Vickie Chapman

Last updated

Vickie Chapman
Chapman2018 (cropped).jpg
Chapman in 2018
Deputy Premier of South Australia
In office
19 March 2018 22 November 2021

Chapman was born on Kangaroo Island. One of seven children, Chapman attended the Kangaroo Island Parndana Area School, and, following the death of her mother, at age 12 she later attended Pembroke School in Adelaide. She studied a law degree at the University of Adelaide and graduated in 1979 as a barrister.

Chapman's father, Ted, was a member of the Liberal and Country League and then the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in 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.

Parliament

1990s

As the Liberal Party state president from 1992–95, Chapman attempted to win Liberal preselection for the federal division of Barker 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 for the safest Liberal seat in the metropolitan area, Bragg, located in Adelaide's wealthy eastern suburbs.

2000s

When sitting member Graham Ingerson resigned, Chapman contested preselection against Liberal minister Michael Armitage, who was seeking to move from his marginal seat of Adelaide. Chapman easily gained preselection and retained Bragg with a slight 0.4-point two-party swing at the 2002 state election when the Liberals lost government. However, she won 61.9 percent of the primary vote, easily enough to retain the seat outright.

Chapman immediately joined the front bench, assuming the shadow portfolios of Education and Children's Services. She was soon touted by some quarters, within her party and in the media, as a future Liberal leader. In other quarters, however, Chapman was seen as a continuation of the factional battles that have long plagued the SA Liberals.

The Liberals were cut down to only 15 seats at the 2006 election landslide. Chapman herself suffered a substantial 6.8-point two-party swing, but still retained Bragg with a comfortable majority of 12.6 percent, leaving Bragg as the only safe Liberal seat in Adelaide and one of only four safe Liberal seats statewide. Chapman was elected as deputy Liberal leader, and hence Deputy Leader of the Opposition, in an unexpected joint ticket with factional rival Iain Evans. Strong backing was received from federal Sturt MP Christopher Pyne, a longtime factional ally of Chapman, as well as another prominent boss of the SA Liberals' moderate faction, former Premier Dean Brown. [2] She retained the deputy's post when Martin Hamilton-Smith ousted Evans as leader in 2007.

Hamilton-Smith called a leadership and deputy leadership spill for 4 July 2009. Chapman ran against Hamilton-Smith for the leadership, but received only 10 votes, against Hamilton-Smith's 11, with Evans abstaining. Conservative Isobel Redmond was elected to the deputy leadership to replace Chapman. [3] 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. Chapman again ran for the leadership but received only 9 votes, against Redmond's 13. Steven Griffiths was elected deputy leader 8 votes to 6 for Mitch Williams. [4]

2010s

Despite having attempted to previously oust Hamilton-Smith as leader and having attempted to later defeat Redmond in a leadership ballot, Chapman voted for Hamilton-Smith in his successful bid as deputy leader on 31 March 2010 in a vote held after the third consecutive Liberal loss at the 2010 election where Chapman gained a substantial 9.1-point two-party swing. Voting for Hamilton-Smith as deputy meant not voting for Evans. [5] Chapman drew headlines in the last week before the 2010 election for not being willing to publicly refuse challenging Redmond for the leadership and faced accusations, particularly by Hamilton-Smith, of derailing the Liberal campaign, with "Chapman Could Challenge" posters hung beneath many of the Liberal "Redmond is Ready" posters. [6]

Chapman was reappointed deputy opposition leader on 4 February 2013, and chose to announce she would rule out challenging new leader Steven Marshall. [7]

Upon the fourth consecutive Liberal loss at the 2014 election, Chapman suffered a 1.5-point two-party swing but still retained Bragg with a comfortably safe 68.7 percent two-party vote. After the Liberal party won the election at the 2018 election, she was sworn in as Deputy Premier of South Australia.

2020s

Chapman was additionally appointed Minister for Planning and Local Government on 29 July 2020. [8] Chapman lost a vote of non-confidence as Deputy Premier in the South Australian Parliament on 18 November 2021 after a parliamentary inquiry found her conflict of interest as Minister for Planning and Local Government and recommended for her to be found guilty of contempt of parliament for misleading the house. [9] On 22 November 2021, she resigned as Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning and Local Government, and stepped down as Attorney-General while officially still holding the role and remaining in cabinet. [10] [11] On 3 May 2022, the Ombudsman's Report into the allegations exonerated Chapman of all wrongdoing, finding she had no conflict of interest. [12]

Chapman retained her seat in parliament at the 2022 South Australian state election, despite a swing against her party which resulted in a change of government. [13] A month after the election, Chapman announced her intent to resign from parliament. She officially resigned on 31 May 2022, with her successor to be elected in a by-election on 2 July 2022. [14] [15] [16]

Personal life

One of her children is Channel 7 reporter Alex Hart. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Rann</span> Australian politician

Michael David Rann,, is an Australian former politician who was the 44th premier of South Australia from 2002 to 2011. He was later Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2013 to 2014, and Australian ambassador to Italy, Albania, Libya and San Marino from 2014 to 2016.

