Don Chipp

Don Chipp
Chipp in 1969
Leader of the Australian Democrats
In office
9 May 1977 – 18 August 1986
DeputyColin Mason
Janine Haines
Preceded byParty established
Succeeded byJanine Haines
Leader of the House
In office
15 August 1972 – 2 December 1972
LeaderWilliam McMahon
Preceded byReginald Swartz
Succeeded byFred Daly
Minister for Health
In office
11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser
Preceded byDoug Everingham
Succeeded byRalph Hunt
Minister for Repatriation and Compensation
In office
11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser
Preceded byJohn Wheeldon
Succeeded byKevin Newman
Minister for Social Security
In office
11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser
Preceded byJohn Wheeldon
Succeeded byMargaret Guilfoyle
Minister for Customs and Excise
In office
12 November 1969 – 5 December 1972
Prime MinisterJohn Gorton
William McMahon
Preceded byMalcolm Scott
Succeeded byGough Whitlam
Minister-in-charge of Tourist Activities
In office
14 December 1966 – 28 February 1968
Prime MinisterHarold Holt
John McEwen
John Gorton
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byReg Wright
Minister for Defence
Minister for the Navy
In office
14 December 1966 – 28 February 1968
Prime MinisterHarold Holt
John McEwen
John Gorton
Preceded byFred Chaney
Succeeded byBert Kelly
Senator for Victoria
In office
1 July 1978 – 18 August 1986
Succeeded byJanet Powell
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Hotham
In office
25 October 1969 – 10 November 1977
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byRoger Johnston
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Higinbotham
In office
10 December 1960 – 25 October 1969
Preceded byFrank Timson
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Donald Leslie Chipp

(1925-08-21)21 August 1925
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died28 August 2006(2006-08-28) (aged 81)
Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Political partyDemocrat (after 1977)
Other political
affiliations
Independent (1955–1958; 1977)
Liberal (1958–1977)
Spouses
Monica Lalor
(m. 1951; div. 1979)
Idun Welz
(m. 1979; wid. 2006)
Childrenwith Lalor: 4
with Welz: 2
EducationNorthcote High School
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationConsultancy company chairman
(Donald L. Chipp & Co.)
Chief executive officer
(CPA Australia)
ProfessionBusinessman
Politician
Military service
AllegianceCommonwealth of Australia
Branch/serviceRoyal Australian Air Force
Years of service1943–1945
Battles/warsWorld War II

Donald Leslie Chipp, AO (21 August 1925 – 28 August 2006) was an Australian politician who was the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats, leading the party from 1977 to 1986. He began his career as a member of the Liberal Party, winning election to the House of Representatives in 1960 and serving as a government minister for a cumulative total of six years. Chipp left the Liberals in 1977 and was soon persuaded to lead a new party, the Democrats who, he famously proclaimed in 1980, would "keep the bastards honest". He was elected to the Senate on 10 December 1977 and led the party at four federal elections. From 1983 it held the sole balance of power in the Senate.