Red Space Rocket

I just read in the newspaper that Don Chipp, founder of the Australian Democrats, has died. Although he was only eighty-one I can’t rememeber a time when he didn’t look really old.

Don Chipp was a minister in Liberal governments but left the party and went on to found the Australian Democrats. This was designed to be a third party that would “keep the bastards honest”. It’s easy to forget now but the Dedmocrats held the balanace of power (which means the government needed them to get legislation through) several times and and are an important part of recent Australian political history.

Many people think the Democrats slide into obscurity when Don Chipp stopped being their leader.