Which former leader of the Australian Democrats recently retired from parliament?

Answer 1

After reviewing dozens of web pages, I have determined that you are referring to Senator Natasha Stott Despoja

Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja (born 9 September 1969), Australian politician, has been an Australian Democrats member of the Australian Senate for South Australia since November 1995. She is the youngest woman ever elected to the Australian Senate. She is of Croatian descent.

Stott Despoja was born in Adelaide and educated at the prestigious private Pembroke School and later the University of Adelaide, where she graduated in arts. She was active in student politics, becoming President of the Students' Association of the University of Adelaide (SAUA) and serving as State Women's Officer for the National Union of Students in South Australia. She then worked as a political adviser for Democrat Senators John Coulter and Cheryl Kernot.

On 29 November 1995 Stott Despoja filled the Senate casual vacancy created by the resignation of Senator John Coulter. She was elected to her seat in 1996 and re-elected in 2001.

Stott Despoja was elected Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats in 1997, and was elected leader from 6 April 2001, replacing Meg Lees. Although her relatively left-wing politics were popular with many Australian Democrats members, her leadership style caused difficulties with her parliamentary colleagues. She resigned on 21 August 2002 due to a lack of support from the party room, following an ultimatum delivered by Senator John Cherry.

During 2004 Stott Despoja took leave from the Senate following the birth of her first child, but has since returned to full duties as Democrats spokesperson on Higher Education, Status of Women, and Work and Family (amongst others).

In October 2006 Stott Despoja underwent emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. On 22 October 2006, she announced that she would not be contesting the 2007 federal election, with her term expiring in mid-2008.[1] If she serves out the entirety of her current term, she will become the longest-serving Democrats Senator.

Here is a partial statement released by Despoja on October 22nd on the Australian Democrats website (http://www.democrats.org.au/)

"TODAY, my Private Member's Bill on stem cells is being examined by a Senate committee. The committee system is one of the best aspects of Parliament: a chance for cross-party members to scrutinise laws, fix loopholes, draft amendments.

It is when the Senate shines. It is one of the things I will miss most. My party has decided to finalise pre-selections and yesterday, I announced I would not stand at the next federal election.
I had expected to run and I know that my hard work in the past 11 years has made the seat winnable. However, over the past few weeks (while on an enforced break), I have had time to reflect on what is best for my family after 2008 (when my term ends). I can not commit to another Senate term, which goes until 2014.

This is not about giving up work for family, but giving my family priority at this particular stage of life. Of course, I will pursue my social justice and human rights issues, but in ways that enable me to spend more time with my son, Conrad, especially when he reaches school age in 2008."

More on her statement at: http://www.democrats.org.au/articles/index.htm?article_id=93&display=1

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja , Democrat Senator for South Australia announced on October 22, 2006 that she will not be nominating for the Democrats South Australian Senate ticket for the next federal election. She have decided that not commit to another Senate term (one which goes until 2014). At the end of her term in June 2008, she will be the longest-ever serving Democrat Senator.

Born in Adelaide on September 9,1969 of Croatian descent, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja graduated with a BA from the University of Adelaide. She was president of the University of Adelaide Students' Association in 1991. She has worked as an adviser for Democrat Senators including for Leaders of the Senator John Coulter and Senator Cheryl Kernot. In 1995, at the age of 26, Natasha Stott Despoja was the youngest woman to enter Federal Parliament. In 1997, Senator Stott Despoja was elected as Deputy Leader of the Democrats. She is the leader of the Australian Democrats in April 2001until August 2002 being the youngest person of any Party to hold such a position. In 2001, Senator Stott Despoja was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Global Leader for Tomorrow, the only Australian recognised in that year.

She entered the Parliament in November 1995. In March 1996, she was elected to the Senate by the people of South Australia. She overwhelmingly won her preselection for the number one position on the Democrats' Senate ticket in October 2000, and was subsequently re-elected, with a significant personal vote at the 2001 election. 63 Senators have been elevated or appointed since Senator Stott Despoja entered parliament.

In her ten years in Parliament, Senator Stott Despoja has made a significant contribution to a wide range of policy debates in her capacity as a spokesperson for the Australian Democrats on Higher Education; Science and Technology; Employment; Employment Services; Training; Youth Affairs; Trade; Consumer Affairs; Privacy; the Republic, and other areas.

Her current portfolios include Foreign Affairs; Attorney-Generals; Science, Research and Higher Education; and the Status of Women (including Work and Family).Senator Stott Despoja is an active member of several Parliamentary committees, including the Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Education (both Legislation and References), the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, the Human Rights sub committee, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on National Capital and External Territories.

Her key legislative contributions have been focused on: ensuring education is publicly funded and accessible to all; developing a clear regulatory environment for research and development and the commercialisation of biotechnology; securing liveable Government allowances for students and the disadvantaged; ensuring that Australia remains committed to the rule of law, and covenants of international law and justice; fostering Australia’s positive engagement with the region; creating a regime for the protection of personal genetic information and outlawing discrimination on the grounds of genetic information; establishing a regime of paid maternity leave for Australia’s working women; moving towards an Australian Republic, and regulating post-Ministerial Employment.

Shortly after her emergency surgery for ectopic pregnancy this October, she announced her retirement plan from the parliament.♥