David Kemp

Who is David Kemp?

David Alistair Kemp, Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1990 to October 2004, representing the Division of Goldstein, Victoria. He was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and was educated at the University of Melbourne and Yale University, where he gained a doctoral degree in politics. He is the brother of Senator Rod Kemp, and the son of Charles Kemp, founder of the Institute of Public Affairs.

Kemp was Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Melbourne 1975–79 and Professor of Politics at Monash University, Melbourne 1979–90. He is the author of Society and Electoral Behaviour in Australia: a Study of Three Decades, Malcolm Fraser on Australia, Current Priorities for Liberalism and Foundations for Australian Political Analysis: Politics and Authority.

Kemp was Senior Adviser to Malcolm Fraser, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister 1975–76 and Director of the Prime Minister's Office 1981.

In 1990 Kemp challenged a prominent Liberal MP and former Cabinet minister, Ian Macphee, for Liberal endorsement in the safe Melbourne seat of Goldstein. This contest engendered great bitterness in the Liberal Party. Kemp was seen as the candidate of the right wing of the Liberal Party, against a leading moderate liberal figure. Kemp won the battle.