Thursday 1 March 2012

Fed: Stott Despoja emerges victorious


AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2001
Fed: Stott Despoja emerges victorious

By Linda McSweeny

CANBERRA, April 7 AAP - Australian Democrat Natasha Stott Despoja today emerged as
the darling of her party, easily winning a drawn-out leadership battle which pushed Meg
Lees off her perch.

Senator Stott Despoja now boasts another political milestone - becoming the youngest
woman to lead a political party in Australia.

Just six years ago she entered the Senate as the youngest woman ever elected to a federal
parliament, at the age of 26.

Last night she toppled Senator Lees to win the top job, pushing ahead of the party
elder by an estimated 70 per cent.

Senator Stott Despoja's new deputy, Aden Ridgeway, made history himself by being elected
as the first indigenous politician to hold a leadership position in a party.

A final breakdown of the results of last night's count were not yet known, but party
leader Michael Macklin said the margins were considerable.

Senator Stott Despoja entered the parliament after the resignation of Dr John Coulter
in November 1995 and was then re-elected in 1996.

Her involvement with the Democrats began years earlier as a Young Democrat and also
with her work with Dr Coulter and former party leader Cheryl Kernot, who later defected
to Labor.

Senator Stott Despoja graduated from the University of Adelaide with an arts degree
and was once president of the Adelaide University Students' Association.

She was also the women's officer with the National Union of Students and has a keen
interest in education.

Prior to her decision to run as party leader, Senator Stott Despoja was touted as a
possible future leader of the national republican movement.

Senator Stott Despoja was elected to the deputy's position in 1997 and re-elected in
November 1998.

Today her image of life as party leader was realistic.

"It's tough. Because it is tough out there. Ask ordinary Australians, it's tough out
there. That's why they're considering alternatives like Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

"So we recognise it's tough and we're going to respond to that."

She has vowed to adopt a listen and learn approach in her new role and has been branded
dynamic and energetic by colleagues and opponents.

Her first task will be to retain her Senate seat and those of four of her colleagues
due to face the polls later this year.

She must also try to recoup some lost ground evident from recent poor showings in the
West Australian and Queensland polls.

"I will be launching a membership drive," she said.

"My aim is to win back former members and to reach out to those many Australians looking
for political hope and vision."

AAP lm/wjf/jas/de

KEYWORD: DEMOCRATS DESPOJA (PROFILE)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

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