Sue Hickey

The Honourable
Sue Hickey
MP
40th Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Assumed office
1 May 2018
Preceded by Mark Shelton
68th Lord Mayor of Hobart
In office
5 November 2014 – 21 March 2018
Deputy Ron Christie
Preceded by Damon Thomas
Succeeded by Ron Christie
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison
Assumed office
3 March 2018
Personal details
Born (1958-07-25) 25 July 1958
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Liberal

Susanne Lynnette Hickey (born 25 July 1958) is an Australian politician. She has been a Liberal Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since the 2018 election, representing the electorate of Denison. She was previously Lord Mayor of Hobart from 2014 until 2018.[1]

Hickey has been Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since May 2018. She unexpectedly won the Speaker position with the support of the opposition Labor and Greens parties over Liberal nominee Rene Hidding, and has stated that she will not attend Liberal Party meetings and will "mostly" vote with the Government, but will assess bills "on their merit".[2][3]

Early career

Hickey first entered public life when she won the Miss Tasmania quest in 1979.[4] She later worked in a number of retail and service positions, before starting a career in marketing. In 1991 she established her own marketing business, Slick Promotions.[5] Hickey won the Tasmanian Businesswoman of the Year award in 2007.[1] Hickey obtained an MBA from the University of Tasmania in 2012.[6]

Lord Mayor of Hobart

She intended to stand as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the 2010 state election, but was unable to do so due to a conflict of interest with her business. She was a successful candidate for the Hobart City Council in the 2011 Tasmanian local government elections.[7]

Hickey defeated incumbent Lord Mayor Damon Thomas at the 2014 local government elections, serving in that role until her election to state parliament.[7]

State MP

In 2018 she ran successfully as a Liberal candidate for Denison in the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

In the first sitting of the House of Assembly on 1 May 2018, Labor leader Rebecca White nominated Hickey as Speaker, in competition with the Liberal Party's preferred candidate, Rene Hidding. Hickey was elected as Speaker with the support of Labor and the Greens.[8] Hickey distanced herself from the Liberal Party, revealing she would vote independently on government bills though she has said she will "always support the Liberal Government" on confidence and supply.[8][9] In some instances, Hickey could potentially deprive the Liberal Party of its 13-12 majority in the Assembly.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Sue Hickey's successful rise to Lord Mayor of Hobart". The Mercury (Hobart). 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Ex-minister was ready to take Speaker role, then his colleague swooped in". ABC News. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "Sue Hickey: A Tasmanian Liberal, but not as you know it". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Photograph - Sue Hickey, Miss Tasmania 1979". Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office. June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Slick Promotions - About Us". Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sue Hickey stands for Lord Mayor of Hobart". Tasmanian Times. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Local council polls: Sue Hickey elected Hobart Lord Mayor over Damon Thomas". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 "New Speaker Sue Hickey distances herself from Liberal Party in dramatic first day of Parliament". ABC News. 1 May 2018.
  9. ↑ "Speaker Sue Hickey departs from Liberal script to call for Glenorchy Council's rescue". ABC News. 22 May 2018.
Civic offices
Preceded by
Damon Thomas		 Lord Mayor of Hobart
2014–2018		 Succeeded by
Ron Christie
Parliament of Tasmania
Preceded by
Mark Shelton		 Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
2018–present		 Incumbent
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