Don Chipp

The Honourable Don Chipp AO
Chipp in 1969
Leader of the Australian Democrats
In office 9 May 1977 – 18 August 1986
Deputy	Colin Mason Janine Haines
Preceded by	Party established
Succeeded by	Janine Haines
Leader of the House
In office 15 August 1972 – 2 December 1972
Leader	William McMahon
Preceded by	Reginald Swartz
Succeeded by	Fred Daly
Minister for Health
In office 11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	Doug Everingham
Succeeded by	Ralph Hunt
Minister for Repatriation and Compensation
In office 11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	John Wheeldon
Succeeded by	Kevin Newman
Minister for Social Security
In office 11 November 1975 – 22 December 1975
Prime Minister	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	John Wheeldon
Succeeded by	Margaret Guilfoyle
Minister for Customs and Excise
In office 12 November 1969 – 5 December 1972
Prime Minister	John Gorton William McMahon
Preceded by	Malcolm Scott
Succeeded by	Gough Whitlam
Minister-in-charge of Tourist Activities
In office 14 December 1966 – 28 February 1968
Prime Minister	Harold Holt John McEwen John Gorton
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Reg Wright
Minister for Defence Minister for the Navy
In office 14 December 1966 – 28 February 1968
Prime Minister	Harold Holt John McEwen John Gorton
Preceded by	Fred Chaney
Succeeded by	Bert Kelly
Senator for Victoria
In office 1 July 1978 – 18 August 1986
Succeeded by	Janet Powell
Member of the Australian Parliament for Hotham
In office 25 October 1969 – 10 November 1977
Preceded by	Constituency created
Succeeded by	Roger Johnston
Member of the Australian Parliament for Higinbotham
In office 10 December 1960 – 25 October 1969
Preceded by	Frank Timson
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Donald Leslie Chipp (1925-08-21)21 August 1925 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	28 August 2006(2006-08-28) (aged 81) Richmond, Victoria, Australia
Political party	Democrat (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)​
Children	with Lalor: 4 with Welz: 2
Education	Northcote High School
Alma mater	University of Melbourne
Occupation	Consultancy company chairman (Donald L. Chipp & Co.) Chief executive officer (CPA Australia)
Profession	Businessman Politician
Military service
Allegiance	Commonwealth of Australia
Branch/service	Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1943–1945
Battles/wars	World War II

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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.