Ray Hopper

Raymond Gordon Hopper (born 3 March 1960) is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2001 to 2015. Originally elected as the member for Darling Downs as an independent in 2001, he joined the National Party later that year and the Liberal National Party in 2008.

Ray Hopper
Leader of Katter's Australian Party
in Queensland
In office
29 November 2012 – 2 February 2015
DeputyShane Knuth
Preceded byRobbie Katter
Succeeded byRobbie Katter
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Condamine
In office
21 March 2009 – 31 January 2015
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded byPat Weir
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Darling Downs
In office
17 February 2001 – 21 March 2009
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born (1960-03-03) 3 March 1960
Jandowae, Queensland, Australia
Political partyKatter's Australian (2012–present)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (before 2001)
National (2001–2008)
Liberal National (2008–2012)
Spouse(s)
Joanne Deacon
​
(
m. 1986;
div. 
2010)

Jeanette Sutherland
​
(
m. 2010)
Children3

On the abolition of his seat of Darling Downs in 2008, Hopper was elected as the member for Condamine. On 24 November 2012, Hopper resigned from the Liberal National Party and joined Katter's Australian Party. Hopper claimed that the LNP had been a takeover by the old Liberal Party at the expense of the National Party, even though most LNP MPs were former Nationals like him. He accused the LNP of deliberately purging National influence from the party. Hopper claimed to have spoken to eight other LNP backbenchers who were considering defection, but this did not eventuate.[1]

On 29 November it was announced that he had become the party's leader in Queensland, taking over from Robbie Katter, the son of the party's founder, Bob Katter.[2] He contested Nanango for the party in 2015, but was defeated.

Political career

During his time in Parliament, Hopper held a range of roles in opposition, namely[3] the Shadow Minister for Racing, the Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, the Shadow Minister for Employment and Training, the Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, the Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Water, the Shadow Minister for Food Security and Agriculture, and the Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland.

Personal life

Hopper married his first wife Joanne in 1986. They had three children, Jodi, Amy and Ben. In 2010, Hopper split from his wife after a longstanding affair with his later-second wife, Jeanette Sutherland.

Ben Hopper was a candidate in the seat of Condamine at the 2015 state election in an effort to replace his father, who stood unsuccessfully in Nanango.

gollark: NUUUU!
gollark: I'm in the great position (from some perspectives) of having absolutely nothing important to breed. No significant refusals!
gollark: Is this interface (see corner) remotely intuitive? Probably not!
gollark: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatch!
gollark: ~~technically, it is if you lock yourself with, say, brimstones~~

References
  1. "LNP veteran Ray Hopper resigns to join Katter's Australian Party". Courier-Mail. 25 November 2012.
  2. Hurst, Daniel (29 November 2012). "LNP defector clinches Katter party leadership". brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  3. "Raymond Gordon Hopper". Parliamentary Library of Queensland.
Parliament of Queensland
New seat Member for Darling Downs
2001–2009		 Seat abolished
New seat Member for Condamine
2009–2015		 Succeeded by
Pat Weir
Party political offices
Preceded by
Rob Katter		 Leader of Katter's Australian Party in Queensland
2012–2015		 Succeeded by
Rob Katter


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