Former senator Derryn Hinch has drawn the curtain on his political party, describing it as one of the saddest moments of his life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The New Zealand-born, Australian media personality is disbanding his outfit after its two remaining MPs lost their seats in Victoria's upper house last year.
"This is one of the saddest moments of my life. I am announcing the end of the Derryn Hinch's Justice Party," the 79-year-old wrote in a social media post.
"We aspired to much and achieved a lot. One seat in the federal Senate and then three seats in the Victorian upper house. All have now gone. To be blunt, there is no point in the party continuing to exist."
Mr Hinch launched the party in September 2015 before becoming the oldest first-time Senate electee at age 72 during the 2016 double-dissolution election.
He was dumped three years later but the party stayed relevant after Stuart Grimley and Tania Maxwell were elected to Victoria's Legislative Council in 2018.
The former journalist and presenter, colloquially known as the "human headline", attempted to join the pair in the upper house at November's state election but all were unsuccessful.
Mr Hinch thanked his former MPs and party office staff, and vowed to publicly and privately keep fighting perceived wrongs and real injustices.
"Thanks to all our supporters over more than seven years. Maintain the rage," he wrote.
In 1987, Mr Hinch was jailed for naming a pedophile priest while a trial was still pending.
He later served five months of home detention for naming two convicted child sex offenders in 2008 and another 50 days in jail for revealing the criminal past of Jill Meagher's killer in 2013.
Mr Hinch was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2007 and underwent an organ transplant in 2011.
Australian Associated Press
