Liz Cunningham

Elizabeth Anne "Liz" Cunningham is an Australian politician. She has been an independent member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 1995, representing the electorate of Gladstone. A conservative MLA in a traditionally Labor district, Cunningham is perhaps most well known for having brought the Borbidge Coalition minority government to power in 1996, following the then Goss Labor government's loss in the Mundingburra by-election.

Cunningham was involved in local politics prior to entering state politics, serving on the Calliope Shire Council from 1988 to 1995 and serving as its mayor from 1991 to 1995. A social conservative and devout Christian running in a traditionally Labor seat, she ran a strong campaign on "back to basics" issues, in particular concern about the downgrading of Gladstone Hospital, and was only narrowly defeated by Australian Labor Party candidate Neil Bennett in 1992. Three years later, she defeated Bennett on her second attempt to become the first non-Labor MLA for Gladstone in more than sixty years.

Cunningham's victory was especially significant in the light of the extremely close result of the 1995 state election. It initially appeared as if the result would be a hung parliament with Cunningham holding the balance of power, although later counting delivered a one-seat majority to the Goss Labor government. The situation nevertheless gave her significant influence, as she forced the retention of incumbent Speaker Jim Fouras for the new parliament over the party's desired replacement. Her inaugural speech on September 1995 reaffirmed her combined focus on community issues and social policy, criticising the Goss government's transport and health policies, and advocating for the reintroduction of corporal punishment, a return to institutionalisation of the mentally ill, and a return to Christian values.

Cunningham's influence in the Assembly changed dramatically in December 1995 when the Court of Disputed Returns ordered a by-election in the seat of Mundingburra, which the Labor government had held by 16 votes in the general election. After a disastrous by-election campaign which included the disendorsement of incumbent MLA Ken Davies, Liberal candidate Frank Tanti won, costing the government its majority, and handing Cunningham the balance of power. Cunningham announced that she would support the opposition on matters of confidence in the Legislative Assembly, citing their having won the popular vote in the general election. Upon the recalling of parliament after the by-election, Cunningham and the opposition passed a no-confidence motion in Premier Goss and installed Opposition Leader Rob Borbidge as Premier. She declined an offer from the new government to become Speaker, insisting that it would compromise her ability to represent her electorate.

Throughout her first term, Cunningham generally supported the Coalition government however statistically, the opposition was more successful than an opposition usually is in relation to amendments to legislation and other motions. With her support, Borbidge was able to fend off numerous no-confidence motions and pass most of his major legislative proposals. When the ALP moved against the government over the Carruthers and Connolly-Ryan inquiries, Cunningham helped block a no-confidence motion in the government and, although she passed a motion against Attorney-General Denver Beanland, insisted that she did not demand his resignation. This resulted in criticism from some quarters that she was effectively another National Party MP.

She nevertheless insisted that the government consult with her on most legislation, including budgets and, she was also able to exercise significant power. This was made clear in 1996, when she watered down the government's workplace compensation reforms, despite strong government resistance, so as to retain access to the common law for injured workers, workers compensation for travel to and from work among other things. As a generally conservative MP, Cunningham became known for her opposition to abortion and her support of capital punishment. In 1996, she was the only member of the parliament to oppose new gun control reforms in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre, which otherwise received bipartisan support. The following year, Cunningham was responsible for an amendment which successfully defined the term "life" in the state's criminal code (assault provisions) as "beginning at conception".

Cunningham increased her primary vote at the 1998 state election, but her political influence severely declined when Peter Beattie formed an ALP government with the support of newly-elected independent Peter Wellington. Taking a similar line to the state National Party, Cunningham had noted in the lead-up to the election that she would be willing to work with any members of the far-right One Nation party if they were elected. She again held her seat at the 2001 election.

In April 2002, Cunningham was stopped by police while driving and asked to undergo a breath test. She refused on the grounds of suffering asthma, and was subsequently charged. After receiving little sympathy from Premier Beattie, she was fined and had her driving license suspended. Her third term was also marked by an attempt to ban flag-burning, which failed after the government blocked her Private Member's Bill on the grounds that it violated free speech, and an attempt to call a Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse in foster care, which also failed due to opposition from the government. She received her highest primary vote yet at the 2004 election and easily held the seat without going to preferences.

Cunningham was nominated for Speaker after the election, with the support of the opposition National-Liberal coalition, the One Nation Party, and the state's six independents, but was soundly defeated by government nominee Ray Hollis. She raised allegations of bullying against the management of the Gladstone Hospital in 2005, going to Rockhampton to testify before the Forster Review of the state's health system.

Cunningham was a strong favourite to retain her seat at the 2006 state election, which she held coming into the election by a margin of 11.2%. However, after a strong local Labor campaign focusing on Cunningham's perceived support for controversial federal industrial relations laws, she came close to defeat, with her eventual victory over Labor candidate Chris Trevor being one of the last results declared of the election. More recently, she voted against the cloning of embryos for stem cell research.

ee also

* Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 2004-2006
* Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 2001-2004
* Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1998-2001
* Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, 1995-1998

External links

* [http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/documents/memberBio/CunninghamElizabeth.htm Official biography]