Rene Hidding

Rene Hidding
The Honourable; Rene Hidding
Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania; Elections: 2006
	In office; 6 August 2002 – 30 March 2006
Preceded by	Bob Cheek
Succeeded by	Will Hodgman
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly; for Lyons
	In office; 24 February 1996 – 25 February 2019
Succeeded by	John Tucker
Personal details
Born	Marinus Theodoor Hidding; 5 February 1953; Heerenveen, Netherlands
Political party	Liberal Party
Occupation	Politician

Marinus Theodoor "Rene" Hidding (born 5 February 1953) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member for the Division of Lyons in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1996 until his resignation in 2019. From 2002 until 2006 he was also leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania.

Upbringing and early career

Hidding immigrated to Tasmania from the Netherlands in his youth. He was educated in Launceston at Riverside High School and Launceston Matriculation College where he gained an Associate Diploma Business (Real Estate).[1] He was a self-employed businessman (his companies included Hidding Trading Pty Ltd, Hiddings Mitre 10, Hiddings Building Services, Span Truss Systems and Hiddings Joinery) before entering politics, when he sold his business to Gunns Limited.

Political career

Hidding was an Alderman on the Launceston City Council from 1985 to 1992. He was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Franklin in 1993.

In 1996, Hidding was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the multi-member seat of Lyons. Between 1996 and 1998 Hidding held junior positions in the government of Tony Rundle, including Secretary to Cabinet, Deputy Chairman of Committees and a member of the Cabinet Budget Committee.

After the Liberals lost office, Hidding was elected to the Opposition front bench as Deputy Opposition Leader in 1999, and in August 2002 he was elected Leader of the Opposition. He was also Shadow Minister for Tourism, Parks and Heritage and Shadow Minister for Resources and Energy.

At the 18 March 2006 state election, Hidding failed to defeat the incumbent Labor Party government led by Paul Lennon. Despite an increase in the Liberal Party's primary vote, the Opposition failed to make any gains in terms of seats. On election night, Hidding declined to speculate on whether he would continue as Opposition Leader. Twelve days later, on 30 March, the day that final election results were known, Will Hodgman was unanimously elected by the party as its new leader.[2]

On 4 May 2018, following the election of the Liberal Government, Hidding was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to Premier Will Hodgman.[3]

Hidding resigned from parliament on 25 February 2019,[4] following allegations of historic sexual abuse against a minor, published in The Australian. Hidding denied the allegations and said he would confront them as a private citizen.[5][6] In September 2019, the police announced that Hidding would not be charged over the allegations, with the Director of Public Prosecutions determining that "given the constraints posed by the passage of time and the resulting impact on the evidence available, there was no reasonable prospect of conviction".[7]

Personal life

Rene Hidding and his wife, Shirley, have four adult children, and several grandchildren.[8]

References

"Rene Hidding MP". Parliament of Tasmania. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1604983.htm
"Rene Hidding appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier". Tasmanian Liberals. 4 May 2018.
"Shock as Liberal MP announces immediate resignation". The Mercury. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
Humphries, Alexandra; Coulter, Ellen (25 February 2019). "Tasmanian Liberal Rene Hidding retires from politics, denies abuse allegations". ABC News. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
Denholm, Matthew (23 February 2019). "Liberal MP denies sister-in-law's sex abuse claim". The Australian. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
Bevin, Edith (2 September 2019). "Ex-police minister won't be charged over alleged sex abuse". ABC News. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
"Rene Hidding MP, Liberal Member". Australian Christian Lobby. Retrieved 24 February 2019.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Bob Cheek	Opposition Leader of Tasmania 2002–2006	Succeeded by Will Hodgman
Preceded by David O'Byrne	Minister for Police and Emergency Management 2014–2018	Succeeded by Michael Ferguson
Preceded by David O'Byrne	Minister for Infrastructure 2014–2018	Succeeded by Jeremy Rockliff
Party political offices
Preceded by Bob Cheek	Leader of the Liberal Party in Tasmania 2002–2006	Succeeded by Will Hodgman

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[Tasmania_Parliament_MLC_Hidding_RiversideHC-1] "Rene Hidding MP". Parliament of Tasmania. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2009.

[2] ttp://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1604983.htm

[3] "Rene Hidding appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier". Tasmanian Liberals. 4 May 2018.

[4] "Shock as Liberal MP announces immediate resignation". The Mercury. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

[5] Humphries, Alexandra; Coulter, Ellen (25 February 2019). "Tasmanian Liberal Rene Hidding retires from politics, denies abuse allegations". ABC News. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

[6] Denholm, Matthew (23 February 2019). "Liberal MP denies sister-in-law's sex abuse claim". The Australian. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

[7] Bevin, Edith (2 September 2019). "Ex-police minister won't be charged over alleged sex abuse". ABC News. Retrieved 7 September 2019.

[8] "Rene Hidding MP, Liberal Member". Australian Christian Lobby. Retrieved 24 February 2019.