Roger Shipton

{{Short description|Australian politician (1936–1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Roger Shipton | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|OAM}} | image = | constituency_MP = [[Division of Higgins|Higgins]] | parliament = Australian | majority = | predecessor = [[John Gorton]] | successor = [[Peter Costello]] | term_start = 13 December 1975 | term_end = 19 February 1990 | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1936|8|5}} | birth_place = [[Melbourne]], Victoria, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1998|1|18|1936|8|5}} | death_place = [[Melbourne]], Victoria, Australia | spouse = | party = [[Liberal Party of Australia]] | relations = | children = | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Roger Francis Shipton''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (5 August 1936 – 18 January 1998) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] and served in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] from 1975 to 1990, representing the Melbourne seat of [[Division of Higgins|Higgins]].

==Early life== Shipton was born in Melbourne on 5 August 1936. He graduated [[Bachelor of Laws]] from the [[University of Melbourne]] and was president of the Victorian Law Students' Society. Prior to entering parliament he was chief legal officer of chemical manufacturer [[ICI Australia]].<ref name=aph>{{cite news|url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22handbook/allmps/CJ4%22;querytype=;rec=0|title=Biography for SHIPTON, Roger Francis|publisher=Parliament of Australia|accessdate=2 November 2021}}</ref>

==Politics== Shipton was a delegate to the Victorian state council of the Liberal Party from 1962 and served on the state executive from 1973 to 1976.<ref name=aph/>

In 1975 he succeeded former Prime Minister Sir [[John Gorton]] as the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] member of the [[Australian House of Representatives]] for the [[Division of Higgins]]. Unlike his predecessors in that electorate, Gorton and [[Harold Holt]], who had both served as [[Prime Minister]], he was never promoted to cabinet, though he did serve in the opposition shadow ministry from 1983 to 1985.<ref>{{cite web |title = Shipton, Roger Francis, OAM |work = ParlinfoWeb |publisher = [[Parliament of Australia]] |url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=7972&table=BIOGS |accessdate = 2007-06-06 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070915120609/http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?TABLE=biogs&ID=7972 |archivedate = 15 September 2007 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

In the lead up to the 1990 Federal Election it was suggested that he would stand aside to allow [[John Elliott (businessman)|John Elliott]] to take his seat,<ref>{{YouTube|OtcH-aslMtA}}</ref> and the leadership of the Federal Liberal Party, but he declined to make way for Elliott and remained the member for Higgins.

Despite his stand he was successfully challenged for pre-selection by future Treasurer [[Peter Costello]]<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/05/1078464637453.html?from=storyrhs | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=A man of means who means to succeed | date=6 March 2004 | access-date=5 June 2007 | archive-date=14 March 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314093234/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/05/1078464637453.html?from=storyrhs | url-status=live }}</ref> with support from [[Michael Kroger]]. He retired from parliament after being defeated. He died in 1998 due to complications following heart surgery.

==Personal life== Shipton's son James became chairman of the [[Australian Securities & Investments Commission]] (ASIC).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/politics/asic-chairman-james-shipton-is-a-child-of-the-melbourne-establishment-20171017-gz28nl|title=ASIC chairman James Shipton is a child of the Melbourne establishment|newspaper=Australian Financial Review|date=17 October 2017|accessdate=2 November 2021|archive-date=2 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102132747/https://www.afr.com/politics/asic-chairman-james-shipton-is-a-child-of-the-melbourne-establishment-20171017-gz28nl|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also the godfather of [[Van Halen]] lead singer [[David Lee Roth]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.vhnd.com/2013/02/27/scars-and-stars-new-david-lee-roth-interview/|title = Scars and Stars: New David Lee Roth Interviews|date = 27 February 2013|access-date = 26 November 2018|archive-date = 26 November 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181126134814/http://www.vhnd.com/2013/02/27/scars-and-stars-new-david-lee-roth-interview/|url-status = live}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|au}} {{succession box | title=Member for [[Division of Higgins|Higgins]] | before=[[John Gorton]] | after=[[Peter Costello]] | years=1975–1990}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shipton, Roger}} [[Category:1936 births]] [[Category:1998 deaths]] [[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia]] [[Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives]] [[Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Higgins]] [[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]] [[Category:Melbourne Law School alumni]] [[Category:20th-century Australian lawyers]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1975–1977]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1977–1980]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1980–1983]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1983–1984]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1984–1987]] [[Category:Australian MPs 1987–1990]]