Heidi Victoria
{{Short description|Photographer. Former Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Heidi Victoria
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| constituency_AM = Bayswater
| assembly = Victorian Legislative
| term_start = 25 November 2006
| term_end = 24 November 2018
| predecessor = Peter Lockwood
| successor = Jackson Taylor
| majority =
| birthname = Heidi Mitterlehner
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1967|10|12}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Australian
| constituency =
| party = Liberal Party
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = Phillip Institute of Technology
| occupation = Photographer
| religion =
| signature =
| footnotes =
| website = [http://heidivictoria.com.au heidivictoria.com.au]
}}
Heidi Victoria (born Heidi Mitterlehner{{cite web |last1=Eisingerich |first1=Thorsten |title=Politician and Photographer: Heidi Victoria |url=http://www.austrianinformation.org/spring-summer-2015/4mn6a9zfgggd72q937hlxl5be3hkxn |website=Austrian Information: The Zine |publisher=Austrian Press & Information Service in the United States |access-date=2018-11-14 |archive-date=14 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114182212/http://www.austrianinformation.org/spring-summer-2015/4mn6a9zfgggd72q937hlxl5be3hkxn |url-status=live }} on 12 October 1967) is a professional photographer and former Australian politician. She was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, representing Bayswater for the Liberal Party from 2006 to 2018.
Early life
Victoria was born in Melbourne to an Austrian father and a New Zealand mother.{{cite news|last1=Tomazin|first1=Farrah|title='Elusive' minister here all the time – and ready to talk|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/elusive-minister-here-all-the-time--and-ready-to-talk-20130330-2h0a2.html|access-date=15 November 2014|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=31 March 2013|archive-date=31 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831033500/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/elusive-minister-here-all-the-time--and-ready-to-talk-20130330-2h0a2.html|url-status=live}} She completed her HSC in 1984, and went on to complete her BA in Fine Art Photography in 1988 at the Phillip Institute of Technology (now part of RMIT University).{{Cite re-member |num2=68 |name=The Hon. Heidi Victoria |access-date=25 August 2022}} Prior to her election, Victoria owned and operated her own photography business, specialising in portraits and event photography.{{cite news|last1=Green|first1=Antony|title=Election Guide: Bayswater|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/guide/bays/|access-date=15 November 2014|work=Victorian State Election 2014|publisher=ABC News|archive-date=10 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110075653/http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/guide/bays/|url-status=live}}
Political career
Within the Liberal Party, Victoria has served as branch president, vice-president and secretary; state and federal electorate council delegate; fundraiser; branch development officer; and State council and Federal conference delegate.{{cite web|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2729b.htm|title=Victoria, Heidi - Woman - The Australian Women's Register|first=National Foundation for Australian Women and The University of|last=Melbourne|publisher=|access-date=28 December 2016|archive-date=28 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228195531/http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2729b.htm|url-status=live}} She was elected to the seat of Bayswater at the November 2006 election. In November 2009, she was named Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Arts, following her strong involvement in the campaign to prevent the proposed changes to the Victorian College of the Arts.{{Citation needed|date=October 2014}}
After Ted Baillieu resigned as Premier in March 2013, Victoria was given the ministerial portfolios of Arts, Women's Affairs and Consumer Affairs within the Denis Napthine cabinet.{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/new-ministers-sworn-in-after-reshuffle-20130313-2fzjc.html|title=New ministers sworn in after reshuffle|first=Richard Willingham, Henrietta|last=Cook|publisher=|access-date=28 December 2016|archive-date=10 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910095311/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/new-ministers-sworn-in-after-reshuffle-20130313-2fzjc.html|url-status=live}}
Controversies
In July 2009, Victoria was asked to apologise for using unparliamentary language during a late night parliamentary debate.
In early November 2014, multiple election campaign signs for Heidi Victoria were defaced with swastikas and offensive language throughout the Heathmont and Bayswater area. Victoria was quoted saying “The other reason this is really disappointing is that we pride ourselves in Australia as being a free country and democratic society"{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria-state-election-2014/campaign-signs-for-bayswater-state-liberal-mp-defaced-with-nazi-symbol/story-fnoqgl2v-1227120598273|title=Swastikas used to deface candidate's signs|publisher=|access-date=28 December 2016|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403023558/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria-state-election-2014/campaign-signs-for-bayswater-state-liberal-mp-defaced-with-nazi-symbol/story-fnoqgl2v-1227120598273|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-vic-la}}
{{s-bef|before=Peter Lockwood}}
{{s-ttl| title=Member for Bayswater | years=2006–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Jackson Taylor}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Denis Napthine}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for the Arts|years=2013–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Martin Pakula|as=Minister for Creative Industries}}
{{s-bef|before=Michael O'Brien}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Consumer Affairs|years=2013–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Jane Garrett}}
{{s-bef|before=Mary Wooldridge}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Women's Affairs|years=2013–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Fiona Richardson|as=Minister for Women}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Victoria, Heidi}}
Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:Ministers for women (Victoria)
Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria
Category:Politicians from Melbourne
Category:RMIT University alumni
Category:Australian people of Austrian descent
Category:Australian people of New Zealand descent
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:21st-century Australian women politicians
Category:Women members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Category:20th-century Australian photographers
Category:Ministers for the creative industries (Victoria)