Dean Craig Brown, AO is a politician who served as the Premier of South Australia between 14 December 1993 and 28 November 1996, and also served as 10th Deputy Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and 5 March 2002, representing the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia. He became premier when he led the party to a landslide win at the 1993 state election, and lost the office when he lost a leadership challenge to John Olsen in November 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 South Australian state election</span>

The state election for the 51st Parliament of South Australia was held in the Australian state of South Australia on 18 March 2006 to elect all members of the South Australian House of Assembly and 11 members of the South Australian Legislative Council. The election was conducted by the independent State Electoral Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Bragg</span> Australian electorate

Bragg is a single-member electoral district for the South Australian House of Assembly. The seat is named after the eminent physicists Bragg – William Henry and his son, William Lawrence. The electorate is largely suburban and encompasses a significant portion of the City of Burnside, stretching from the east parklands of Adelaide into the Adelaide Hills. After the redistribution following the 2006 election, the boundary moved eastwards to include suburbs that had formerly been in the electorate of Heysen and now borders Kavel. Bragg currently includes the metropolitan suburbs of Beaumont, Burnside, Cleland, Dulwich, Eastwood, Erindale, Frewville, Glenside, Glenunga, Greenhill, Hazelwood Park, Heathpool, Horsnell Gully, Leabrook, Leawood Gardens, Linden Park, Marryatville, Mount Osmond, Rose Park, Rosslyn Park, Skye, St Georges, Stonyfell, Toorak Gardens, Tusmore, Waterfall Gully, Wattle Park and part of Glen Osmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Adelaide</span> South Australian state electoral district

Adelaide is a single-member electoral district for the South Australian House of Assembly. The 22.8 km² state seat of Adelaide currently consists of the Adelaide city centre including North Adelaide and suburbs to the inner north and inner north east: Collinswood, Fitzroy, Gilberton, Medindie, Medindie Gardens, Ovingham, Thorngate, Walkerville, most of Prospect, and part of Nailsworth. The federal division of Adelaide covers the state seat of Adelaide and additional suburbs in each direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Davenport</span> State electoral district of South Australia

Davenport is a single-member electoral district for the South Australian House of Assembly. It is named after nineteenth-century pioneer and politician Sir Samuel Davenport. Davenport is a 57.7 km² electorate covering part of outer suburban Adelaide and the southern foothills of the Adelaide Hills. It takes in the suburbs of Aberfoyle Park, Bedford Park, Bellevue Heights, Chandlers Hill, Cherry Gardens, and Flagstaff Hill; and part of Happy Valley.

Iain Frederick Evans is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2006 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Such</span> Australian politician

Robert Bruce Such was a South Australian politician. He was the member for the seat of Fisher in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1989 until his death in 2014. He defeated Labor MP Philip Tyler at the 1989 election and was a member of the Liberals until 2000 when he became an independent. Such was Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, and Minister for Youth Affairs, in the Brown Liberal government from 1993 to 1996. He served as Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly for the Rann Labor government from 2005 to 2006. Such was joint Father of the House with Michael Atkinson from 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Hamilton-Smith</span> Australian politician

Martin Leslie James Hamilton-Smith is a former Australian politician who represented the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Waite from the 1997 election until his retirement in 2018. First elected as a candidate for the Liberal Party, Hamilton-Smith was the state parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party and the Leader of the Opposition in South Australia from 2007 to 2009, and a Minister in the Kerin Liberal government from 2001 to 2002.

Michael Richard "Mitch" Williams is a farmer and former deputy leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia. He resigned from the Liberals and was elected to the safe Liberal seat of MacKillop in the state's south east at the 1997 election as an independent, but he re-joined the Liberals in 1999. He retained the seat as a Liberal in 2002 and represented it until his retirement in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isobel Redmond</span> Australian politician

Isobel Mary Redmond is a former Australian politician who was the member for the electoral district of Heysen in the House of Assembly from 2002 to 2018. She was the 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 between 2009 and 2013, and was the first female leader of a South Australian state major party. Under Redmond, the Liberals won 18 of 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly at the 2010 election, a gain of three from the 2006 election. She resigned as leader of the Liberal Party on 31 January 2013.

