party unsuccessfully contested 38 seats.

In the [[2017 Western Australian state election]], Family First fielded 2 candidates in each of the six [[Western Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] regions, and three candidates for [[Western Australian Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] seats.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.wa.gov.au/candidates-and-parties/registered-political-parties-wa |title=Registered Political Parties in WA |publisher=[[Western Australian Electoral Commission]] |access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref> Voting for the Legislative Council uses [[group voting ticket]]s. At the 2017 election, Family First participated with four other parties in a set of preference deals orchestrated by [[Glenn Druery]]. The other parties were [[Fluoride Free WA]], [[Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|Liberal Democrats]], [[Flux the System]] and the [[Daylight Saving Party]]. The deals were arranged so that the ticket votes for these five parties would roll up to a different party in each region. The system collected votes so that Family First's best chance was in the [[Electoral region of North Metropolitan|North Metropolitan region]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-15/micro-parties-stitch-up-preference-deal-targeting-five-seats/8274278 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |title=WA election: Micro party preference deal could take five seats in Upper House |first=Laura |last=Gartry |date=15 February 2017 |access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref> However, the party did not gain any seats at the election.

==Defections from other parties==
The party has benefited from a series of high-profile defections.
*Former South Australian state Liberal minister [[Robert Brokenshire]] contested the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]] for the party, and subsequently won preselection to replace retiring founder Evans in the state Legislative Council. At the 2010 South Australian Election, Robert Brokenshire was re-elected as a Family First candidate for a Legislative Council seat.
*In June 2008, former Western Australian deputy Liberal leader [[Dan Sullivan (Australian politician)|Dan Sullivan]] announced that he would become the parliamentary leader of the state branch of the party.<ref>Splinter Party Another Blow to Struggling Libs, The West Australian, 20 August 2008.</ref> Three former [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]] MPs have expressed support for the new party.<ref name="ABC_Fisher2"/> On 14 August 2008, independent (former Liberal) Western Australian MP [[Anthony Fels]] joined the Party.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[The West Australian]]  | title =  Walker, D'Orazio fight as Independents but Omodei quits| first = Kate | last = Campbell |department=General | page = 9  | date = 16 August 2008}}</ref> At the [[2008 Western Australian state election]] both Sullivan and Fels stood for seats in the [[Western Australian Legislative Council]], but neither was successful. Fels remained a member of the Legislative Council until his term expired in May 2009.
*Also in June 2008, [[Bob Randall (politician)|Bob Randall]], a former South Australian Liberal MP and party president joined the party, complaining that the Liberal Party had drifted too far to the "left", and that "Family First is the only truly conservative political force now left in Australia".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.theage.com.au/national/former-liberal-leader-joins-family-first-20080623-2va3.html |title=Former Liberal leader joins Family First |publisher=News.theage.com.au |date=2008-06-23 |access-date=2010-06-16 |location=Melbourne}}</ref>
*On 3 August 2008 [[Bob Day]], a prominent Coalition fundraiser and Liberal candidate for Makin in the 2007 federal election announced that he was joining Family First.<ref>Sunday Mail, 3/8/08</ref> He contested the [[2008 Mayo by-election]] for the party, gaining 11.4 percent of the primary vote, but was not elected.
*In [[New South Wales]], former Christian Democratic Party MLC [[Gordon Moyes]] became an independent in 2009 for a few months before joining Family First. He was defeated at the [[2011 New South Wales state election|2011 state election]].
*In June 2013, former Katter's Australian Party candidate and national director [[Aidan McLindon]] joined Family First<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-05/mclindon-signs-up-with-family-first/4734818 | work=ABC News | title=Aidan McLindon signs up for Family First party role | date=5 June 2013}}</ref> and was the lead Senate candidate for Family First in Queensland in the 2013 federal election.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/aidan-mclindon-new-lead-senate-candidate-family-fi/1978027/ | work=The Chronicle | title=Aidan McLindon new lead Senate candidate for Family First | date=9 August 2013}}</ref>

