Carol Kidu
AO | |
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Member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea | |
In office 1997–2012 | |
Preceded by | Albert Karo |
Succeeded by | Justin Tkatchenko |
Constituency | Moresby South Open |
Personal details | |
Born | Carol Anne Millwater 10 October 1948 Shorncliffe, Queensland, Australia |
Political party | Melanesian Alliance Party |
Spouse | Buri Kidu |
Profession | School teacher |
Dame Carol Anne Kidu
Kidu was the only female Member of Parliament in the 2002–2007 and 2007–2012 National Parliaments, and served as Minister for Community Development under Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare from 2002 until 2 August 2011, and as Leader of the Opposition from 15 February 2012 until her retirement from politics in July 2012.[3] She was the leader of the Melanesian Alliance Party until her retirement.[4]
Born in
Political career
Lady Kidu entered politics in 1997, standing as an independent candidate in the
In August 2011, the government of Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal (standing in for Somare while the latter was hospitalised for a serious heart condition) was brought down by a parliamentary motion, and Kidu lost office.[7][8]
In January 2012, Kidu, a long-serving minister in the Somare government, distanced herself from those involved in attempts to overthrow Prime Minister Peter O'Neill’s government but stated that Somare's removal from power in August 2011 was illegal.[9] At the same time, she announced her intention to sit as the opposition leader in parliament, in order to hold the Peter O'Neill-led government to account.[10]
Kidu proposed forming a one-woman opposition and, in the absence of other contenders, to be recognised as Leader of the Opposition. Somare's party refused to take up opposition seats so as not to concede the legitimacy of the Peter O'Neill government.[11]
On 15 February, Speaker
Kidu has been outspoken in her criticism of the controversial Judicial Conduct Law, rushed through by the O'Neill Government and Speaker Jeffrey Nape, which empowers the government to suspend judges. Questioning the judgment of the Speaker, Dame Carol called for a legislative reform that would require that the speaker be non-partisan and cannot be a serving MP. The Speaker accused her of contempt [clarification needed] and targeted her for investigation.[13][14]
Kidu chose not to re-contest her seat of Moresby-South in the 2012 general election and retired from politics at the end of her third term in July 2012.[15] She is also a member of the High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)[16] and sits on the board of the Pacific Institute of Public Policy and the Nationwide Microbank.[17]
Awards and commendations
Carol, Lady Kidu was made a Dame Commander of the
In 2007, the magazine Islands Business named her "Pacific Person of the Year", in recognition of her efforts towards poverty alleviation, against domestic violence and child abuse, against HIV and AIDS and in favour of women's empowerment.[5]
Dame Carol Kidu received the PNG International Woman of Courage Award from the Secretary of State of the United States of America in 2007. She has received honorary doctorates from
References
- ^ a b "Lady Carol Kidu in conversation". ABC Queensland. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 February 2005. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
- ^ "Pan's Script - Birthdays". Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- ^ "PNG senators 'thrilled' by Kompaon Paralympics silver". Radio Australia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 September 2008.
- ^ a b Forbes, Mark (15 July 2002). "How a Brisbane girl became PNG's first white female MP". The Age.
- ^ a b c Pareti, Samisoni. "A FIGHTER WITH A DIFFERENCE: Dame Carol Kidu: Our 2007 Person of the Year". Islands Business. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007.
- ^ "Dame Carol Kidu rules out PNG deputy prime ministership". Radio New Zealand International. 3 June 2005.
- ^ "O'Neill is PM", The National, 3 August 2011
- ^ Cabinet of Papua New Guinea Archived August 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, CIA Factbook, 18 August 2011; accessed 10 August 2014.
- ^ Jo Chandler. "Dame steps up as one-woman PNG opposition". Space on the Mat. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014.
- ^ Radio New Zealand International (30 January 2012). "PNG: Dame Carol Kidu wants to lead opposition". Radio New Zealand International.
- ^ Jo Chandler (29 January 2012). "Dame steps up as one-woman PNG opposition". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Qld-born woman new PNG opposition leader", AAP, 15 February 2012; accessed 10 August 2014.
- ^ Jo Chandler (13 April 2012). "PNG Speaker accuses leading MP of contempt". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Radio New Zealand International (17 April 2012). "PNG government amendment to Judicial Conduct Act". Radio New Zealand International.
- ^ Chandler, Jo (16 May 2012). "PNG farewells a great dame". smh.com.au. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
- ^ High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development, ICPDtaskforce.org. Accessed 19 December 2022.
- ^ Nationwide Microbank, microbank.com. Accessed 19 December 2022.
- ^ London Gazette, 31 December 2004, p. N33
- ^ "Décoration de Dame Carol Kidu" (in French). French embassy to Papua New Guinea. 12 February 2009. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
- ^ "Dame Carol Kidu's speech upon receiving the Légion d'honneur" (PDF). French embassy to Papua New Guinea. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2009.
- ^ "Australia Day 2023 Honours: Full list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.