Carol Kidu
Encyclopedia
Dame Carol Kidu, Lady Kidu, DBE (born 10 October 1948) is an Australia
n-born Papua New Guinea
n politician. She is the only current female member of Parliament
, and served as Minister for Community Development under Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare
from 2002 to 2011. She is the leader of the Melanesian Alliance Party
.
Born as Carol Anne Millwater in Shorncliffe, Queensland
, Australia
, she relocated to Port Moresby
, Papua New Guinea
after marrying Buri Kidu
, who later became Sir Buri Kidu after being knighted in 1980 on his appointment as the first indigenous Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea. She became a teacher and wrote school textbooks. She was widowed in 1994 after her husband died of a heart attack.
Dame Carol entered politics in 1997, standing as a candidate in the parliamentary elections
, and was elected Member of Parliament for the Port Moresby South
constituency. She was re-elected in 2002
and 2007
.
She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in January 2005. That year, she was reportedly considered for the position of Deputy Prime Minister, but stated that she would not be interested in it. In 2007, the magazine Islands Business named her "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.
In February 2009, she was made a knight of the Légion d'honneur
by France
, for "her dedication to helping women, young girls, children, the physically and mentally impaired and her commitment to fighting discrimination". She was the first citizen of Papua New Guinea ever to receive this award. She accepted the award on behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea.
Dame Carol has also received honorary doctorates from Vudal University (Madang, PNG), University of Queensland (Australia) and the University of Papua New Guinea in recognition of her services to the people of Papua New Guinea.
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 of no confidence
, and Dame Carol lost office.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
n politician. She is the only current female member of Parliament
National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
The National Parliament of Papua New Guinea is the unicameral national legislature in Papua New Guinea. It was first created in 1964 as the House of Assembly of Papua and New Guinea, but gained its current name with the granting of independence in 1975....
, and served as Minister for Community Development under Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare
Michael Somare
Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...
from 2002 to 2011. She is the leader of the Melanesian Alliance Party
Melanesian Alliance Party
The Melanesian Alliance Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. The party was co-founded by John Momis and John Kaputin in the late 1970s. At the last legislative elections, 15-29 June 2002, the party is said to have won 3 of 109 seats. The party won only 1 seat of the 109 seats in the...
.
Born as Carol Anne Millwater in Shorncliffe, Queensland
Shorncliffe, Queensland
Shorncliffe is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It is situated northeast of Brisbane and is the neighbouring suburb of Sandgate. The suburb comes under the jurisdiction of the Brisbane City Council.It is a small community with a village atmosphere...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, she relocated to Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
after marrying Buri Kidu
Buri Kidu
Sir Buri Kidu Kt was the first national Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea.-Biography:Buri Kidu was educated at Toowoomba Grammar School, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, where he was School Captain and at the University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland . His entire professional life was spent...
, who later became Sir Buri Kidu after being knighted in 1980 on his appointment as the first indigenous Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea. She became a teacher and wrote school textbooks. She was widowed in 1994 after her husband died of a heart attack.
Dame Carol entered politics in 1997, standing as a candidate in the parliamentary elections
Papua New Guinean general election, 1997
General elections were held in Papua New Guinea between 14 and 28 June 1997. The result was a victory for the People's Progress Party, which won 16 of the 109 seats, despite receiving fewer votes than the National Alliance Party. Voter turnout was 66.0%....
, and was elected Member of Parliament for the Port Moresby South
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
constituency. She was re-elected in 2002
Papua New Guinean general election, 2002
General elections were held between 15-29 June, 2002 in Papua New Guinea. Sir Michael Somare's National Alliance Party won the most seats, and he went on to become Prime Minister.-Results:...
and 2007
Papua New Guinean general election, 2007
General elections were held in Papua New Guinea from 30 June 2007 to 14 July 2007.For the first time, the election did not use first past the post , but rather Limited Preferential Voting, in which voters number...
.
She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in January 2005. That year, she was reportedly considered for the position of Deputy Prime Minister, but stated that she would not be interested in it. In 2007, the magazine Islands Business named her "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.
In February 2009, she was made a knight of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, for "her dedication to helping women, young girls, children, the physically and mentally impaired and her commitment to fighting discrimination". She was the first citizen of Papua New Guinea ever to receive this award. She accepted the award on behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea.
Dame Carol has also received honorary doctorates from Vudal University (Madang, PNG), University of Queensland (Australia) and the University of Papua New Guinea in recognition of her services to the people of Papua New Guinea.
In August 2011, the government of Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal
Sam Abal
Samuel Tei "Sam" Abal is a Papua New Guinean politician. Abal, who previously served as Foreign Minister from August 2007 to December 2010, became the Deputy Prime Minister of the country in a cabinet reshuffle by Michael Somare on 7 December 2010...
(standing in for Somare while the latter was hospitalised for a serious heart condition) was brought down by a parliamentary motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
, and Dame Carol lost office.