Don Chipp dies

[Skye]

Don Chipp founded the Australian Democrats in 1977. He was previously a member of the Liberal party, which forms a conservative coalition with the National party in the federal parliament. He had been active in removing censorship during the sixties. During the seventies he became disillusioned and around him formed a grassroots movement that led to the Democrats being formed as a roughly centrist party. Chipp dubbed the role of the party as to "keep the bastards honest". The Democrats never became a major party in their own right but often held the balance of power in the Senate. He handed over the reigns in 1988 and the party moved more to the left. There competed with the rising Greens party for voters, and was seen to be more willing to make deals with the major parties, particularly in regards to the introduction of a goods and services tax. The party is now struggling to survive. Chipp was often critical of the party as it fell apart, but his own attempts to re-enter politics, such as running for Mayor of Melbourne, were unsuccessful.

[Martin]

Wikipedia article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Chipp

 

says he had just turned 81

 

yet gave the opening speech at the Australian Democratic party national convention this year (May 2006)

[Tetrahedrite]

I lost most of my respect for the democrats when they sold out over the "never-ever" GST. Maybe this has contributed to their almost complete anihilatation, the party seems to be in it's death throws. It is a shame about Donn Chip though, the party he founded has done a fairly good job of "keeping the bastards honest" over the years

[JohnB]

I didn't mind Don Chipp and liked what he set out to do. Since he handed over the reins though, the party went to pot.

 

The last shred of respect I had for the Dems went out the window when I found they refused to go on the fact finding trip around the Pacific to see how our foreign aid was spent. The Senate Commitee was travelling by C-130 and the Dems refused to go unless they were in a commercial jet.

 

That's not the party he founded.

 

'Bye Don, when you get to where you're going, stick to your principles as you always have. S!