Craig Ingram
Encyclopedia
Craig Ingram is a former Australian politician, and was the Independent
Member of Parliament
for Gippsland East
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1999 to 2010.
from 1970 to 1981, and undertook a Certificate of Technical Fisheries at the Australian Maritime College
in 1987. Prior to being elected to parliament, Ingram worked as a farmer
from 1987 to 1989, and as an abalone
diver
from 1989 to 1999. Ingram is married with four children. His office as local member is situated in Bairnsdale
.
candidates. Ingram then held the balance of power with two other independents, Russell Savage
and Susan Davies
. The three independents would not support a minority government led by the incumbent Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett
and decided instead to support a minority Labor government under Steve Bracks
. This led to Kennett's decision to quit not only the premiership but politics altogether.
At the 2002 election, Ingram was easily re-elected, polling 41% of the primary vote and 62% of the two candidate preferred vote. At the 2006 election
, Ingram won with a slightly reduced primary vote of 38%, and 53% of the two candidate preferred vote.
Ingram came under heavy criticism in mid-2007 when he failed to return from holidays to his electorate which had suffered devastating floods.
Ingram was defeated in the 2010 Election
as John Brumby's
Labor
government was removed from office, and the Coalition
regained power across Victoria. Gippsland East was returned to National Party
hands, when their new candidate, Tim Bull
, gained a very large swing. Ingram received only 25.31% of the primary vote, and 37.94% of the two-party preferred vote.
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Gippsland East
Electoral district of Gippsland East
The Electoral district of Gippsland East is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers most of eastern Victoria and includes the towns of Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Orbost, Omeo, Maffra and Heyfield....
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1999 to 2010.
Personal life
Ingram was educated at Mallacoota P-12 CollegeMallacoota, Victoria
-External links:***...
from 1970 to 1981, and undertook a Certificate of Technical Fisheries at the Australian Maritime College
Australian Maritime College
The Australian Maritime College is a tertiary education institution based in Launceston, Tasmania and is an institute of the University of Tasmania. AMC is Australia's national centre for maritime education, training and research...
in 1987. Prior to being elected to parliament, Ingram worked as a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
from 1987 to 1989, and as an abalone
Abalone
Abalone , from aulón, are small to very large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae and the genus Haliotis...
diver
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
from 1989 to 1999. Ingram is married with four children. His office as local member is situated in Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
.
Political career
At the 1999 election, he unexpectedly won the seat after receiving preferences from the independent, One Nation and LaborAustralian 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...
candidates. Ingram then held the balance of power with two other independents, Russell Savage
Russell Savage
Russell Irwin Savage , Australian politician, was the independent member for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Mildura from 1996 until 2006...
and Susan Davies
Susan Davies
Susan Margaret Davies is a former Australian politician.She was born in Mirboo North, Victoria, to parents Richard Llewellyn and Jean Margaret Davies . She attended Leongatha High School and Watsonia High School in 1971, when she completed her Higher School Certificate...
. The three independents would not support a minority government led by the incumbent Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
and decided instead to support a minority Labor government under Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
. This led to Kennett's decision to quit not only the premiership but politics altogether.
At the 2002 election, Ingram was easily re-elected, polling 41% of the primary vote and 62% of the two candidate preferred vote. At the 2006 election
Victorian state election, 2006
An election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria took place on Saturday, 25 November 2006. Just over 3 million Victorians registered to vote elected 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system...
, Ingram won with a slightly reduced primary vote of 38%, and 53% of the two candidate preferred vote.
Ingram came under heavy criticism in mid-2007 when he failed to return from holidays to his electorate which had suffered devastating floods.
Ingram was defeated in the 2010 Election
Victorian state election, 2010
The 2010 Victorian state election was held on 27 November. The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party government, led by John Brumby, was defeated by the centre-right Liberal/National Coalition opposition, led by Ted Baillieu....
as John Brumby's
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
Labor
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...
government was removed from office, and the Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
regained power across Victoria. Gippsland East was returned to National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
hands, when their new candidate, Tim Bull
Tim Bull
Tim Bull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Gippsland East for the National Party of Australia since the 2010 Victorian election.-Biography:...
, gained a very large swing. Ingram received only 25.31% of the primary vote, and 37.94% of the two-party preferred vote.