Sue Hickey

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 (now called Clark). She was previously Lord Mayor of Hobart from 2014 until 2018.[1]

The Honourable

Sue Hickey

MP
34th Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Assumed office
1 May 2018
Preceded byMark Shelton
68th Lord Mayor of Hobart
In office
5 November 2014 – 21 March 2018
DeputyRon Christie
Preceded byDamon Thomas
Succeeded byRon Christie
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison
In office
3 March 2018 – 28 September 2018
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Clark
Assumed office
28 September 2018
Personal details
Born (1958-07-25) 25 July 1958
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal

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 was also a television weather girl on TVT6 for many years.[1] 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 whilst running her own business, being an Alderman on the Hobart City Council and being President of the Rotary Club of Hobart.[6]

Lord Mayor of Hobart

She was a successful candidate for the Hobart City Council in the 2011 Tasmanian local government elections, elected as Alderman.

Hickey defeated incumbent Lord Mayor Damon Thomas at the 2014 local government elections, serving as the Right Honourable, The Lord Mayor of Hobart, Alderman Sue Hickey until her election to State Parliament.[7]

State MP

In 2018, Hickey ran successfully as a Liberal candidate for Denison (now Clark) in the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

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

References
  1. Howard, Jessica (1 November 2014). "Sue Hickey's successful rise to Lord Mayor of Hobart". The Mercury (Hobart). Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  2. Burgess, Georgie (1 May 2018). "New Speaker Sue Hickey distances herself from Liberal Party in dramatic first day of Parliament". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  3. Coulter, Ellen; Dunlevie, James (4 May 2018). "Sue Hickey: A Tasmanian Liberal, but not as you know it". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. "Photograph - Sue Hickey, Miss Tasmania 1979". Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office. June 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  5. "About Us". Slick Promotions. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  6. Hickey, Sue (25 August 2014). "Sue Hickey stands for Lord Mayor of Hobart". Tasmanian Times. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  7. "Local council polls: Sue Hickey elected Hobart Lord Mayor over Damon Thomas". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. Coulter, Ellen; Whitson, Rhiana (22 May 2018). "Speaker Sue Hickey departs from Liberal script to call for Glenorchy Council's rescue". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
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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