Heather Southcott
Encyclopedia
Heather Southcott was an Australia
n politician, representing the electoral district of Mitcham
(now Waite) in the South Australian House of Assembly
for the Australian Democrats
.
The seat was won by Southcott and the Democrats at the 1982 Mitcham by-election, resulting from the resignation of Robin Millhouse
, who represented the seat since its creation in 1955. While Millhouse originally represented the Liberal and Country League
(the predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia
in South Australia), disagreement within the party over social policy direction and electoral reform saw him leave the party in 1973 to assist in the formation of the Liberal Movement, which became the New LM
in 1976, which then became the Australian Democrats
in 1977, and continued with the Democrats until his resignation from parliament in 1982. Southcott lost the seat at the 1982 state election
to Stephen Baker
from the moderate faction of the Liberal Party.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, representing the electoral district of Mitcham
Electoral district of Mitcham (South Australia)
Mitcham was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1938 to 1993. The district was based in the south-eastern suburbs of Adelaide....
(now Waite) in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
for the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
.
The seat was won by Southcott and the Democrats at the 1982 Mitcham by-election, resulting from the resignation of Robin Millhouse
Robin Millhouse
Robin Rhodes Millhouse QC has been, at various times, the South Australian Attorney-General, the first Australian Democrats parliamentarian, and the Chief Justice of both Kiribati and Nauru....
, who represented the seat since its creation in 1955. While Millhouse originally represented the Liberal and Country League
Liberal and Country League
The Liberal and Country League was a major political party in South Australia throughout its forty year existence. Thirty-four years were spent in government, in part due to the electoral malapportionment known as the Playmander, introduced after coming to power.Created on 9 June 1932 as the...
(the predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in South Australia), disagreement within the party over social policy direction and electoral reform saw him leave the party in 1973 to assist in the formation of the Liberal Movement, which became the New LM
New LM
The New Liberal Movement was a South Australian political party that had parliamentary representation during the mid-1970s.Formed by Robin Millhouse on 6 May 1976 following the dissolution of the Liberal Movement, the New LM sought to be the true liberal party in South Australia, arguing that the...
in 1976, which then became the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
in 1977, and continued with the Democrats until his resignation from parliament in 1982. Southcott lost the seat at the 1982 state election
South Australian state election, 1982
State elections were held in Australia on November 6, 1982. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Premier of South Australia David Tonkin was defeated by the Australian Labor Party led by Leader of the Opposition...
to Stephen Baker
Stephen Baker (Australian politician)
Stephen Baker was an Australian politician, representing the Liberal Party of Australia in the electoral district of Waite, formerly Mitcham in the South Australian House of Assembly...
from the moderate faction of the Liberal Party.