LSB July 2018_Web

PROFILE
Out of the shadows: The path & purpose
of SA’s new Attorney General
MICHAEL ESPOSITO
As well as implementing a raft of
reforms promised by the Marshall
Government during the 2018 State election
campaign, Attorney General Vickie
Chapman has been thrust onto the front
line in several highly-charged debates that
have revealed tensions between public
opinion and time-honoured legal principles.
The most controversial of these
concerned the Supreme Court’s decision to
release, under strict conditions, convicted
paedophile Colin Humphrys, who has
served nine years in prison for his most
recent offence.
After 16 years in Opposition,
Ms Chapman was now in the hot seat,
responding to public outrage at the court’s
decision and fending off the Opposition’s
attempt – in the form of a hastily drafted
Bill to block Mr Humphry’s release (which
Ms Chapman labelled a “publicity stunt”) -
to make her look flat-footed on the issue.
Ms Chapman responded with a Bill of
her own which was passed in late June
and, while not as severe as Labor’s version,
seems likely to keep Mr Humphrys in
prison indefinitely.
The saga illustrated one of the great
challenges of being an Attorney General.
You are a member of Cabinet and therefore
answerable to the general populace, while
also being the first law officer of the State
with the responsibility to uphold the rule of
law. There is always going to be a tension
between the two functions which needs to
be delicately navigated.
But Ms Chapman’s history of private
legal practice combined with years honing
her craft in the shadow ministry ought to
make her well-prepared for her demanding
new role.
THE PATH TO POLITICS
Ms Chapman, who was born on
Kangaroo Island, was exposed to politics
from an early age due to her father Ted
being State member of the Liberal Party
from 1973, which included a stint as
Agriculture Minister under David Tonkin’s
premiership. While not expressing a direct
interest in party politics as a teenager, she
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THE BULLETIN July 2018
was aware early on of the importance of
having a civic interest.
“As a 16-year-old, I had an early
understanding that there were people
around you who could wreck your life
or make it better or safer, one way or
the other,” she said. “Therefore it was
important for us to keep informed about
what was happening around us and so
politics for me was really just an actual
extension of understanding what’s in
your environment that could either help
you or hinder you. Lawmaking didn’t come
until a bit later when I started to do law
and catch on.”
Ms Chapman was admitted to practice
in 1979 and, after two years working in
general practice for David Burrell and Co,
set up her own practice. She performed
a lot of court work in the areas of child
protection and child sexual abuse in the
1980s, when the mistreatment of children
was gaining far more national attention
than it had in the past. She also acted in
several international child abduction cases.
The second half of Ms Chapman’s career
as a solicitor focused on major property
disputes among families. She later joined
the independent Bar and established Sir
Mellis Napier Chambers, which became Sir
Anthony Mason Chambers after merging
with Divett Chambers. But her career at
the Bar was short-lived after a confluence
of events, including the death of her
husband, prompted her to re-evaluate her
life journey.
“I hadn’t actually planned to go into
parliament,” Ms Chapman said. But a
determining factor for me was my husband
passed away in 2001, my children had
become adults and I had an opportunity
to have a change of career. A seat became
available and I was asked to consider it.”
“I loved being in practice. It was good
to me in a lot of ways but there was an
opportunity to do something different and
do something for more people for less
cost.”
Ms Chapman won the seat of Bragg in
2002 (when the Rob Kerin-led Liberal
Party lost the election to Mike Rann’s
Labor) and immediately joined the shadow
cabinet. She was elected as deputy leader
of the Liberal Party in 2006. On 18 March
this year she became the State’s first female
Deputy Premier and Attorney General, an
achievement she is proud of.
“I felt quite surprised actually at the
amount of correspondence I received
on that issue,” she said. “It reminded me
of how important it is to recognise that
others are getting some encouragement
from this and it is a chance for them.
Hopefully it will give them a bit more
inspiration to keep fighting for something
for their own advancement.”
“Sometimes you don’t always appreciate
how significant it is but I’m honoured by
it and I just realise how important it is …
because whatever you do in life you have
to always turn around and see the people
coming behind you and make sure they
have a chance to get a leg-up.”
IMPLEMENTING THE AGENDA
Ms Chapman wasted no time introducing
laws that the Liberal Party promised
during the election campaign. Some of the
new Government’s first Bills, to increase
whistleblower protections, permit open
ICAC hearings for maladministration
matters, and shield journalists from the
obligation to disclose sources, all had a
clear theme of transparency.