Vicky Kippin
Encyclopedia
Victoria Ann Kippin (born 7 September 1942) is a former Australia
n politician. She was a National Party
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
from 1974 to 1980, representing the district of Mourilyan
.
Kippin was born in the north Queensland
town of Ayr
. Her parents were Vivian Henry Cox and Enid Parry Trower, who own a grazing property in the Burdekin district where she was raised. She attended Kalamia and Ayr state schools, St Anne's Church of England Grammar School in Townsville and Ayr High School. A foundation student at the University College of Townsville
in 1961, she took on pharmacy before transferring to agricultural science in 1962, studying the subject for three years.
In 1965, Kippin became a teacher at Fairholme College in Toowoomba
. In 1966, she married Norman Edwin James Kippin. The couple produced a son and a daughter but would later divorce. From 1964 to 1974, Kippin managed cattle properties and a transport business in north Queensland. Kippin was also active in the Country Party
, later known as the National Party. She was the party president of the Coast Zone Women's Section and the Zone vice president of the Far Northern Women's Section.
Kippin won election to state parliament at the 1974 state election, a landslide victory for the National-Liberal coalition
. Elected as the National Party
member for Mourilyan
, it was the first time a non-Labor
candidate had won the seat. Kippin was re-elected for a second term at the 1977 state election
, before her defeat at the 1980 state election
to Labor candidate Bill Eaton. She stood again as the National Party candidate for Mourilyan at the 1983 state election but failed to win back her old seat.
During her time in parliament, Kippin advocated the upgrade of major highways and was recognised for her efforts by the naming of the Vicky Kippin Bridge on the Palmerston Highway
. She was believed to be favoured by Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
to become Queensland's first female minister, but this did not eventuate due to her defeat at the 1980 state election.
Following her departure from state politics, Kippin won the Commercial Fisherman of the Year Award in 1981 and was elected chairman of the Innisfail Regional Promotion Bureau the same year. Turning her attention to local government, Kippin served as a Johnstone Shire
councillor from 1982 to 1985. In 1984, she became the Queensland Administrator of the Northern Australia Development Council. She also stood as the National Party candidate for the Townsville based seat of Herbert
at the 1984 federal election; not a natural National seat, she lost to incumbent Labor MP Ted Lindsay
.
Kippin later married Shane O'Connor and returned to the family farm. She became the inaugural president of the Zonta Club of Innisfail
.
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...
from 1974 to 1980, representing the district of Mourilyan
Electoral district of Mourilyan
Mourilyan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1950 to 1992.First created for the 1950 state election, the district was based in north Queensland, centred on the town of Mourilyan, taking in areas previously belonging to the abolished...
.
Kippin was born in the north 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...
town of Ayr
Ayr, Queensland
Ayr is a town in Queensland, Australia near the delta of the Burdekin River, named after the Scottish town of Ayr by the settlers from the United Kingdom...
. Her parents were Vivian Henry Cox and Enid Parry Trower, who own a grazing property in the Burdekin district where she was raised. She attended Kalamia and Ayr state schools, St Anne's Church of England Grammar School in Townsville and Ayr High School. A foundation student at the University College of Townsville
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
in 1961, she took on pharmacy before transferring to agricultural science in 1962, studying the subject for three years.
In 1965, Kippin became a teacher at Fairholme College in Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
. In 1966, she married Norman Edwin James Kippin. The couple produced a son and a daughter but would later divorce. From 1964 to 1974, Kippin managed cattle properties and a transport business in north Queensland. Kippin was also active in the Country 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...
, later known as the National Party. She was the party president of the Coast Zone Women's Section and the Zone vice president of the Far Northern Women's Section.
Kippin won election to state parliament at the 1974 state election, a landslide victory for the National-Liberal coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
. Elected as 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 Mourilyan
Electoral district of Mourilyan
Mourilyan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1950 to 1992.First created for the 1950 state election, the district was based in north Queensland, centred on the town of Mourilyan, taking in areas previously belonging to the abolished...
, it was the first time a non-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...
candidate had won the seat. Kippin was re-elected for a second term at the 1977 state election
Queensland state election, 1977
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 12 November 1977 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.The election resulted in a fourth consecutive victory for the National-Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
, before her defeat at the 1980 state election
Queensland state election, 1980
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 29 November 1980 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.The election resulted in a fifth consecutive victory for the National-Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
to Labor candidate Bill Eaton. She stood again as the National Party candidate for Mourilyan at the 1983 state election but failed to win back her old seat.
During her time in parliament, Kippin advocated the upgrade of major highways and was recognised for her efforts by the naming of the Vicky Kippin Bridge on the Palmerston Highway
Palmerston Highway
The Palmerston Highway , serves as a link between the southern limit of the Atherton Tablelands and the Far North Queensland coastal strip, in Australia. Starting just north of Innisfail, from the Bruce Highway it winds through the Wooroonooran National Park, past the township of Millaa Millaa and...
. She was believed to be favoured by Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
to become Queensland's first female minister, but this did not eventuate due to her defeat at the 1980 state election.
Following her departure from state politics, Kippin won the Commercial Fisherman of the Year Award in 1981 and was elected chairman of the Innisfail Regional Promotion Bureau the same year. Turning her attention to local government, Kippin served as a Johnstone Shire
Shire of Johnstone
The Shire of Johnstone was a Local Government Area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about south of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Innisfail, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated...
councillor from 1982 to 1985. In 1984, she became the Queensland Administrator of the Northern Australia Development Council. She also stood as the National Party candidate for the Townsville based seat of Herbert
Division of Herbert
The Division of Herbert is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. Eligible voters within the Division elect a single representative, known as the member for Herbert, to the Australian House of Representatives. The division was first contested at the 1901 election...
at the 1984 federal election; not a natural National seat, she lost to incumbent Labor MP Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay (Australian politician)
Eamon John "Ted" Lindsay was an Australian politician. Born in Tully, Queensland, he was a solicitor and a City of Townsville Councillor before entering federal politics. In 1983, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Herbert, defeating the sitting...
.
Kippin later married Shane O'Connor and returned to the family farm. She became the inaugural president of the Zonta Club of Innisfail
Innisfail, Queensland
Innisfail is a town located in the far north of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the major township of the Cassowary Coast and is well renowned for its sugar and banana industries, as well as for being one of Australia's wettest towns...
.