SA: Youngest female elected to SA parliament

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2010
SA: Youngest female elected to SA parliament

(EDS: Updates youngest elected MP information)



By Angela Harper

ADELAIDE, April 8 AAP - The death of a South Australian disability candidate has led
to the election of the nation's youngest female parliamentarian.

Dignity for Disability's (D4D) Kelly Vincent, who is aged 21 years and 186 days, has
cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound, won the last seat in SA's March 20 election in
the upper house.

Not only is she the youngest female, but she is also believed to be only the second
wheelchair-bound person elected, after former federal MP Graham Edwards who lost his legs
to a landmine in the Vietnam war.

Ms Vincent was second on D4D's list but won the seat after top candidate 46-year-old
Paul Collier died during the campaign after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Dr Collier became a public advocate for the disabled after being made a quadriplegic
in a road accident on the way to his 21st birthday party.

When her victory was confirmed at the SA Electoral Commission on Thursday, Ms Vincent
could not hold back the tears and paid homage to Dr Collier.

"My biggest thank you is to D4D's late president Dr Paul Collier," she said through
tears to journalists after the win.

"His vision, intelligence and hard work have paved the way for the journey the disability
sector is now undertaking.

"It is essentially because of Paul, and his encouragement, that I am here today."

She said the election of a person with a disability and the changes made to accommodate
them, were steps towards a more inclusive state.

There were some worries about parliamentary access for her wheelchair but Ms Vincent
said it was not as unwelcoming as people thought and adjustments were already being made
for her.

Adelaide University's head of politics, Clem Macintyre, told AAP the win was a sign
the voters wanted better support for those with disabilities.

"The parliament is going to have to make some changes to accommodate her," Dr Macintyre said.

"Seeing her going in and out of the building and the chamber on TV is going to bring
to the fore the problems that people in equivalent positions frequently encounter."

Although she got less than two per cent of the vote, other parties preferenced the D4D Party.

The Labor Party's Paul Holloway said the changes to Legislative Council voting made
in the 1970s, making it proportional representation, gave minority groups a voice.

The Liberal's David Ridgeway gave special recognition to Ms Vincent describing her
election as a "landmark".

Greens candidate Tammy Jennings, who joins fellow Green Mark Parnell in the upper house,
said the election of three new women to the chamber was good news.

She said the Greens had increased its vote in every election since 1997 and was the
only party to do so.

Family First Party's Robert Brokenshire said the election of Ms Vincent was a message
to the government to prioritise money spent on disability services.

The federal parliamentary library says the youngest person elected to any Australian
parliament was Matthew Smith (Liberal, Franklin) who was elected to the Tasmanian House
of Assembly on 29 August 1998 aged 20 years and five months.

AAP ahe/dep/cdh

KEYWORD: POLLSA WRAP (PIX AVAILABLE)

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