== Political ideology ==

=== Environment and climate change ===
* Opposition to any [[emissions trading scheme]] or 'carbon tax' and government subsidies to renewable energy.
* Support for an independent enquiry which is prepared to hear scientists who disagree with climate change.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/climate-change/|title=Family First : Queensland|first=Family|last=First|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527064741/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/climate-change/|archive-date=27 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Education ===
* Support for independent (private) school funding.
* Allow principals and school councils to choose staff based on 'values'.
* Allow schools to direct their own building improvement works, rather than relying on governments.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/schooling/|title=Our Schooling Policy: Choice in Schooling|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083604/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/schooling/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Schooling-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053529/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Schooling-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Bioethics and family policy ===
* Opposition to late term [[abortion]] in most cases.
* Opposition to voluntary [[euthanasia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/life/|title=Our Life Policy: Abortion & Euthenasia|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083600/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/life/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst7">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/life-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053732/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/life-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Support for retention of the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others (i.e opposition to [[same-sex marriage in Australia|same-sex marriage]]). 
* Opposition to [[surrogacy]] in all forms (including altruistic surrogacy).
* Support for programs which encourage families to be 'self-reliant' and reduce the need for government assistance.<ref name="qld-familyfirst.org.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/family/|title=Our Family policy|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083556/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/family/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst.org.au">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Family-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053426/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Family-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Economy ===
* Support for a 20/20/20 tax system ($20,000 tax-free threshold, 20 percent flat income tax and 20 percent flat company tax).
* Opposition to payroll and mining taxes.
* Abolition of the Commonwealth Grants Commission.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/tax/|title=Our Tax & Governance Policy|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083607/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/tax/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Tax-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053457/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Tax-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Support for lowering small business taxes.<ref name="qld-familyfirst12">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/small-business/|title=Family First : Queensland|first=Family|last=First|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527064819/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/small-business/|archive-date=27 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst42">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Small-Business-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053708/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Small-Business-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Employment and workplace relations ===
* Belief in workplace deregulation and that legislation designed to protect workers rights is bad for the economy and morally wrong.
* Removal of workplace regulations and awards to combat the "welfare reliance" of Australians.
* Support for the freedom of those who choose to work differently by moving out of the regulated world of 'traditional employment'.<ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/employment/|title=Our Employment Policy: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083554/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/employment/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst3">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Employment-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053511/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Employment-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Family First was opposed to some aspects of the Howard government's [[Australian Workplace Agreement]] measures.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1519650.htm Family First cuts ties to Libs over IR policy], ''AM'', 30 November 2005</ref> In his [[Maiden Speech|maiden speech]], Senator [[Steve Fielding]] argued for a fairer work, rest and 'family time' (or leisure balance) in opposing the measures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/senators/homepages/first_speech/sfs-e4r.htm |title=Parliament of Australia: Senate: Senator Fielding's First Speech |publisher=Aph.gov.au |date=2005-08-10 |access-date=2010-06-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019112247/http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/homepages/first_speech/sfs-e4r.htm |archive-date=19 October 2010 }}</ref>

=== Immigration ===
* Support for fast on-shore processing for [[asylum seekers]] and opposition to the [[Pacific Solution]].<ref>[http://www.familyfirst.org.au/policy/policyasylumseekers.pdf] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612084502/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/policy/policyasylumseekers.pdf |date=12 June 2009 }}</ref>

