Hedley Grant Pearson Chapman (known as Grant Chapman) was born in North Adelaide on 27 April 1949, the son of Mr Hedley T Chapman of Somerton Park, South Australia.  He was educated at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide and at the University of Adelaide, gaining a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Politics and History.  From 1968 to 1970 he was a member of the South Australian University Squadron of the RAAF, subsequently becoming a Pilot Officer in the RAAF Reserve. From 1971 to 1975 Chapman was employed in Marketing Management by the Shell Company of Australia Ltd.  During the same period he was a member of the South Australian Young Liberals Executive.  In 1975 he became a private Political Research Consultant and a member of the Federal Young Liberal Party Committee.  From 1975 to 1976 he was a member of the Liberal Party's South Australian State Executive.  He represented South Australian in national debating championships in 1974, 1975 and 1977.   Chapman was elected to the House of Representatives for the seat of Kingston, South Australia, at the general election of 13 December 1975.  From 1975 to 1976 he was a member of the Australian Broadcasting Commission Advisory Committee (South Australia) and South Australian Committee Member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.  During this period he was a member of the Advisory Panel of Parents without Partners SA, and of the Board of Reference of the Living Hope Counselling Service.  He was Secretary of the Federal Parliamentary Christian Fellowship. In 1977 Chapman became a member of the Australian Footwear Industry Advisory Council.  From 1978 to 1979 he was Chairman of theGovernment Members Youth Affairs Committee, becoming Deputy Chairman of the Government Members Employment and Youth Affairs Committee in 1979.  During 1979 Chapman attended the First Asian-PacificConference on Juvenile Delinquency in Taipei and was Leader of the Australian Government Delegation to the Commonwealth Countries Conference on Government Policy in Youth Affairs, held in Chandigarh, India. From 20 September 1979 until 19 September 1981 he served as a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Publications;  from 26 November 1980 until 5 March 1983 on the House ofRepresentatives Standing Committee on the Library and from 7 December 1980 until 5 March 1983 on the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the New Parliament House.  He was also a member of the House ofRepresentatives Standing Committee on Road Safety from 9 April 1981 until 5 March 1983.  In July 1981 he was a member of theParliamentary Delegation to China and Japan, and in October 1982 was a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in the Bahamas. In the general election on 5 March 1983 he lost the seat of Kingston, South Australia. Chapman was elected to the Senate as a Senator for South Australia in the election of 11 July 1987. His term was deemed to have begun on 1 July 1987.  He was re-elected in 1990, 1996 and 2001. He was defeated at general elections 2007 (his term ended 30 June 2008).

 Sources1. Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, 1988, pp 66-672. Who's Who in Australia, 1977, p 211; 1980, p 183
3. Parliament of Australia website, http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/, accessed 13 April 2015

Agency associated with person unregistered

1975-1976: Australian Broadcasting Commission Advisory Committee
           (South Australia) - Member
1977-    : Australian Footwear Industry Advisory Council - Member