Fiona Simpson | |
---|---|
Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning | |
In office 16 November 2020 –28 October 2024 | |
Leader | David Crisafulli |
Preceded by | Andrew Powell |
Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business | |
In office 15 December 2017 –15 November 2020 | |
Leader | Deb Frecklington |
Preceded by | Jarrod Bleijie (Employment) Scott Emerson (Small Business) |
Succeeded by | Brent Mickelberg |
Shadow Minister for Training and Skills Development | |
In office 15 December 2017 –15 November 2020 | |
Leader | Deb Frecklington |
Preceded by | Jarrod Bleijie |
Succeeded by | Brent Mickelberg |
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal,Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multicultural Affairs | |
In office 6 May 2016 –9 February 2017 | |
Leader | Tim Nicholls |
Preceded by | Tarnya Smith |
Succeeded by | Steve Minnikin |
Shadow Minister for Local Government and Main Roads,Community Recovery &Resilience | |
In office 14 February 2015 –6 May 2016 | |
Leader | Lawrence Springborg |
Preceded by | Tim Mulherin |
Succeeded by | Andrew Powell |
Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly | |
In office 15 May 2012 –24 March 2015 | |
Deputy | Michael Robinson |
Preceded by | John Mickel |
Succeeded by | Peter Wellington |
Shadow Minister for Community Services and Housing | |
In office 11 April 2011 –19 February 2012 | |
Leader | Campbell Newman |
Preceded by | Ted Malone |
Succeeded by | Desley Scott (Community Services) Jo-Ann Miller (Housing) |
Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads | |
In office 12 August 2008 –11 April 2011 | |
Leader | Lawrence Springborg John-Paul Langbroek |
Preceded by | Tim Nicholls (Transport) Howard Hobbs (Main Roads) |
Succeeded by | Scott Emerson (Transport) Mark Robinson (Main Roads) |
Deputy Leader of the Opposition of Queensland | |
In office 18 September 2006 –25 July 2008 | |
Leader | Jeff Seeney Lawrence Springborg |
Preceded by | Jeff Seeney |
Succeeded by | Mark McArdle |
Member of the Queensland Parliament for Maroochydore | |
Assumed office 19 September 1992 | |
Preceded by | New seat |
Personal details | |
Born | Sea Lake,Victoria | 18 April 1965
Political party | Liberal National (2008–present) |
Other political affiliations | National (1989–2008) |
Fiona Stuart Simpson (born 18 April 1965 in Sea Lake,Victoria) is an Australian politician serving as Liberal National Party (LNP) member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly,representing Maroochydore since 1992. Simpson served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2012 to 2015 and further served as the Deputy Leader of the Queensland National Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 2006 to 2008. Simpson is currently the Shadow Minister for Finance and Better Regulation and Shadow Minister for Integrity in Government.
Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese,Journalism and Government and a Masters of Organisational Leadership. She also has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Diploma and an executive leadership course at John F Kennedy School of Government,Harvard. She was a Rotary Exchange Student to Japan,and prior to that attended Nambour State High School. [1]
Simpson was an accomplished journalist prior to entering Parliament,winning the prestigious Dalgety Excellence in Rural Journalism Award in 1989,for the State of Queensland. [2]
Fiona Simpson is the longest-serving woman in the LNP party room and following the 2015 election,one of the longest-serving Members of Parliament. When she won the newly created Sunshine Coast seat of Maroochydore in 1992,she was the youngest woman ever to be elected to Legislative Assembly.
Simpson has had shadow ministerial responsibility for Health,Transport,Main Roads,Tourism,Women,Communities,Housing and Waste Watch,in addition to having been elected Deputy Leader of the Queensland National Party (and therefore Deputy Leader of the Opposition) on 18 September 2006. [3] While Deputy Leader,Simpson was a key player in the merger with the Queensland Liberal Party,which created the Liberal National Party of Queensland. She voluntarily stepped aside as Deputy Opposition Leader in favour of Liberal Party Leader Mark McArdle to help facilitate the merger.
Following the LNP's win at the 2012 election,Premier Campbell Newman announced she would be nominated for Speaker. [4] She was elected the body's first female speaker on 15 May 2012.
The end of Simpson's tenure as Speaker was signaled with the LNP's defeat at the 2015 Queensland state election. She unsuccessfully contested the LNP leadership and was subsequently appointed as Shadow Minister for Local Government,Main Roads,Community Recovery and Resilience. [5]
Fiona is currently the Shadow Minister for Intergity in Government,State Development,Infrastructure and Planning.
