Editing Ian Sinclair (section)

===Party leader===
Doug Anthony announced his resignation as NCP leader in December 1983. Sinclair was elected as his replacement on 17 January 1984, defeating [[Stephen Lusher]] by an unspecified margin (the party did not release the results of leadership ballots).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116385061|title=New leader Sinclair faces questions on credibility|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=18 January 1984|access-date=22 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418112011/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116385061|archive-date=18 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Australian Playboy]]'' in July 1984, Sinclair acknowledged a previous extramarital relationship with socialite Glen-Marie North. Copies of the interview were distributed in his electorate during the [[1984 Australian federal election|1984 election]] campaign. In the lead-up to the election, Sinclair controversially attributed the spread of [[HIV/AIDS]] in Australia to the Labor Party's recognition of de facto relationships and normalisation of homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122529377|title=Sinclair: I'm not guilty of double standards|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=20 November 1984}}</ref> After the deaths of three babies from HIV-contaminated blood transfusions, he stated that "if it wasn't for the promotion of homosexuality as a norm by Labor, I am quite confident that the very tragic and sad passing on of the AIDS disease [...] to those three poor babies would not have occurred.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sendziuk |first1=Paul |title=Learning to trust: Australian responses to AIDS |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1trSx2c_pEYC&q=%22ian+sinclair%22+homosexuality&pg=PA57 |access-date=5 October 2009 |year=2003 |publisher=UNSW Press |location=Sydney |isbn=0-86840-718-6 |page=58 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215224307/https://books.google.com/books?id=1trSx2c_pEYC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=%22ian+sinclair%22+homosexuality#v=onepage&q=%22ian%20sinclair%22%20homosexuality&f=false |archive-date=15 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1985, Sinclair came into conflict with the [[National Farmers' Federation]] over his claims that the organisation did not have the support of farmers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127206727|title=Farmers' leader criticises Sinclair|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=6 July 1985}}</ref> He also came into conflict with the Liberal Party on a number of occasions. He publicly rejected calls for a [[Liberal–National party merger]], citing the incompatibility of the National Party's conservatism and the "small-l liberal" wing of the Liberal Party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122516635|title=Sinclair douses suggested National-Liberal merger|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=17 June 1985}}</ref> In March 1986, he accused Liberals of undermining the leadership of [[John Howard]] and thereby harming the Coalition's chances of victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118108413|title=Sinclair: Liberal discontent doing tremendous harm|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=22 March 1986}}</ref> He denounced former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser's support of sanctions against [[apartheid]] South Africa, accusing him of "prejudice against Southern Africa and the whites there". Sinclair proclaimed a "deep abhorrence" of apartheid, but believed the sanctions were too "heavy-handed". He supported the re-admission of South Africa to the United Nations, the lifting of the [[Sporting boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era|sporting boycott]], the re-establishment of an Australian trade commission, and direct flights between Australia and South Africa.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118126740|title=Sinclair tips a bucket on 'Fraser's bigotry'|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=21 June 1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132374956|title=Nationals abandon Fraser on S. Africa|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=28 October 1985}}</ref>

In addition to his leadership of the National Party, Sinclair continued to be the opposition spokesman on defence. In August 1986, he suggested the formation of a Pacific [[trade bloc]] at a meeting of the [[International Democrat Union]] in Sydney. The proposal, also supported by shadow foreign minister [[Andrew Peacock]], was designed to "minimise the harmful policies of major protectionist trading nations" like the U.S. and the [[European Communities]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/119467015|title=Sinclair and Peacock propose Pacific trading bloc|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=9 August 1986}}</ref> Later in the year, Sinclair questioned the value of [[ANZUS]], stating that Australia should reconsider its commitments to New Zealand as it had become too isolationist. He also believed Australia should adopt a more assertive role than provided for in the [[Dibb Report]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131836794|title=Rethink NZ alliance: Sinclair|date=5 September 1986|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118269523|title=Sinclair questions ability to meet ANZUS obligations|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=17 October 1986}}</ref> He opposed trade sanctions on Fiji following the [[1987 Fijian coups d'état|1987 coups d'état]] and was accused by foreign minister [[Bill Hayden]] of sympathising with the perpetrators.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118306729|title=Hayden slates Sinclair on Fiji|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=28 May 1987}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122109733|title=Willis rejects call over ACTU's Fiji sanctions|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=23 October 1987}}</ref>

In the lead-up to the [[1987 Australian federal election|1987 election]], Sinclair dealt with the "[[Joh for Canberra]]" campaign, an ambitious bid by Queensland [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]], leader of his party's most powerful state branch, to enter federal politics and become prime minister. The campaign "derailed any semblance of non-Labor unity from the beginning of 1987", and caused a split in the Coalition. Due to an ensuing rash of three-cornered contests, Labor won an increased majority. After the election, the Queensland branch continued its efforts to oust Sinclair from the leadership.<ref>{{cite book |last=Davey |first=Paul |year=2010 |title=Ninety Not Out: The Nationals 1920–2010 |location=Sydney |publisher=University of NSW Press |page=258}}</ref>

In the late 1980s, Sinclair was drawn into the debate over the levels of Asian immigration to Australia, favouring a reduction in the number of Asians allowed into the country.<ref name="Bird_Rose">{{cite book |last=Bird Rose |first=Deborah |title=Dislocating the Frontier: Essaying the Mystique of the Outback |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vy51kJnI8JoC&q=bird+rose |access-date=30 November 2007 |year=2005 |publisher=Australian National University E Press |location=Canberra |isbn=1-920942-37-8 |pages=35 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809084140/http://books.google.com/books?id=vy51kJnI8JoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=bird+rose |archive-date=9 August 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 1988, he said:

<blockquote>"What we are saying is that if there is any risk of an undue build-up of Asians as against others in the community, then you need to control it ... I certainly believe, that at the moment we need ... to reduce the number of Asians ... We don't want the divisions of South Africa, we don't want the divisions of London. We really don't want the colour divisions of the United States."
<ref name=markus89>{{cite book
  | last = Markus
  | first = Andrew
  | title = Race: John Howard and the Remaking of Australia
  | publisher = [[Allen & Unwin]]
  | year = 2001
  | pages = 89
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=UA0-5v3JN0QC
  | isbn = 1-86448-866-2
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130809095219/http://books.google.com/books?id=UA0-5v3JN0QC&printsec=frontcover
  | archive-date = 9 August 2013
  | url-status = live
  }}</ref>
</blockquote>

A few days later, Sinclair "toned down his statements" at the request of Howard and denied that he had specifically targeted Asians.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102043033|title=Immigration: Howard pulls Sinclair in|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=13 August 1988}}</ref> The following month, following pressure from Howard, he sacked National Senate leader [[John Stone (Australian politician)|John Stone]] from the shadow ministry for making similar comments, "with regret".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102070834|title=Howard axes Stone|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=14 September 1988}}</ref> This was seen by many in his party as a capitulation to the Liberals.{{sfn|Davey|2010|p=261}}

In May 1989, there were simultaneous leadership challenges in both Coalition parties, with Peacock displacing Howard as Liberal leader and [[Charles Blunt]] replacing Sinclair. The immediate trigger for Sinclair's defeat was dissatisfaction with his conditional support for the Hawke government's deregulation of the wheat industry. However, there was also a sense that it was time for a generational change in the party leadership.{{sfn|Davey|2010|pp=261–269}} When Blunt lost his seat at the [[1990 Australian federal election|1990 election]], Sinclair made an attempt to regain the NPA leadership, but was defeated by [[Tim Fischer]], and retired to the back bench.  He was thus the first NPA leader since the formation of the Coalition to have never served as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia]].