Vickie Chapman

Vickie Ann Chapman is an Australian politician and lawyer, born in Kangaroo Island on June 21, 1957. 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.

At one stage the Liberal Party state president, 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 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.

As well as being the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Ms Chapman is the Shadow Minister for Health, Families and Communities, Housing, Population and the City of Adelaide.

References

* [http://www.vickchap.com/ Vickie Chapman MP, State Member for Bragg]
* [http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=1804 Parliament of South Australia, MP Profile]
*The Liberal leadership; The Advertiser (Adelaide). October 12, 2005.
*Vickie's island in the suburbs. Sunday Mail (Adelaide). January 2, 2005.
*Vickie Chapman: The woman most likely. The Advertiser (Adelaide). October 26, 2002.
*Chapman in the front line. The Advertiser (Adelaide). April 25, 2002.
*Libs line up in battle for blue-ribbon seat of Bragg. The Advertiser (Adelaide) January 15, 2001.