Stan Tipiloura facts for kids

Stanley Gabriel Tipiloura (born September 2, 1957 – died September 20, 1992) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Labor Party. From 1987 until his death in 1992, he represented the area of Arafura. This was in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, which is like the parliament for the Northern Territory.

Early Life and Career

Tipiloura was born on Bathurst Island. He went to primary school there. Later, he studied at St John's College, Darwin for two years. He also spent two years at Monivae College in Victoria.

After finishing school, he worked for the CSIRO in Darwin. He was also a very good amateur football player. He played for St Mary's Football Club. In the late 1970s, he even played for South Adelaide Football Club in South Australia.

In 1975, he went back to Bathurst Island. He worked in different jobs there. He worked for the Nguiu Council and was later chosen as its president. In 1980, he moved back to Nguiu for good. From 1980 to 1985, he worked as a police aide and then as a police officer. Just before he was elected to parliament, he was also the president of the local Labor Party group.

Political Career and Achievements

In the 1987 election, Tipiloura was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Arafura. He took over from his brother-in-law, Bob Collins. Bob Collins was running for a seat in the Australian Senate. When Tipiloura was elected, he became one of the few Aboriginal members in the parliament at that time.

After his election, he was given important roles. He became a "shadow minister" for several areas. These included local government, police, and emergency services. A shadow minister is a member of the opposition party who watches over a specific government department.

In 1988, Tipiloura was chosen for a special trip to the United States. He traveled with young political leaders from other countries. They went to study the U.S. national elections. This trip was organized by the American Council of Young Political Leaders. Tipiloura was an important part of the group. They visited Michigan to learn about voters and how political campaigns work. Before election day, they went to Washington, D.C. There, they heard from important leaders like Colin Powell. Colin Powell later became a very famous U.S. Secretary of State. Tipiloura kept in touch with his new friends from around the world.

Sadly, Tipiloura became very sick with kidney failure soon after his election. He had to have dialysis, a treatment for kidney problems. In 1990, his uncle generously donated a kidney to him.

He was re-elected in the 1990 election, even while he was in the hospital. After this election, he became the shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs. However, his illness continued. He passed away in Melbourne in 1992, when he was 35 years old. Stan Tipiloura was the first, and so far the only, member of the Northern Territory Parliament to die while still serving.