Michael Harry Armitage is an Australian former politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1989 and 2002, representing the electorate of Adelaide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Marshall</span> 46th Premier of South Australia

Steven Spence Marshall is a former Australian politician who served as the 46th premier of South Australia between 2018 and 2022. He was a member of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in the South Australian House of Assembly from 2010 until 2024, representing the electorate of Dunstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Malinauskas</span> Australian politician and trade unionist (born 1980)

Peter Bryden Malinauskas is an Australian politician serving as the 47th and current premier of South Australia since 2022. He has been the leader of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and a member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for the division of Croydon since 2018. He was previously the Leader of the Opposition from 2018 until his victory at the 2022 state election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 South Australian state election</span>

The 2018 South Australian state election to elect members to the 54th Parliament of South Australia was held on 17 March 2018. All 47 seats in the House of Assembly or lower house, whose members were elected at the 2014 election, and 11 of 22 seats in the Legislative Council or upper house, last filled at the 2010 election, were contested. The record-16-year-incumbent Australian Labor Party (SA) government led by Premier Jay Weatherill was seeking a fifth four-year term, but was defeated by the opposition Liberal Party of Australia (SA), led by Opposition Leader Steven Marshall. Nick Xenophon's new SA Best party unsuccessfully sought to obtain the balance of power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rann government</span>

The Rann government was the state executive government of South Australia led by Premier of South Australia Mike Rann of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 2002 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Australian Liberal Party</span> Political party in Australia

The South Australian Liberal Party, officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division), and often shortened to SA Liberals, is the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia. It was formed as the Liberal and Country League (LCL) in 1932 and became the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party when the Liberal Party was formed in 1945. It retained its Liberal and Country League name before changing to its current name in 1974. It is one of two major parties in the bicameral Parliament of South Australia, the other being the Australian Labor Party (SA Branch). The party is led by Vincent Tarzia since 12 August 2024.

The Marshall ministry was the 73rd ministry (cabinet) of the Government of South Australia, led by Steven Marshall of the South Australian Liberal Party. It was formed after the 2018 state election and ended after the 2022 state election. It was preceded by the Weatherill ministry and was succeeded by the Malinauskas ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 South Australian Liberal Party leadership election</span>

The 2022 South Australian Liberal Party leadership election was held on 19 April 2022 to elect a new leader of the South Australian Liberal Party, following the previous months' state election loss and resignation of then-leader Steven Marshall. The leadership contest was between three candidates: David Speirs, Josh Teague and Nick McBride. Speirs won the ballot contest by an overwhelming majority, succeeding Steven Marshall as leader and becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Bragg state by-election</span>

A by-election for the seat of Bragg in the South Australian House of Assembly was held on 2 July 2022. The by-election was triggered by the parliamentary resignation of Liberal Party MP and former Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman on 31 May 2022. Jack Batty retained the seat for the Liberal Party, despite a modest swing being recorded against the party.

References

  1. "The South Australian Government Gazette, 19 March 2018, No. 18, Supplementary Gazette" (PDF). Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  2. "South Australia's 10 most poisonous political feuds: The Advertiser 21 May 2014" . Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  3. Emmerson, Russell (8 July 2009). "Second Liberal Party vote narrows". The Advertiser.
  4. Kelton, Greg (9 July 2009). "Isobel Redmond wins South Australia Liberals leadership". The Advertiser.
  5. Libs Crunch Numbers Ahead Of Spill The Advertiser[ dead link ]
  6. "Martin Hamilton-Smith blames Vickie Chapman for Liberals' SA State Election 2010 loss". The Advertiser. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. Wills, Daniel; Novak, Lauren; Crouch, Brad (4 February 2013). "New state Liberals leader Steven Marshall safe from Vickie Chapman challenge". The Australian. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  8. "Governor's Instruments (64)" (PDF). South Australian Government Gazette . Government of South Australia. 29 July 2020. p. 4090. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  9. "SA parliament passes vote of no confidence in Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman". ABC News (Australia) . 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  10. Dayman, Isabel (22 November 2021). "Vickie Chapman steps down as SA Deputy Premier and aside from ministerial roles pending ombudsman investigation". ABC News (Australia) . Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  11. "Acting A-G to be sworn in as Chapman stays in cabinet". InDaily. 23 November 2021.
  12. "Ombudsman clears former SA deputy premier of conflict of interest in port decision". ABC News. 3 May 2022.
  13. "Bragg". ABC News. 19 March 2022.
  14. Boisvert, Eugene (5 May 2022). "Former SA deputy premier Vickie Chapman set to stay in parliament as Labor declines to push her out". ABC News (Australia) . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  15. Dornin, Tim (1 June 2022). "SA by-election in Bragg set for July 2". The Advocate . Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  16. "Hon Vickie Chapman". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia . Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  17. "GRESTE, MR PETER" (PDF). HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. 2 July 2014. p. 1064. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.

Further reading

Parliament of South Australia
Preceded by Member for Bragg
2002–2022
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Opposition in South Australia
2006–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Opposition in South Australia
2013–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Premier of South Australia
2018–2021
Succeeded by
Attorney-General of South Australia
2018–2022
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia
(South Australian Division)

2013–2021
Succeeded by