Vic Sullivan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Honourable
Vic Sullivan
Deputy Leader of the
Queensland National Party
In office
August 1980 – 1 December 1982
LeaderJoh Bjelke-Petersen
Preceded byRon Camm
Succeeded byBill Gunn
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Condamine
In office
28 May 1960 – 22 October 1983
Preceded byLes Diplock
Succeeded byBrian Littleproud
Personal details
Born
Victor Bruce Sullivan

(1918-12-07)7 December 1918
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Died29 January 1993(1993-01-29) (aged 74)
Caloundra, Queensland, Australia
Political partyCountry Party/National Party
Spouse(s)Gwenneth Joan Becker (m.1948)
OccupationFarmer

Victor Bruce Sullivan (7 December 1918 – 29 January 1993) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Biography[]

Sullivan was born in Launceston, Tasmania, the son of James Bruce Sullivan and his wife Julia Ellen (née Brown). He was educated at Downlands College in Toowoomba[1] and on leaving school became a grain, beef, pork, and lamb farmer. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force as an attachment to the U.S. forces and was engaged in the movement of troops and supplies in New Guinea.[2]

On 8 April 1948 Sullivan married Gwenneth Joan Becker and together had a two sons and a daughter. His daughter died in 1970 in an automobile accident. He died from a heart attack while surfing at Caloundra in January 1993.

Public career[]

At the 1960 Queensland state election, Sullivan won the seat of Condamine for the Country Party, defeating the sitting member, Les Diplock of the Queensland Labor Party. He had a long career in the Queensland Parliament and retired at the 1983 Queensland state election.[1]

In July 1982 he and fellow National Party member and ministerial colleague, Ken Tomkins, were involved in a scandal that came to be known as the Melbidir affair. They were on a tour in the government vessel the Melbidir to examine the conditions of Aboriginal communities in the Torres Strait islands[1] when they were photographed from a plane flying overhead leisurely fishing from the vessel.[2] Both men were reluctantly forced to resign from cabinet with Sullivan sitting on the back bench for the rest of his political career.[1]

Sullivan didn't mind a drink and during the motion of condolence for him in the parliament in 1993, Tom Burns, the then Deputy Premier of Queensland, reminisced about the time Sullivan fell asleep while giving a speech in the parliament.

At one stage he was mooted to take over as Premier of Queensland from Joh Bjelke-Petersen and served as the Acting Premier when both the Premier and Deputy Premier were overseas in 1982. He held several portfolios in the ministry including:[1]

  • Minister for Lands and Forests 1968–1972
  • Minister for Primary Industries 1972–1974
  • Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries 1974–1975
  • Minister for Primary Industries 1975–1980
  • Minister for Mines and Energy 1980
  • Minister for Commerce and Industry 1980–1982

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b Motion of Condolence – Hansard. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Condamine
1960–1983 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from ""