The Rise and Fall of the Australian Democrats
An Eyewitness Account
By Bev Floyd

Published by Boolarong Press
RRP $29.95 in paperback
ISBN: 9781925046304

There may be some readers of this blog who do not remember the Australian Democrats or know about the influence they once exercised in the Senate. The party was started by disaffected Liberal Don Chipp in the 1970s.

Australian Democrats insider Bev Floyd has written an eye witness account of her time in the party, which included a stint as president of the Queensland Division. In researching the book, she interviewed many of the Australian Democrat Senators on the role they and the party played while they held the balance of power in the Senate. Notable names on the list of interviewees include Meg Lees, Cheryl Kernot, Andrew Bartlett and Aden Ridgeway.

My wife Judy spoke with Bev at Dymocks at Carindale recently and came away impressed with her passion to tell this important story in Australia’s political history.

It is available from the publisher’s website – link here – or from good bookstores.