Charles Rappolt
Encyclopedia
Charles Robert "Charlie" Rappolt (23 August 1939 – 2 August 1999) was an Australia
n politician. A member of Pauline Hanson
's One Nation Party
, Rappolt spent five turbulent months in the Parliament of Queensland
in 1998.
A native of Cairns
, Rappolt held a variety of jobs before he entered politics. He served in the Citizens' Military Force
from 1957 until 1961. In 1961 he began working as an agent for his brother, described by One Nation leader Bill Feldman
as a musician "of some renown". From 1974 to 1978 he ran his own building company, and was a licensed environmental auditor in Queensland and Victoria. During his time as an environmental auditor, Rappolt became interested in mining, and he soon became a mine manager, prospector and financier. He was also a commercial pilot, flying aeroplanes and helicopters for a time. Another interest of Rappolt's was football (soccer)
, and he volunteered as a coach and referee at junior level.
On 13 June 1998, Rappolt was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
, running on the One Nation ticket for the Electoral district of Mulgrave
. His parliamentary career lasted a little over four months, and he suffered constant media attacks after the revelation that his partner, Sandra Higgins, had taken out a domestic violence
order against him. On 4 November, Rappolt resigned, citing the combined pressures of political life, ill health, and the Queensland press. The resulting by-election was won by ALP
candidate Warren Pitt
, who had earlier held the then-marginal seat from 1989 until 1995.
Less than a week after his resignation, Rappolt attempted suicide
and was hospitalised with severe depression
. After his recovery he sought A$
295 000 in damages from the Queensland government, arguing that his stint in Parliament had left him a psychotic
manic depressive
. He moved to New Zealand
in 1999, in an attempt to flee the pressure of public life in Queensland. He was found dead in his home in Auckland
, on 2 August 1999, apparently after having hanged
himself. At a condolence motion in the Queensland Assembly, One Nation leader Bill Feldman
launched a blistering attack on the Courier Mail
, claiming that the newspaper was responsible for Rappolt's suicide attempts.
Rappolt is survived by his partner Higgins, and three children.
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 politician. A member of Pauline Hanson
Pauline Hanson
Pauline Lee Hanson is an Australian politician and former leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, a political party with a populist and anti-multiculturalism platform...
's One Nation Party
One Nation Party
One Nation is a far-right and nationalist political party in Australia. It gained 22% of the vote translating to 11 of 89 seats in Queensland's unicameral legislative assembly at the 1998 state election and made major inroads into the vote of the existing parties...
, Rappolt spent five turbulent months in the Parliament of Queensland
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
in 1998.
A native of Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
, Rappolt held a variety of jobs before he entered politics. He served in the Citizens' Military Force
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
from 1957 until 1961. In 1961 he began working as an agent for his brother, described by One Nation leader Bill Feldman
Bill Feldman
William Patrick "Bill" Feldman is a former Australian politician. He was a police officer before entering politics, having attained the rank of sergeant in 1994. On 7 May 1978 he had married Gail, with whom he has two children, Dannielle and Luke...
as a musician "of some renown". From 1974 to 1978 he ran his own building company, and was a licensed environmental auditor in Queensland and Victoria. During his time as an environmental auditor, Rappolt became interested in mining, and he soon became a mine manager, prospector and financier. He was also a commercial pilot, flying aeroplanes and helicopters for a time. Another interest of Rappolt's was football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, and he volunteered as a coach and referee at junior level.
On 13 June 1998, Rappolt was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
, running on the One Nation ticket for the Electoral district of Mulgrave
Electoral district of Mulgrave (Queensland)
The district of Mulgrave is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district in its present form is a narrow coastal strip running from the southern suburbs of Cairns at its northern end to Innisfail at its southern end. Mulgrave also includes the...
. His parliamentary career lasted a little over four months, and he suffered constant media attacks after the revelation that his partner, Sandra Higgins, had taken out a domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
order against him. On 4 November, Rappolt resigned, citing the combined pressures of political life, ill health, and the Queensland press. The resulting by-election was won by ALP
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate Warren Pitt
Warren Pitt
Frederick Warren Pitt is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1995 and 1998 to 2009.Born in Cairns, Pitt was a school teacher before entering politics...
, who had earlier held the then-marginal seat from 1989 until 1995.
Less than a week after his resignation, Rappolt attempted suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
and was hospitalised with severe depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. After his recovery he sought A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
295 000 in damages from the Queensland government, arguing that his stint in Parliament had left him a psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
manic depressive
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. He moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1999, in an attempt to flee the pressure of public life in Queensland. He was found dead in his home in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, on 2 August 1999, apparently after having hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
himself. At a condolence motion in the Queensland Assembly, One Nation leader Bill Feldman
Bill Feldman
William Patrick "Bill" Feldman is a former Australian politician. He was a police officer before entering politics, having attained the rank of sergeant in 1994. On 7 May 1978 he had married Gail, with whom he has two children, Dannielle and Luke...
launched a blistering attack on the Courier Mail
The Courier-Mail
The Courier-Mail is a daily newspaper published in Brisbane, Australia. Owned by News Limited, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner northern suburbs, and it is printed at Murarrie, in Brisbane's...
, claiming that the newspaper was responsible for Rappolt's suicide attempts.
Rappolt is survived by his partner Higgins, and three children.