Judy Gamin
Encyclopedia
Judith Margaret Gamin (born 18 July 1930) is a former Australia
n politician. She was a National Party
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
, representing the district of South Coast
from 1988 to 1989 and the district of Burleigh
from 1992 to 2001.
Gamin was born in Broken Hill
, New South Wales
, the daughter of George Read Fisher, chairman of Mount Isa Mines Ltd, and Eileen Elaine Triggs, a registered nurse. She was educated at Broken Hill convent and Loreto convent in Adelaide
before studying at the University of Adelaide
. She moved to Queensland
in the early 1950s where she married Paul Barry Gamin in 1957. Mr Gamin would also go onto become an elected politician, serving as a Gold Coast City councillor. The couple produced three sons and two daughters.
Gamin became involved with the National Party in the late 1960s, benefiting from her father's deep ties within the party. She stood as the National Party candidate for the Gold Coast based seat of Moncrieff
at the 1984 federal election, losing to Liberal
candidate Kathy Sullivan
. Gamin's chances were hindered by the decision of National Party state minister Russ Hinze
to rezone a section of the Tamborine Mountain as "extractive industry" just two weeks before the election, sparking fierce opposition among its residents.
From 1984 onwards, Gamin increased her involvement with the National Party. She became Division president and South East Zone vice-president, the latter role giving her responsibility for nine state and three federal electorates. When the aforementioned Russ Hinze
retired in 1988, Gamin was preselected as the National Party candidate for the subsequent South Coast state by-election
. She narrowly defeated Liberal candidate Bob Quinn
. Gamin served for sixteen months as a member of state parliament before her defeat to Quinn at the 1989 state election.
When the 1991 redistribution
increased the number of seats in Queensland's urban south-east, Gamin nominated and was endorsed unopposed as the National Party candidate for the new Gold Coast based electorate of Burleigh
. Over the six months leading up to the 1992 state election, Gamin claimed to have knocked on 10,780 doors in her quest to return to state parliament. In another close contest, Gamin prevailed by 382 votes.
Re-elected at the 1995 state election and 1998 state election, Gamin could not withstand the Labor
landslide that was the 2001 state election. She lost her seat to Labor candidate Christine Smith.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. She was a 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...
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
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...
, representing the district of South Coast
Electoral district of South Coast (Queensland)
South Coast was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1960 to 1992.The district was based in the south-east corner of the state and included much of the Gold Coast.-Members for South Coast:...
from 1988 to 1989 and the district of Burleigh
Electoral district of Burleigh
The division of Burleigh is an electoral division in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Queensland, Australia.The division of Burleigh is located on the southern Gold Coast, centred on Burleigh Heads. It also includes parts of the Gold Coast suburbs of Miami, Mermaid Beach, Varsity Lakes and Palm...
from 1992 to 2001.
Gamin was born in Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, the daughter of George Read Fisher, chairman of Mount Isa Mines Ltd, and Eileen Elaine Triggs, a registered nurse. She was educated at Broken Hill convent and Loreto convent in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
before studying at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
. She moved to 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...
in the early 1950s where she married Paul Barry Gamin in 1957. Mr Gamin would also go onto become an elected politician, serving as a Gold Coast City councillor. The couple produced three sons and two daughters.
Gamin became involved with the National Party in the late 1960s, benefiting from her father's deep ties within the party. She stood as the National Party candidate for the Gold Coast based seat of Moncrieff
Division of Moncrieff
The Division of Moncrieff is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Gladys Moncrieff, an Australian singer who resided in the area....
at the 1984 federal election, losing to Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate Kathy Sullivan
Kathy Sullivan (Australian politician)
Kathy Sullivan , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1974 to 1984, representing Queensland, and a member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Moncrieff, Queensland, from 1984 to 2001. She served longer in the Australian Parliament than any other...
. Gamin's chances were hindered by the decision of National Party state minister Russ Hinze
Russ Hinze
The Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
to rezone a section of the Tamborine Mountain as "extractive industry" just two weeks before the election, sparking fierce opposition among its residents.
From 1984 onwards, Gamin increased her involvement with the National Party. She became Division president and South East Zone vice-president, the latter role giving her responsibility for nine state and three federal electorates. When the aforementioned Russ Hinze
Russ Hinze
The Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
retired in 1988, Gamin was preselected as the National Party candidate for the subsequent South Coast state by-election
South Coast state by-election, 1988
A by-election was held in the Queensland Legislative Assembly seat of South Coast on 28 August 1988. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting National Party member Russ Hinze....
. She narrowly defeated Liberal candidate Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn (Australian politician)
Robert Joseph Quinn is an Australian Liberal Party politician in the Queensland parliament. He was leader of the Queensland Liberal Party from 2001 until being ousted on 7 August 2006 by Bruce Flegg....
. Gamin served for sixteen months as a member of state parliament before her defeat to Quinn at the 1989 state election.
When the 1991 redistribution
Redistribution (Australia)
The term redistribution is used in Australia to mean a redrawing of electoral boundaries. It is equivalent to the term redistricting in the United States....
increased the number of seats in Queensland's urban south-east, Gamin nominated and was endorsed unopposed as the National Party candidate for the new Gold Coast based electorate of Burleigh
Electoral district of Burleigh
The division of Burleigh is an electoral division in the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Queensland, Australia.The division of Burleigh is located on the southern Gold Coast, centred on Burleigh Heads. It also includes parts of the Gold Coast suburbs of Miami, Mermaid Beach, Varsity Lakes and Palm...
. Over the six months leading up to the 1992 state election, Gamin claimed to have knocked on 10,780 doors in her quest to return to state parliament. In another close contest, Gamin prevailed by 382 votes.
Re-elected at the 1995 state election and 1998 state election, Gamin could not withstand the Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
landslide that was the 2001 state election. She lost her seat to Labor candidate Christine Smith.