Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its deep regret at the death, on 28 August 2006, of the Honourable Donald Leslie Chipp, AO, a former federal minister, member of the House of Representatives, founder and former Leader of the Australian Democrats, and senator for Victoria, and places on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service and tenders its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

There will be many sincere and eloquent condolences expressed today on the passing of Don Chipp, a colourful and successful figure who was to make a great contribution to the face of Australian politics. Don Chipp was the eldest of four boys born into a working-class family from Northcote, Victoria on 21 August 1925. He was educated at Northcote High School and at 18 joined the RAAF, where he served for two years during World War II. Always a fierce competitor, after the war he was an accomplished sprinter, footballer and cricketer. He studied commerce at the University of Melbourne and went on to work as a management consultant.

Before entering federal politics, Don served as a councillor for Kew City from 1955 to 1961. During this time he was also chief executive officer of the Olympic Games civic committee and was chairman of Victoria’s first doorknock cancer appeal. Federal politics was a logical progression for a man with such a dedicated commitment to serving his community. Don entered the House of Representatives at a by-election in 1960 and became the Liberal member for the seat of Higinbotham. After a redistribution, he later became the member for the newly named seat of Hotham.

His political career was lengthy and distinguished. Though his political legacy is seen primarily through the foundation of the Australian Democrats, he also served as minister in successive Liberal governments under Prime Ministers Holt, Gorton and McMahon and the caretaker Fraser government. He was minister and spokesperson for a diverse range of issues during his significant period of service with the Liberal Party. Indeed, he served the Liberal Party longer in parliament than he served the Democrats.

In 1966 he was appointed Minister for the Navy in the Holt government. He was Minister for Customs and Excise under John Gorton in 1969, a position he held until the end of the McMahon government in 1972. It was in this capacity that he held portfolio responsibility for censorship of imported books and films, and his time as minister saw a liberalisation of such regulations, though not without significant controversy. Don was Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives from 1971 to 1972 and Leader of the House for a short time during 1972. In opposition, during the years of the Whitlam government, he was a member of the shadow ministry and was responsible for social security and welfare matters. In 1975 he served in the caretaker Fraser government as Minister for Social Security, Minister for Health and Minister for Repatriation and Compensation.

In March 1977 Don Chipp resigned from the Liberal Party with a speech to the House of Representatives highlighting his concerns with what he saw as the condition of party politics in Australia. He went on to form and lead the Australian Democrats, with that party winning 11.1 per cent of the national vote at the 1977 election only nine months later, which was a remarkable performance for a brand-new political party. Don Chipp was elected as a Democrat Senator for Victoria at that election. He served in the Senate as a representative for Victoria from 1978 until his retirement from federal parliament in 1986, after 25 years of service and almost a decade as Leader of the Australian Democrats. In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to the Commonwealth parliament.

Don Chipp will be best remembered as the founder of the Australian Democrats and for leading that party to a significant degree of electoral success at what was certainly, in the mid- to late seventies, a tumultuous time in Australian politics. He believed that there was an important place for a third force in Australian politics and the establishment of the Democrats was testimony to his conviction. Until the very end, Don Chipp held strong beliefs and strong opinions concerning issues of public policy. He undoubtedly made a significant contribution to public life in Australia and he will be remembered for his compassion and steadfast dedication to the ideology that defined him.

As a Liberal senator, may I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Don Chipp’s long and distinguished service to the Liberal Party of Australia, and indeed express my own regret that our party lost the benefit of his enormous energy and passion when he left to form the Australian Democrats. On behalf of the government, I offer condolences to his wife, Idun, and his children, Debbie, John, Greg, Melissa, Juliet and Laura, and his eight grandchildren.