Carol Kidu | |
|---|---|
.png) Kidu in 2017 | |
| Member of theNational Parliament of Papua New Guinea | |
| In office 1997–2012 | |
| Preceded by | Albert Karo |
| Succeeded by | Justin Tkatchenko |
| Constituency | Moresby South Open |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carol Anne Millwater (1948-10-10)10 October 1948 (age 76) Shorncliffe, Queensland, Australia |
| Political party | Melanesian Alliance Party |
| Spouse | Buri Kidu |
| Profession | School teacher |
Dame Carol Anne KiduDBEAO (néeMillwater ;[1] born 10 October 1948), also known asCarol, Lady Kidu,[2] is anAustralian-bornPapua New Guinean politician.
Kidu was the only femaleMember of Parliament in the2002–2007 and2007–2012 National Parliaments, and served asMinister for Community Development under Prime Minister SirMichael Somare from 2002 until 2 August 2011, and asLeader of the Opposition from 15 February 2012 until her retirement from politics in July 2012.[3] She was the leader of theMelanesian Alliance Party until her retirement.[4]
Born inShorncliffe, Brisbane, Queensland,Australia, she relocated toPort Moresby,Papua New Guinea after marryingBuri Kidu, who was knighted in 1980 upon his appointment as the first indigenousChief Justice of Papua New Guinea. Lady Kidu became a teacher and wrote school textbooks.[5] In 1994 her husband died of a heart attack.[1][4]
Lady Kidu entered politics in 1997, standing as an independent candidate in theparliamentary elections, and was elected Member of Parliament for thePort Moresby Southconstituency. She was re-elected in2002 and2007.[5] In 2005, she was reportedly considered for the position of Deputy Prime Minister, but stated that she would not be interested in it.[6]
In August 2011, the government of Acting Prime MinisterSam Abal (standing in for Somare while the latter was hospitalised for a serious heart condition) was brought down by a parliamentary motion, and Kidu lost office.[7][8]
In January 2012, Kidu, a long-serving minister in the Somare government, distanced herself from those involved in attempts to overthrow Prime MinisterPeter O'Neill’s government but stated that Somare's removal from power in August 2011 was illegal.[9] At the same time, she announced her intention to sit as the opposition leader in parliament, in order to hold the Peter O'Neill-led government to account.[10]
Kidu proposed forming a one-woman opposition and, in the absence of other contenders, to be recognised asLeader of the Opposition. Somare's party refused to take up opposition seats so as not to concede the legitimacy of the Peter O'Neill government.[11]
On 15 February, SpeakerJeffrey Nape recognised her as leader of the Opposition, of which she was the only sitting member. She is the first woman to occupy that position. She stated she would use her remaining time in Parliament to consolidate the role of the Opposition for the future, hoping to obtain parliamentary staff for the Opposition, and a change in parliamentary procedures to strengthen it.[12]
Kidu has been outspoken in her criticism of the controversial Judicial Conduct Law, rushed through by the O'Neill Government and Speaker Jeffrey Nape, which empowers the government to suspend judges. Questioning the judgment of the Speaker, Dame Carol called for a legislative reform that would require that the speaker be non-partisan and cannot be a serving MP. The Speaker accused her of contempt[clarification needed] and targeted her for investigation.[13][14]
Kidu chose not to re-contest her seat of Moresby-South in the2012 general election and retired from politics at the end of her third term in July 2012.[15] She is also a member of the High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)[16] and sits on the board of thePacific Institute of Public Policy and the Nationwide Microbank.[17]
Carol, Lady Kidu was made a Dame Commander of theOrder of the British Empire in January 2005.[18] In February 2009, she was made a knight of theLégion d'honneur byFrance, for "her dedication to helping women, young girls, children, the physically and mentally impaired and her commitment to fighting discrimination".[19] The first citizen of Papua New Guinea ever to receive this award, she accepted the award on behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea.[20] Kidu was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the2023 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service to human rights, to community development, and to international relations".[21]
In 2007, the magazineIslands Business named her "Pacific Person of the Year", in recognition of her efforts towards poverty alleviation, against domestic violence and child abuse, against HIV and AIDS and in favour of women's empowerment.[5]
Dame Carol Kidu received the PNG International Woman of Courage Award from the Secretary of State of the United States of America in 2007. She has received honorary doctorates fromVudal University (Rabaul, PNG), theUniversity of Queensland (Australia) and theUniversity of Papua New Guinea in recognition of her services to the people of Papua New Guinea.[citation needed]
| National Parliament of Papua New Guinea | ||
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| Preceded by | Member for Moresby South Open 1997–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Vacant Title last held by Belden Namah | Leader of the Opposition 2012 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
