David Kemp (politician)

David Alistair Kemp AC (born 14 October 1941) is a retired Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2004, representing the Division of Goldstein, Victoria.

David Kemp
David Kemp in 2023
Minister for the Environment & Heritage
In office
26 November 2001 – 26 October 2004
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byRobert Hill
Succeeded byIan Campbell
Vice-President of the Executive Council
In office
21 October 1998 – 18 July 2004
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byJohn Moore
Succeeded byNick Minchin
Minister for Schools, Vocational Education
and Training
In office
11 March 1996 – 26 November 2001
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byAmanda Vanstone
Succeeded byBrendan Nelson
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Goldstein
In office
24 March 1990 – 31 August 2004
Preceded byIan Macphee
Succeeded byAndrew Robb
Personal details
Born
David Alistair Kemp

(1941-10-14) 14 October 1941 (age 83)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal
RelationsRod Kemp (brother)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
Yale University
OccupationLecturer

Early life and education

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Kemp was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and was educated at the University of Melbourne and Yale University, where he gained a doctoral degree in politics. He is the brother of Senator Rod Kemp, and the son of Charles Denton Kemp, founder of the Institute of Public Affairs.

Career

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Kemp was Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Melbourne 1975–79 and Professor of Politics at Monash University, Melbourne 1979–90. He is the author of Society and Electoral Behaviour in Australia: a Study of Three Decades (1978), Malcolm Fraser on Australia (with D. M. White) (1986), Current Priorities for Liberalism (1986) and Foundations for Australian Political Analysis: Politics and Authority (1988).

Political career

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Kemp was Senior Adviser to Malcolm Fraser, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister 1975–76 and Director of the Prime Minister's Office 1981.

In 1990 Kemp challenged Liberal MP and former Cabinet minister, Ian Macphee, for Liberal endorsement in the safe Melbourne seat of Goldstein. Kemp was seen as the candidate of the conservative wing of the Liberal Party, against a leading moderate liberal figure. Kemp won the battle.

Kemp was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1990–96. He was Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister Assisting the Minister for Finance for Privatisation 1996–97. He was promoted to Cabinet as Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs 1997–98 and Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs 1998–2001. He was Minister for Environment and Heritage from November 2001 to July 2004. He was Vice-President of the Executive Council from October 1998 to July 2004. His brother Rod was a fellow minister.

David Kemp retired at the 2004 election. He was succeeded as member for Goldstein by Andrew Robb.

In 2007, he was elected President of the Victorian Branch of the Liberal Party. He retired in 2011 and was replaced as Liberal state President by Tony Snell.[1] [2][3]

Post-political career

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In 2012, Kemp became chairman of Scotch College, Melbourne.[4] In 2017, Kemp was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, notably in the areas of employment, education, training and youth affairs, to the environment, to institutional reform and public policy development, and to the community.[5]

References

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  1. ^ How the Liberals fell apart in Victoria: Liberal Party review[permanent dead link] Matt Johnston Weekly Times 30 March 2015
  2. ^ "Archived copy of VIC LIBS: Kemp out, Mantach director and big fight looms for Presidency". Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  3. ^ Michael Kroger vies for Liberal Party presidency The Age 19 January 2015
  4. ^ Kitney, Damon (12 September 2012). "Chairman of Scotch College quits over workload concerns". The Australian. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). Australia Day 2017 Honours List. Governor-General of Australia. 26 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Schools,
Vocational Education and Training

1996–1997
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Employment, Education,
Training and Youth Affairs

1997–1998
Succeeded by
New title Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs
1998–2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice-President of the Executive Council
1998–2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Environment and Heritage
2001–2004
Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Goldstein
1990–2004
Succeeded by