Ray Chappell
Encyclopedia
Raymond Francis "Ray" Chappell (born 11 September 1942) is a former Australia
n politician. He was the National Party
member for Northern Tablelands
in the New South Wales Parliament from 1987 to 1999, and served as a minister from 1993 to 1995.
Chappell was born in Melbourne
, Victoria
, the son of Eric and Phyllis Chappell. He was educated in Armidale
in New South Wales at De La Salle College, receiving his Leaving Certificate in 1959. He went on to technical college, and was an administration clerk at the University of New England
from 1960. On 1 February 1964 he married Annette Mary Napier, with whom he would have five children.
In 1968, Chappell was elected to Armidale City Council, where he served until 1983. He left the university in 1977 to open a small retail business. During this period he became active in the National Party
, holding positions on the state and federal electorate councils. In 1987 he was preselected as the National candidate for the local state seat of Northern Tablelands
after the local member, Labor
's Bill McCarthy
, had died. Labor endorsed McCarthy's widow Thelma to contest the by-election, and in a tightly fought campaign Chappell emerged the victor with a small 2.5% margin.
A subsequent redistribution delivered Chappell a safer margin, and he was untroubled in the 1988 state election
. In 1993 he was appointed Minister for Small Business and Regional Development, but he lost that position when Labor won office in 1995. In 1999, he was challenged for his seat by Richard Torbay
, a popular former mayor of Armidale who was running as an independent
. In a surprise result, Torbay defeated Chappell convincingly; Torbay won 44.15% of the primary vote to Chappell's 34.09%, with a two-party-preferred margin of 59.37%. After his defeat Chappell retired from politics.
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. He was the 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 for Northern Tablelands
Electoral district of Northern Tablelands
Northern Tablelands is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by independent member Richard Torbay....
in the New South Wales Parliament from 1987 to 1999, and served as a minister from 1993 to 1995.
Chappell was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, the son of Eric and Phyllis Chappell. He was educated in Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
in New South Wales at De La Salle College, receiving his Leaving Certificate in 1959. He went on to technical college, and was an administration clerk at the University of New England
University of New England (Australia)
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
from 1960. On 1 February 1964 he married Annette Mary Napier, with whom he would have five children.
In 1968, Chappell was elected to Armidale City Council, where he served until 1983. He left the university in 1977 to open a small retail business. During this period he became active in the 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...
, holding positions on the state and federal electorate councils. In 1987 he was preselected as the National candidate for the local state seat of Northern Tablelands
Electoral district of Northern Tablelands
Northern Tablelands is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by independent member Richard Torbay....
after the local member, 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...
's Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy (politician)
William John Patrick "Bill" McCarthy was an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing Armidale from 1978 to 1981, and Northern Tablelands from 1981 to 1987....
, had died. Labor endorsed McCarthy's widow Thelma to contest the by-election, and in a tightly fought campaign Chappell emerged the victor with a small 2.5% margin.
A subsequent redistribution delivered Chappell a safer margin, and he was untroubled in the 1988 state election
New South Wales state election, 1988
Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
. In 1993 he was appointed Minister for Small Business and Regional Development, but he lost that position when Labor won office in 1995. In 1999, he was challenged for his seat by Richard Torbay
Richard Torbay
George Richard Torbay MP , an Australian politician, is an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Northern Tablelands since 1999. Torbay was the 30th Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, serving from 2007 until 2011, and was the first independent...
, a popular former mayor of Armidale who was running as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. In a surprise result, Torbay defeated Chappell convincingly; Torbay won 44.15% of the primary vote to Chappell's 34.09%, with a two-party-preferred margin of 59.37%. After his defeat Chappell retired from politics.