=== Indigenous affairs ===
* Opposition to the Native Title Act as it currently stands, as Native Title rights do not confer the right to sell, lease, develop or offer the land as security for economic development.<ref name="qld-familyfirst2">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/property-rights/|title=Family First : Queensland|first=Family|last=First|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923072921/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/property-rights/|archive-date=23 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst5">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Property-Rights-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053718/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Property-Rights-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Belief that 'the only long-term solution is for Aboriginal Australians to move into the modern world and connect with the modern economy'.
* Repeal of any law which distinguishes between any Australian on the basis of race or colour.<ref name="qld-familyfirst3">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/aboriginal-affairs/|title=Family First : Queensland|first=Family|last=First|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617210224/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/aboriginal-affairs/|archive-date=17 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst6">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Aboriginal-Affairs-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053725/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Aboriginal-Affairs-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Housing and property development ===
* Support removal of urban growth boundaries and zoning restrictions.
* Privatisation of planning approvals and removal of up-front infrastructure charges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/housing/|title=Our Housing Policy: A home of your own|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083559/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/housing/|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Housing-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053519/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Housing-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Opposition to the 'progressive erosion' of property owners' rights through legislation, heritage listing, water restrictions, native vegetation, [[sea level rise|rising sea levels]], zoning and court decisions.<ref name="qld-familyfirst2" /><ref name="familyfirst5" />

=== Poverty ===
* Support for education and training to take people out of poverty.
* Support for foreign aid.<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web|url=http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/fight-poverty/|title=Family First : Queensland|first=Family|last=First|access-date=7 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527064810/http://www.qld-familyfirst.org.au/fight-poverty/|archive-date=27 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="familyfirst2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Fighting-Poverty-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053700/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Fighting-Poverty-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Drugs ===
* Support for rehabilitation and recovery programs and for prison-based programs to address drug use.
* Opposition to injecting rooms as 'expensive and ineffective'.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Drugs-Policy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415053748/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/files/Drugs-Policy.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Structure ==
Family First was incorporated as a [[company limited by guarantee]] and managed by an executive committee comprising the board of directors. Decision making was tightly held within the executive group, including the capacity to elect new members to the executive, determine party policy and ratify candidate pre-selection.<ref name="QLD Constitution">
{{cite web
 |title      = RULES OF FAMILY FIRST PARTY QLD. LIMITED
 |url        = http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=98&libID=120
 |date       = 2010-01-10
 |access-date = 2011-06-01
 |publisher  = Queensland Electoral Commission
}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

A National Conference occurred every two years, with delegates from state party licensees. Federal and State branches held Annual General Meetings that were open to all members.<ref name="QLD Constitution" />

==Political relations==
[[David Leyonhjelm]] of the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|Liberal Democratic Party]] and Day announced their intention to vote as a [[Political bloc|bloc]] in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] on economic issues, but separately on social issues.<ref>Heath Aston (1 June 2014). [http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/senates-odd-couple-quickly-form-a-voting-bloc-20140531-39b6h.html "Senate's odd couple quickly form a voting bloc] – ''The Sydney Morning Herald''. Retrieved 2 June 2014.</ref>

Family First and the [[Australian Greens]] were often at odds, with Family First often referring to the Greens as "extreme" in their media statements. The two parties were in competition for Senate preferences, particularly from the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]], and were ideologically opposed on many issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/compass/s1358912.htm |title=Compass|publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2005-05-01 |access-date=2010-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Farr |first=Malcolm |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21560972-5007146,00.html |title=Greens completely cut down to size |publisher=NEWS.com.au |date=2007-04-16 |access-date=2010-06-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518171510/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21560972-5007146,00.html |archive-date=18 May 2007}}</ref> In the 2006 Victorian election, Family First's limited television advertising campaign specifically singled out the Greens for criticism.

==See also==
* [[List of political parties in Australia]]
* [[Christian right]]
* [[Christian politics in Australia]]
* [[Australian Christians (political party)|Australian Christians]]
* [[Christian Democratic Party (Australia)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*Margaret Simons: ''Faith, Money and Power: What the Religious Revival Means for Politics:'' North Melbourne: Pluto Press: 2007

==External links==
{{Commons category|Family First Party}}

{{Defunct Australian political parties}}

[[Category:2002 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2017 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Christian political parties in Australia]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in Australia]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in Australia]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 2017]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2002]]
[[Category:Socially conservative parties]]