“Keeping the bastards honest” was Don Chips famous catchcry.

But the party he founded, the Australian Democrats, are no more.

All four of the party’s senators terms are ending this week and for the first time since the party was formed in 1977 there will be no Democrats prowling the halls of the senate.

The party was a major force in the Australian Senate for three decades – at one stage boasting NINE senators.

They were active campaigners on native title, gay rights, asylum seekers and the environment.

But many believe that infighting between leaders, high profile defections to other parties and controversially allowing the GST to pass through the senate prompted the party’s decline.

2ser’s Tanya Evans reports.