Fiona Simpson
Encyclopedia
Fiona Stuart Simpson is an Australian politician. She is currently a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland and was the Deputy Leader of the Queensland National Party
from 2006 to 2008 and Deputy Leader of the Opposition. She is the sitting member for the Seat of Maroochydore
in the State Parliament of Queensland
.
when she won the newly created Sunshine Coast
seat of Maroochydore
in 1992 as a National Party member.
Parliamentary responsibilities held by Simpson include Transport and Main Roads (from 8 March 2004 to 27 September 2005 and again in 8 August 2006), Industrial Relations (1 July 2006 to 8 August 2006), State Development, Small Business, Information Technology and Innovation (from 18 September 2006 to 8 August 2006), Women's Policy (from 2 July 1998 to 28 September 2005), Urban Affairs (from 8 March 2004 to 27 September 2005), Tourism (from 12 March 2001 to 22 April 2003 ) and Health (from 2 July 1998 to 8 March 2004). Fiona Simpson also served as the Secretary to the Parliamentary National Party from 17 February 1998 to 27 July 1998.
Simpson was elected Deputy Leader of the Queensland
National Party
on 18 September 2006 and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, alongside new leader Jeff Seeney
following the standing down of former leader Lawrence Springborg
.
She was a key player in the formation of the Liberal National Party (LNP) which was the merger of the former National and Liberal Parties. She voluntarily stepped aside as Deputy Opposition Leader for the former Liberal Party Leader Mark McArdle to help facilitate the merger. She currently serves as Shadow Minister for Main Roads and Transport and the Shadow Minister for Road Safety.
, Journalism
and Government
and a Masters of Organisational Leadership, specialising in organisational communication. She also has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Diploma. Previously, she had attended Nambour State High School
. She also was a Rotary Exchange Student to Japan for one year in 1983 and speaks conversational Japanese.
and their efforts to help gay and lesbian people “grow into heterosexuality over time”. Simpson was accused of implying that homosexual people had a problem and could be cured. Controversy was renewed after her comments were re-reported in 2011, following her opposition to plans to introduce a bill legalising same-sex civil unions in Queensland, with many social media activists calling for her resignation. When questioned about the speech in 2011, Simpson did not respond to several questions, including whether she still believed homosexuality was a lifestyle choice that people could grow out of with counselling. Queensland psychologist and ex-leader of Exodus, Paul Martin, stated there was no evidence to support so-called ‘reparative therapy’ and that all of the major psychological associations around the world have made clear it is potentially dangerous and may contribute to suicidal behaviour.
Subsequently, a petition calling for her to be sacked from the LNP frontbench has been circulatlated.
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
from 2006 to 2008 and Deputy Leader of the Opposition. She is the sitting member for the Seat of Maroochydore
Electoral district of Maroochydore
The electoral district of Maroochydore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.It covers parts of the Sunshine Coast and takes in coastal areas between Coolum Beach and Mooloolaba, including Maroochydore....
in the State Parliament of Queensland
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
.
Political career
Fiona Simpson was the youngest woman ever to be elected to state parliament of QueenslandQueensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
when she won the newly created Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
seat of Maroochydore
Electoral district of Maroochydore
The electoral district of Maroochydore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.It covers parts of the Sunshine Coast and takes in coastal areas between Coolum Beach and Mooloolaba, including Maroochydore....
in 1992 as a National Party member.
Parliamentary responsibilities held by Simpson include Transport and Main Roads (from 8 March 2004 to 27 September 2005 and again in 8 August 2006), Industrial Relations (1 July 2006 to 8 August 2006), State Development, Small Business, Information Technology and Innovation (from 18 September 2006 to 8 August 2006), Women's Policy (from 2 July 1998 to 28 September 2005), Urban Affairs (from 8 March 2004 to 27 September 2005), Tourism (from 12 March 2001 to 22 April 2003 ) and Health (from 2 July 1998 to 8 March 2004). Fiona Simpson also served as the Secretary to the Parliamentary National Party from 17 February 1998 to 27 July 1998.
Simpson was elected Deputy Leader of the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
on 18 September 2006 and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, alongside new leader Jeff Seeney
Jeff Seeney
Jeffrey William Seeney is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since the 1998 state election, representing the National Party and merged Liberal National Party ....
following the standing down of former leader Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence James Springborg is an Australian politician and became Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland since 2 April 2009. He was deputy leader of the new Liberal National Party...
.
She was a key player in the formation of the Liberal National Party (LNP) which was the merger of the former National and Liberal Parties. She voluntarily stepped aside as Deputy Opposition Leader for the former Liberal Party Leader Mark McArdle to help facilitate the merger. She currently serves as Shadow Minister for Main Roads and Transport and the Shadow Minister for Road Safety.
Education
Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in JapaneseJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and a Masters of Organisational Leadership, specialising in organisational communication. She also has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Diploma. Previously, she had attended Nambour State High School
Nambour State High School
Nambour State High School is a co-educational, state high school located in Nambour, Queensland, Australia.Established on 2 February 1953, in 2006 the school had enrolment figures of 1,367, including adult students...
. She also was a Rotary Exchange Student to Japan for one year in 1983 and speaks conversational Japanese.
Controversy
Simpson attracted controversy after she made a speech to State Parliament in 2002 promoting Exodus InternationalExodus International
Exodus International is a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization founded by Michael Bussee, Gary Cooper, Frank Worthen, Ron Dennis, and Greg Reid...
and their efforts to help gay and lesbian people “grow into heterosexuality over time”. Simpson was accused of implying that homosexual people had a problem and could be cured. Controversy was renewed after her comments were re-reported in 2011, following her opposition to plans to introduce a bill legalising same-sex civil unions in Queensland, with many social media activists calling for her resignation. When questioned about the speech in 2011, Simpson did not respond to several questions, including whether she still believed homosexuality was a lifestyle choice that people could grow out of with counselling. Queensland psychologist and ex-leader of Exodus, Paul Martin, stated there was no evidence to support so-called ‘reparative therapy’ and that all of the major psychological associations around the world have made clear it is potentially dangerous and may contribute to suicidal behaviour.
Subsequently, a petition calling for her to be sacked from the LNP frontbench has been circulatlated.