Vickie Chapman
Encyclopedia
Vickie Ann Chapman is an Australia
n politician, representing the South Australian House of Assembly
seat of Bragg
for the Liberal Party
since 2002. She was Deputy Leader of the South Australian Opposition
from 30 March 2006 until 4 July 2009.
. One of seven children, Chapman attended Parndana Area School, and later attended Pembroke School
in Adelaide
following the departure of her mother at age 12. She studied a law degree at the University of Adelaide
and graduated in 1979 as a barrister.
Chapman's father, Ted
, was a Liberal Party of Australia
member of the South Australian House of Assembly
. A Liberal moderate, Ted was a member of the Steele Hall
-led Liberal Movement faction in the 1970s and Agriculture Minister in the David Tonkin
government. As a young girl, Chapman assisted her father in Liberal campaigns for office.
in 1998. Her husband, David, died in 2001 and she moved from Wayville
to Tusmore
with her two children. She again tried to win preselection, this time in the blue-ribbon seat of Bragg
, located in Adelaide's wealthy eastern suburbs. When sitting member Graham Ingerson resigned, Chapman contested pre-selection against Liberal Minister Michael Armitage who was seeking to seat swap. Chapman easily gained preselection and retained Bragg. She was soon touted, both within her party and in the media, as a future Liberal leader. In other quarters, however, Chapman was seen as failing to live up to expectations on the floor of the house.
Following the defeat of the Kerin
Liberal
government at the 2002 state election, Chapman attained the shadow portfolios of Education and Children's Services. After the Liberals were soundly defeated in the 2006 election
, Chapman was elected to the deputy leadership of the party in an unexpected joint ticket with factional rival Iain Evans
. Strong backing was received from moderate faction bosses: former Premier Dean Brown
and federal Member for Sturt
Christopher Pyne
.
called a leadership and deputy leadership spill for 4 July 2009. Chapman ran against Hamilton-Smith for the leadership, but received 10 votes, against Hamilton-Smith's 11, with one MP former leader Iain Evans abstaining. Isobel Redmond
was elected to the deputy leadership to replace Chapman. Hamilton-Smith called another leadership spill to take place on 8 July 2009, in an attempt to gain a more decisive mandate, but two days prior to the spill, he announced he would not run. Isobel Redmond
won the leadership, 13 votes to 9, against Chapman, with Steven Griffiths
being elected deputy leader, 8 votes to 6, against Mitch Williams
.
Despite having attempted to oust Hamilton-Smith as leader in 2009, Chapman voted for Hamilton-Smith in his successful bid as deputy leader on 31 March 2010 in a party room vote held after the Liberal Party's loss at the recent State election. Chapman voting Hamilton-Smith as deputy was due to the fact that Hamilton-Smith's opponent for the deputy's job was another former leader and Chapman's factional rival Iain Evans.
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, representing the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
seat of Bragg
Electoral district of Bragg
Bragg is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. The seat of Bragg is named after the eminent physicists Bragg – William Henry and his son, William Lawrence. The electorate is largely urban and encompasses a significant portion of the City of...
for the Liberal Party
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...
since 2002. She was Deputy Leader of the South Australian Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (South Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in South Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties, known as the Opposition, in the House of Assembly of the Parliament of South Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the House of Assembly...
from 30 March 2006 until 4 July 2009.
Early life
Chapman was born in Kangaroo IslandKangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is off Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia. The island is long...
. One of seven children, Chapman attended Parndana Area School, and later attended Pembroke School
Pembroke School, Adelaide
Pembroke School is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational, day and boarding school, located at Kensington Park, a suburb 6 kilometres east of the CBD of Adelaide, South Australia....
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...
following the departure of her mother at age 12. She studied a law degree 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...
and graduated in 1979 as a barrister.
Chapman's father, Ted
Ted Chapman (politician)
William Edwin Chapman is a former Liberal member of the Parliament of South Australia and Minister.Chapman represented the district of Alexandra in the South Australian House of Assembly between 1973 and 1992...
, was a Liberal Party of Australia
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...
member of the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
. A Liberal moderate, Ted was a member of the Steele Hall
Steele Hall
Raymond Steele Hall was the 36th Premier of South Australia 1968-70, a senator for South Australia 1974-77, and federal member for the Division of Boothby 1981-96.-Biography:...
-led Liberal Movement faction in the 1970s and Agriculture Minister in the David Tonkin
David Tonkin
Dr David Oliver Tonkin AO was the 38th Premier of South Australia, serving from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the House of Assembly seat of Bragg at the 1970 election, serving until 1983. He became the leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of...
government. As a young girl, Chapman assisted her father in Liberal campaigns for office.
