OPINION | The rise of the minor party in Australian politics should not be seen as an unnecessary aberration, or a trivial moment in the country’s democratic development. Instead, it should be seen as an opportunity to reform a stagnating electoral system.

The fledgling political party launched last week by mining magnate Clive Palmer has announced its first parliamentary representatives, with former Queensland LNP members Alex Douglas and Carl Judge telling state parliament today that they had signed on with the United Australia Party.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer has declared his intentions to challenge Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott for the position of Australian Prime Minister, with the billionaire launching his campaign for federal parliament earlier today with the launch of the newly formed United Australia Party.

Independent MP Tony Windsor has labelled supporters of conservative rival Barnaby Joyce as “rednecks” in the aftermath of the maverick Queensland senator’s decision to run as a candidate for Windsor’s seat of New England at the next federal election.

Queensland politician Bob Katter has claimed that Australian professional football players deserve “a fairer tax rate” in order to compensate for their relatively short careers in professional sport.

The unofficial shadow cabinet of Katter’s Australian Party has announced its first policy in the lead-up to the 2013 Federal election, calling for Indigenous Australians to be paid more than $20 million in compensation for wages routinely withheld from their ancestors in the early 1900s.

Bob Katter’s Australian Party have objected to moves by Clive Palmer to trademark their name, despite Katter’s party suggesting a political alliance is still a possibility.

Annual political donation data for 2011-12 has been released by the Australian Electoral Commission showing donations to all the political parties totalling $125 million, down from election-year spending in 2010/11 of $230 million.

Federal MP Bob Katter’s party has dumped two of its members after they made homophobic remarks, sparking public outrage.

Having swept the LNP to power in the last Queensland state election, it seems Campbell Newman is now finding it difficult to keep rank and file in line as he sets about implementing his ‘mandate for change’.

Gina Rinehart’s “insulting” advice on how to become a millionaire by working hard and not drinking and smoking shows she’s out of touch with ordinary Australians, critics say.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is confident key independent MPs will honour their agreement to allow the parliament to run its full term, despite concerns about her government accepting the vote of MP Craig Thomson.

A Katter’s Australian Party commercial intended to paint Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman as a hypocrite for supporting gay marriage has backfired on the minor party.

POLL POSITION | Questions have been raised about whether former PM Kevin Rudd will angle once more for the top job as Julia Gillard struggles to keep her head above water after a series of ill-received policy announcements.

Marriage equality advocates have condemned comments that same-sex marriage would allow unions between pedophiles and children made at a rally in Canberra.

10 per cent of Australians would sell their vote if they could, new research compiled for the Museum of Australian Democracy shows. It’s a classic outlier in a wide range of data showing the vast majority of Australians hold democracy close to their heart.

Maverick MP Bob Katter is known as the Kat in the Hat because of his ever-present Akubra, but One Nation is complaining he’s a copy cat as well.

Free-talking MP Bob Katter has captured Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s attention and attracted a couple of rebel Queensland MPs in his efforts to set up a new Australian political party.