Yvonne Chapman

Interviewed by
Robin Sullivan
May 09 2011
Yvonne Chapman
National Party politician (and former Liberal) Yvonne Chapman became the first woman cabinet minister in Queensland state politics serving as the Minister for Welfare Service, Youth and Ethnic Affairs in 1986. She was Mayor of Pine Rivers Shire from 1994-2008.
Biography
Time Summary Keywords
00:00:00 Yvonne Chapman discusses her family and early childhood. She describes her early employment at a paper mill until she married and moved to Kallangur.
00:02:09 Yvonne Chapman discusses the impacts of her early life experiences on her political views. She explains how she became involved in politics following the election of Gough Whitlam. Gough Whitlam
00:06:04 Yvonne Chapman explains how she became a member of both the Liberal and National parties. She discusses her time in Council as a Liberal member and joining the National Party after she was approached by Joh Bjelke-Petersen. She discusses her experiences in local government and comments on the difference between state and local government. Joh Bjelke-Petersen, local government
00:09:06 Yvonne Chapman discusses her main achievements and explains her open door policy in dealing with the general public.
00:11:31 Yvonne Chapman explains how she arranged for the removal of doors from the public toilets in a park in Petrie. She speaks on the media coverage of this event. homosexuality, media
00:19:18 Yvonne Chapman discusses how she was invited by Joh Bjelke-Petersen to move into state politics. Brian Austin, Cabinet, Coalition, Don Lane, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Rob Akers, Terry White
00:23:05 Yvonne Chapman discusses her campaign strategies and talks briefly about losing her first campaign in the seat of Murrumba. campaign strategy, Joe Kruger
00:24:20 Yvonne Chapman discusses her initial Address in Reply in 1983 and the ways in which she tried to protect the role of wife and mother throughout her time in parliament. Welfare Services, women
00:25:42 Yvonne Chapman discusses the main issues she dealt with as Minister for Welfare Services, Youth and Ethnic Affairs and talks about the difficulties of the portfolio and compares these to the Transport portfolio. child sexual abuse, Transport, Welfare Services
00:30:35 Yvonne Chapman discusses her professional relationships with her directors general and on the role of the department with regards to policy ideas and development. She recalls how as minister she adopted some children from Chile. adoption, Alan Pettigrew, directors general, relationship with public service
00:34:10 Yvonne Chapman recalls the introduction of a policy that would only provide welfare payments for the first child of single mother families. Welfare Services
00:35:45 Yvonne Chapman explains how she became the first woman minister. She recalls how she was called into Joh Bjelke-Petersen's office and the subsequent press conference to announce her as the first woman minister. Joh Bjelke-Petersen, media, women
00:39:50 Yvonne Chapman discusses the challenges of being a woman within the ministry and recalls how she requested a washing machine during a cabinet meeting. Cabinet, women
00:43:20 Yvonne Chapman discusses the events leading to the Joh Bjelke-Petersen leadership spill. Joh Bjelke-Petersen, leadership, Mike Ahern, Russell Cooper
00:47:13 Yvonne Chapman discusses her time as Minister for Transport and explains why Joh Bjelke-Petersen was so good for Queensland. Brian Austin, Don Lane, infrastructure, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Lionel Powell, Mike Ahern, state development, Transport
00:51:40 Yvonne Chapman outlines her impressions of Russell Cooper as a leader. leadership, Russell Cooper
00:53:04 Yvonne Chapman discusses the tough decisions she made and the threats made to her during her time as minister. She recalls a confrontation with a member of the public at church. child protection, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, health, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, personal vilification
00:55:36 Yvonne Chapman outlines the compassion she has for others and how she was able to help people through policy change.
00:56:52 Yvonne Chapman explains how after leaving state politics she returned to local government following a court case between the family panelbeating business and the Council. local government
1:00:31 Interview ends.
Further reading: 
John McCulloch, The legislators: women in state and federal parliaments, Central Queensland University Press, Rockhampton, 2005
Catherine Jenkins, No ordinary lives: pioneering women in Australian politics, Australian Scholarly Publishing, North Melbourne, 2008
Position:
Politician, National
Bailiwick:
Welfare Services
Decade:
1980s
Sound byte: 

Yvonne Chapman

Biography

Yvonne Chapman

National Party politician (and former Liberal) Yvonne Chapman became the first woman cabinet minister in Queensland state politics, serving as the Minister of Welfare Service, Youth and Ethnic Affairs in 1986.

Born in 1940 in Young’s Crossing, she attended Petrie State School and Banyo State High. Following the early death of her father she left school to join Australian Paper Mills Ltd as a secretary. Upon marrying Graeme Chapman she moved to Pine Rivers Shire where she became a partner in the family stainless steel fabrication business. After the election of the Whitlam Government (federal 1972-75) she took the unusual approach of joining both the Liberal Party and the National Party. After receiving advice regarding this dual party membership, she chose the Liberal Party and was elected to the Pine Rivers Shire Council in 1976. 

In 1983 she was phoned by Joh Bjelke-Petersen who asked her to join the National Party and run for the state seat of Pine Rivers, which she subsequently won in the 1983 election. Just three years later she became the first woman cabinet minister in the Queensland parliament. On 31 January 1986 she became the Minister of Welfare Service, Youth and Ethnic Affairs. She promoted the development of the policy that single mothers would receive welfare payments for their first child but not for subsequent offspring. When Mike Ahern replaced Joh Bjelke-Petersen as Premier he removed Chapman from the ministry. However, his successor, Russell Cooper, again elevated her to the ministry. In September 1989 Cooper appointed Chapman as the Minister for Transport and Ethnic Affairs. 

In December 1989 she lost her seat to Labor candidate Margaret Woodgate and she returned to the family business. After losing a court case with the local council over land use she was urged to return to local politics. In 1994 she was elected Mayor of Pine Rivers Shire. In the 2004 election the position was uncontested and she remained as Mayor until her retirement in 2008, making her one of the longest serving women heads of local government in the nation.

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