Simpson was the first female Speaker of the Queensland Parliament's 150-year existence. [6] Simpson had previously spoken of the need to be proactive in encouraging women to stand for Parliament and other positions of leadership. [7] Following her appointment,Simpson continued to encourage women to consider leadership. [8] As Speaker,Simpson initiated the Queensland Inspiring Women Awards,for Members of Parliament to nominate women in their electorate and these awards had bipartisan support. [9] [10]
As Speaker,Simpson formally entered into a Parliamentary Partnership Agreement on 25 September 2013 between the Queensland Parliament and the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea to promote shared understanding and stronger Parliaments. [11] This partnership was in addition to the Parliamentary Twinning relationship with the Parliament of Vanuatu. [12]
During a parliamentary debate in 2002 on changes to anti-discrimination laws that would prevent faith-based schools from discriminating against teachers not of their faith,including gay and lesbian teachers,Simpson referred to acquaintances who are 'former' homosexuals. Simpson also said that she had previously interviewed [13] Sy Rogers,Sy Rogers a leader in ministering to 'former' homosexuals within the controversial ex-gay movement,specifically from Exodus International. [14] In her speech to Parliament,Simpson contrasted what she called "some very genuinely held beliefs" that homosexuality is an unchangeable,born trait with those who believe that homosexuality is a "lifestyle choice",such that homosexuals may choose to "grow into heterosexuality over time".
Media attention was brought to these comments in 2011,and despite the comments drawing criticism from Karen Struthers, [15] mental health psychologist Paul Martin [16] and the gay community, [17] neither Simpson nor the LNP have responded to questions to clarify her personal beliefs on the subject of the ex-gay movement. [18] Fiona Simpson deleted her Facebook page following the controversy after it was inundated with criticism over her support of Exodus. [17]
Contacted in 2015 about the 2002 comments,Simpson provided clarifying remarks,saying "I understand that there are people who have been hurt by (these comments and) their reporting and that deeply saddens me. When I made those comments in 2002 I was sharing a friend’s personal story. I believe equally that every person has the right to have their story heard and that every person is valuable and deserving of respect. I appreciate that different people will have different stories and our community is more welcoming when we listen more carefully and speak more compassionately". [19]
Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman is an Australian former politician who served as the 38th Premier of Queensland from 26 March 2012 to 14 February 2015. He served as the member for Ashgrove in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland between 24 March 2012 and 31 January 2015. He was LNP Leader from 2 April 2011 to 7 February 2015;Newman previously served as the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 27 March 2004 to 3 April 2011.
Lawrence James Springborg is an Australian politician. He led the National Party in the Queensland Parliament from 2003 to 2006 and again in 2008,before becoming the first leader of the merged Liberal National Party from 2008 to 2009. He led the LNP again from 2015 to 2016 before announcing his retirement. He currently serves as Mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council,having been elected in March 2020.
The Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) is a major conservative political party in Queensland,Australia. It was formed in 2008 by a merger of the Queensland divisions of the Liberal Party and the National Party. At a federal level and in most other states,the two parties remain distinct and often operate as a Coalition. The LNP is a division of the Liberal Party of Australia,and an affiliate of the National Party of Australia.
John-Paul HonoréLangbroek is an Australian politician who has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland representing the centre-right Liberal Party and its successor,the centre-right Liberal National Party,in the seat of Surfers Paradise since 2004. He was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the LNP from 2009 to 2011—the first person from the Liberal side of the merger to hold the post. He was a minister in the Newman government before its defeat at the 2015 state election.
Mark Francis McArdle is an Australian politician and former Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland between 2004 and 2020,representing the electorate of Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. Initially a Liberal Party member,in 2007 he became the party leader and the following year oversaw a merger with the National Party that produced the Liberal National Party.
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Jeffrey William Seeney is a former Australian politician and the former Deputy Premier,Minister for State Development and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning of Queensland. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1998 to 2017,representing Callide for the Nationals (1998–2008) and merged Liberal National Party (2008–2017).
Maroochydore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.
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The 2012 Queensland state election was held on 24 March 2012 to elect all 89 members of the Legislative Assembly,a unicameral parliament.
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Lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,and queer (LGBTQ) rights in Queensland have advanced significantly from the late 20th century onwards,in line with progress on LGBTQ rights in Australia nationally. 2019 polling on gay rights consistently showed that even in regional areas,Queensland is no more conservative about the subject than any other states.
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