Donald (Don) Leslie Chipp was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1925 and received his secondary education at Northcote High School. In December 1943, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and served with its aircrew until his discharge in September 1945. He later gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne and was employed as an accountant. He was Registrar of the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants and the Australian Society of Accountants (1950-55), Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Olympic Committee (1955-56), Manager of the "Sell Victoria" Mission to the United States (1957) and subsequently worked as a management consultant.
 
Don Chipp's political career began when he was elected as a Councillor for the City of Kew (1955-61). In December 1960, at a by-election following the death of T F Timson, he became Liberal Member for Higinbotham in the House of Representatives. In an electoral redistribution in 1968, the seat was abolished and the new seat of Hotham created. Chipp won this seat and held it for the Liberal Party until 1977.  

In successive Holt, Gorton and McMahon Liberal Coalition Governments, Chipp was Minister for the Navy and Minister in Charge of Tourist Activities under the Minister for Trade and Industry (1966-68), Minister for Customs and Excise (1969-72) and Minister Assisting the Minister for National Development (1971-72). He also held Parliamentary positions as Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives (1971-72) and Leader (August-December 1972). On at least two occasions he stood for the leadership of the Liberal Party, both in opposition and in government. During the Whitlam Government Chipp was a member of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party Opposition Executive and spokesman on international trade and tariffs; then on social security and welfare (1972-74).
 
After the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in November 1975, Chipp was appointed Minister for Social Security, Minister for Health and Minister for Repatriation and Compensation in the Fraser 'Caretaker' Government. He was not appointed to the Ministry after the December 1975 election, however, although he later served on several Parliamentary Committees (see related agencies).
 
In March 1977, Don Chipp resigned from the Liberal Party and became an Independent. From May that year he was involved in the establishment of a third political party, later known as the Australian Democrats. In December 1977, Chipp was elected to the Senate (term deemed to begin 1 July 1978), joining his newly elected colleague Colin Mason from NSW. As Leader of the Australian Democrats and its spokesman on various matters (1978-86), Chipp became a significant political influence. At the 1980 election, his Party gained three more Democrat Senators and the balance of power in the Senate, which it then held for over 20 years. The five Democrats were re-elected in the double dissolution of 1983 and two more Democrats were elected in 1984, raising the Party's number of representatives to seven. Senator Chipp resigned from Parliament and the leadership of the Australian Democrats on 18 August 1986.
 
After leaving federal politics, Chipp was a management consultant and well-known public speaker, National Director of the National Heart Campaign and Vice-Chairman of the Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation. The Don Chipp Foundation was launched in 2003. He was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in 1992 and was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2003. 

Described by Prime Minister John Howard as 'a very colourful figure in Australian politics', Chipp died in Melbourne in August 2006, a week after his 81st birthday.

Publications:

Don Chipp: the third man (with J Larkin) (Adelaide, Rigby, 1978)
Chipp (ed. J Larkin) (North Ryde, Methuen Haynes, 1987)

Sources:

The Canberra Times, 30 August 2006, pp 1, 6 and 13.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook 1986, pp 68-9; 1988, p 232
Who's Who in Australia 2004, pp 434-5

Summary heading

  Hon Don Chipp AO (CP 121)

Unregistered links

  1955-1956:  Olympic Committee, Melbourne - Chief Executive Officer

  Apr 1983 :  Australian Constitutional Convention, Adelaide – Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Delegation

  30 Mar-24 Aug 1984:  Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on the Conduct of a Judge - Member