Politics
At one stage the Liberal Party state president, Chapman attempted to win Liberal preselection for the federal Division of BarkerDivision of Barker
The Division of Barker is an Australian Electoral Division in the south-east of South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Collet Barker, an early explorer of the region at the mouth of the Murray River...
in 1998. Her husband, David, died in 2001 and she moved from Wayville
Wayville, South Australia
Wayville is an inner-southern suburb of Adelaide in the City of Unley. It is most notable for its hosting of the Royal Adelaide Show at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds. The suburb is bordered to the north with the South Park Lands of Adelaide, and to the south with the tramline.Wayville Post Office...
to Tusmore
Tusmore, South Australia
-History:In 1839, a pastoralist William Rogers, settled in the area and named his land Tusmore after his birthplace in Oxfordshire, England. In 1911 the area roughly corresponding to modern-day Tusmore, known as Section 291, was owned by the Colonial Board of Advice of the South Australian Company...
with her two children. She again tried to win preselection, this time in the blue-ribbon seat of Bragg
Electoral district of Bragg
Bragg is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. The seat of Bragg is named after the eminent physicists Bragg – William Henry and his son, William Lawrence. The electorate is largely urban and encompasses a significant portion of the City of...
, located in Adelaide's wealthy eastern suburbs. When sitting member Graham Ingerson resigned, Chapman contested pre-selection against Liberal Minister Michael Armitage who was seeking to seat swap. Chapman easily gained preselection and retained Bragg. She was soon touted, both within her party and in the media, as a future Liberal leader. In other quarters, however, Chapman was seen as failing to live up to expectations on the floor of the house.
Following the defeat of the Kerin
Rob Kerin
Robert Gerard Kerin was the Liberal Premier of South Australia from 22 October 2001 to 5 March 2002. He also served as Deputy Premier of South Australia to John Olsen from 7 July 1998 until he became premier upon Olsen's resignation....
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...
government at the 2002 state election, Chapman attained the shadow portfolios of Education and Children's Services. After the Liberals were soundly defeated in the 2006 election
South Australian legislative election, 2006
The state election for the 51st Parliament of South Australia was held in the Australian state of South Australia on 18 March 2006, and was conducted by the independent State Electoral Office.-House of Assembly:...
, Chapman was elected to the deputy leadership of the party in an unexpected joint ticket with factional rival Iain Evans
Iain Evans
Iain Frederick Evans is a South Australian Liberal Party politician. He studied at Heathfield High School and gained a Bachelor Degree for Building Technology from the SA Institute of Technology . Prior to entering politics he managed a family-owned building and retailing business...
. Strong backing was received from moderate faction bosses: former Premier Dean Brown
Dean Brown
Dean Craig Brown, AO was the Liberal Premier of South Australia between 14 December 1993 and 28 November 1996, and Deputy Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and 5 March 2002 to Rob Kerin.-Political career:...
and federal Member for Sturt
Division of Sturt
The Division of Sturt is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.First proclaimed for the 1949 election, Sturt was named for Captain Charles Sturt, nineteenth century explorer and the first European to discover the Murray River...
Christopher Pyne
Christopher Pyne
Christopher Maurice Pyne, MP , Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since 13 March 1993, representing the Division of Sturt, South Australia.-Early years:...
.
Leadership aspirations
Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-SmithMartin Hamilton-Smith
Martin Leslie James Hamilton-Smith is the member for the electoral district of Waite in the South Australian House of Assembly since 1997...
called a leadership and deputy leadership spill for 4 July 2009. Chapman ran against Hamilton-Smith for the leadership, but received 10 votes, against Hamilton-Smith's 11, with one MP former leader Iain Evans abstaining. Isobel Redmond
Isobel Redmond
Isobel Mary Redmond is the current parliamentary leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of South Australia since 2009. The Redmond Liberals won 18 of 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly at the 2010...
was elected to the deputy leadership to replace Chapman. Hamilton-Smith called another leadership spill to take place on 8 July 2009, in an attempt to gain a more decisive mandate, but two days prior to the spill, he announced he would not run. Isobel Redmond
Isobel Redmond
Isobel Mary Redmond is the current parliamentary leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of South Australia since 2009. The Redmond Liberals won 18 of 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly at the 2010...
won the leadership, 13 votes to 9, against Chapman, with Steven Griffiths
Steven Griffiths
Steven Paul Griffiths is a former parliamentary deputy leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia and the deputy Leader of the Opposition in South Australia since 2009, and member for the electoral district of Goyder in the House of Assembly since 2006.Griffiths was...
being elected deputy leader, 8 votes to 6, against Mitch Williams
Mitch Williams (Australian politician)
Michael Richard "Mitch" Williams is a South Australian Liberal politician and farmer. He is currently the deputy opposition leader in the South Australian parliament. He resigned from the Liberal Party and was elected to the safe Liberal seat of MacKillop in the state's south east at the 1997...
.
Despite having attempted to oust Hamilton-Smith as leader in 2009, Chapman voted for Hamilton-Smith in his successful bid as deputy leader on 31 March 2010 in a party room vote held after the Liberal Party's loss at the recent State election. Chapman voting Hamilton-Smith as deputy was due to the fact that Hamilton-Smith's opponent for the deputy's job was another former leader and Chapman's factional rival Iain Evans.