646:, which meant that it required Democrat support to pass. In an election fought on tax, the Democrats publicly stated that they liked neither the Liberal (GST) tax package or the Labor package, but pledged to work with whichever party was elected to make their tax package better. They campaigned with the slogan "No GST on food". A majority of the senators in the party room agreed to pass the bill if some amendments were made, mostly to exclude fresh food and essential items such as basic medicines. Stott Despoja stated that she was unhappy with the outcome, particularly the GST on books. Both Stott Despoja and Queensland Senator
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unchallenged. Subsequently, the
Democrats faced a decline in the polls which, by April 2001, were indicating that several senators would lose their seats at the elections due for later that year. The members agitated again for a leadership ballot and, this time, Stott Despoja announced her intention to challenge Lees for the leadership, and was successful, replacing her on 6 April 2001.
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However, a significant number of
Democrat members remained unhappy with the GST deal, and began to agitate for a change in leadership. Under the Democrat constitution, a petition of 100 members can trigger a leadership ballot of all the members. On the initial ballot, Meg Lees was returned
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During her time as leader, the
Democrats strengthened the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act, improved the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, negotiated the GST tax reform and maintained the general oversight role of the Democrats in the Senate through a number of Senate inquiries.
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484:, but the pressures of political activity led to the breakdown of their marriage. On Christmas Eve 2000, shortly before she was deposed as the Democrats' leader in the Senate, Lees married Adelaide lawyer Matthew Mitchell.
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in
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from 2003 until her electoral defeat in 2005. As party leader, she controversially facilitated passage of the Howard government's
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In mid-2002, Lees began vocally opposing Stott
Despoja's leadership, claiming that it had moved the party too far to
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from 1990 to 2002, and was her party's leader from 1997 to 2001. After being deposed by
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and married Keith Lees, a fellow teacher, in about 1971. In 1974 they moved to
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The
Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in Twentieth-Century Australia
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Australian
Progressive Alliance members of the Parliament of Australia
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ultimately crossed the floor to vote against the GST package.
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from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
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Australian
Democrats members of the Parliament of Australia
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view than the
Democrats. However, she was defeated at the
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Wright, Tim. (ed), 2007, 30 Years
Australian Democrats
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Members of the Australian Senate for South Australia
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Natasha: I'm through making sacrifices for politics
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529:about living persons that is unsourced or
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897:20th-century Australian women politicians
887:21st-century Australian women politicians
638:. It was opposed by the Labor Party, the
600:Learn how and when to remove this message
165:2 October 1991 â 15 October 1997
724:7 April 2002. Accessed 30 December 2016
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110:15 October 1997 â 6 April 2001
862:Women members of the Australian Senate
681:and her term expired on 30 June 2005.
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225:4 April 1990 â 30 June 2005
57:3 April 2003 â 30 June 2005
892:20th-century Australian politicians
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877:Officers of the Order of Australia
699:"Meg Lees: The Unauthorised Story"
98:Leader of the Australian Democrats
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271:Mount Riverview, New South Wales
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642:and independent Senator
630:In 1999, Prime Minister
363:Sydney Teachers' College
43:Leader of the Australian
634:proposed the idea of a
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617:Australian Labor Party
521:Please help by adding
454:Goods and Services Tax
440:. She represented the
371:University of Adelaide
790:Natasha Stott Despoja
703:Sydney Morning Herald
679:October 2004 election
623:becoming her deputy.
621:Natasha Stott Despoja
474:Ingleburn High School
464:Lees was born in the
446:Natasha Stott Despoja
386:Ingleburn High School
202:Natasha Stott Despoja
143:Natasha Stott Despoja
119:Natasha Stott Despoja
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780:Australian Democrats
527:Contentious material
442:Australian Democrats
367:University of Sydney
327: 1971;
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153:Australian Democrats
151:Deputy Leader of the
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255:Meg Heather Francis
505:This section of a
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174:John Coulter
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832:1948 births
632:John Howard
460:Family life
301:Independent
273:, Australia
231:Preceded by
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126:Preceded by
73:Preceded by
826:Categories
685:References
560:newspapers
549:"Meg Lees"
468:, west of
409:Politician
401:Profession
377:Occupation
358:Alma mater
313:Keith Lees
261:1948-10-19
590:July 2010
512:citations
347:Education
221:In office
161:In office
106:In office
53:In office
675:centrist
659:the left
538:libelous
482:Adelaide
405:Academic
339:Children
296:Democrat
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574:scholar
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