Zali Steggall
OAM MP
Zali Steggall in February 2019
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Warringah
Assumed office
18 May 2019
Preceded byTony Abbott
Personal details
Born (1974-04-16) 16 April 1974
Manly, Australia
Political partyIndependent
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2007)​
    Tim Irving
    ​
    (m. 2008)​
    RelativesJack Steggall (grandfather)
    Zeke Steggall (brother)
    EducationGriffith University (BA)
    WebsiteOfficial website
    Sports career
    Medal record
    Women's alpine skiing
    Representing  Australia
    Olympic Games
    Bronze medal – third place1998 NaganoSlalom
    World Ski Championships
    Gold medal – first place1999 VailSlalom

    Zali Steggall OAM (born 16 April 1974) is an Australian politician, lawyer and former Winter Olympic athlete. She has been the independent member for Warringah since the 2019 Australian federal election when she defeated the incumbent, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

    Steggall is Australia's most internationally successful alpine skier, winning a bronze medal in slalom at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, and a World Championship gold medal in 1999. In the Winter Olympics she is Australia's first individual medallist, first female medallist, and only medallist in alpine skiing. Steggall's Olympic career extended from Albertville in 1992 to Salt Lake City in 2002.

    Early life

    Steggall was born in Manly, New South Wales, in 1974.[1] She and her family lived in France from 1978 until 1989, and she started ski racing while living there, at the ski resort of Morzine in the French Alps.[2][3] Her parents had intended to stay for only 18 months, but they liked the lifestyle so much that they stayed.[4] Her mother, Dr. Susan Steggall, documented these ten years in the book Alpine Beach. A Family Adventure.[5]

    Steggall won European age championships at the ages of 10 and 13,[4] and was a member of the French junior skiing team at the age of 14.[6] Steggall was educated for 18 months in Sydney at Queenwood School for Girls following the family's return to Australia in 1989.

    Steggall's grandfather Jack Steggall played ten Tests for Australia in rugby union; her father played rugby for Northern Suburbs, Manly Rugby Club and Manly Lifesavers. Her brother is Olympic snowboarder Zeke Steggall.

    Skiing career

    Despite moving back to Australia, the Steggall siblings regularly travelled to the northern hemisphere to train.[4] She was also sent overseas by the Australian Ski Institute to train under Austrian alpine coach Helmut Spiegl.[7]

    Steggall was selected to make her Olympic debut in Albertville in 1992, at the age of 17. She came 23rd out of 44 entries in the giant slalom event, and failed to finish the slalom or the combined event.[8] At the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, the size of the field was scaled back. Steggall came 22nd out of 28 athletes in the slalom and 24th and last in the giant slalom. She withdrew from the super-G and was unplaced in the overall standings.[9]

    In December 1995, Steggall broke into the top 10 in a World Cup event for the first time, placing 10th in the slalom event at Sankt Anton.[10] In January 1996, Steggall came fourth at the World Championships in Sestriere, Italy, missing bronze by just 0.04 s.[4]

    Steggall came into the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano as one of the medal favourites. Three months earlier, she had become the first Australian woman to win a World Cup event in alpine skiing, after winning the slalom event at Park City, Utah. She posted the fastest time in both of her runs to win by 0.76sec.[4] She then came fifth, sixth and tenth in the next three World Cup events to be ranked sixth in the world.[11] Steggall won a Europa Cup event at Piancavallo.[4] She won Australia's first individual Winter Olympic medal with a bronze in slalom skiing at Nagano in 1998.[4] Her time of 1 m 32.67 s was 0.27 s behind the winner.[12] In December, Steggall placed second in a World Cup event at Mammoth Mountain, missing the gold medal by 0.01 s to Anja Pärson. She had earlier placed seventh at Park City.[10]

    Steggall's success prompted the Australian Olympic Committee to expand the Australian Ski Institute into the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia.[6] It was given a million-dollar annual budget and for the first time, Australia had a federal government-funded full-time training program to accompany the Australian Institute of Sport. It operated in six sports and supported 37 athletes and resulted in an immediate upturn in results with numerous athletes going on to win gold for Australia across the winter sport disciplines.[6]

    In 1999, Steggall won the slalom event at the World Championships held in Vail, Colorado, in the United States.[4] That was her last podium finish at global level. In February 2000, she came 10th at Aare, Sweden the last top-10 result in her career.[10]

    Steggall's Olympic career ended at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where she failed to complete her first run and was eliminated.[13]

    Steggall was part of the Sydney Olympic torch relay in September 2000, carrying the Olympic flame along the pathway of Olympians in Manly and on the Manly ferry to Circular Quay.[14] In 2004, she was part of the Athens Olympic torch relay, carrying the Olympic flame to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.[15]

    Steggall retired from skiing in 2002. She completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in communications and media studies from Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, and then studied law. She was admitted as a solicitor while working for her father's legal practice, Roper & Steggall, in Manly, New South Wales. In 2008, she was admitted to the NSW Bar. Her principal areas of practice as a barrister were family law, sports law, commercial law, real-property law, local government and planning law, corporations and insolvency law, and equity. Steggall was councillor to the NSW Bar Association and chair of its Health, Sports and Recreation Committee from 2010 to 2013.[16]

    From 2014 to 2019, Steggall was an independent non-executive director of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, and director of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[16][17] In 2014, Steggall became a member of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency (ASADA) Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel.[16] She was appointed an arbitrator of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in January 2017.[16] In 2018, Steggall was one of 12 worldwide arbitrators appointed to the ad hoc tribunal of CAS for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games, and she became a member of the Council of Governors at Queenwood School for Girls.[16][18]

    Entry to Parliament

    Steggall in 2020 with Climate activists in her electorate office, holding a cake.
    Steggall (rightmost) in 2020 with Climate activists in her electorate office

    On 27 January 2019, Steggall announced her candidacy as an independent in the Division of Warringah in the 2019 Australian federal election, running against former Australian Prime Minister and incumbent Liberal MP Tony Abbott on a platform advocating action on climate change, mental health and honest government.[19]

    Steggall (centre) on a stage with John Hewson (left) and Peter Garrett (right)
    Steggall (centre) at the National Climate Emergency Summit in Melbourne in 2020, with John Hewson (left) and Peter Garrett (right)

    During the campaign, Steggall was the subject of an online smear campaign that attacked her Wikipedia page, and Steggall called on Abbott to condemn this campaign.[20][14] Steggall also stated that she would advocate for changes in electoral laws, to mandate a "minimum standard of truth" in political advertising.[20]

    At the 18 May 2019 election, Steggall defeated Abbott, who had held Warringah since a 1994 by-election. Steggall won the seat with a two candidate preferred vote of 57.24%.[21] Abbott went into the election holding Warringah with a majority of 11 percent. However, he lost over 12 percent of his primary vote from 2016, and finished over 4,100 votes behind Steggall on the first preference count.[22] Her victory marked the first time that this traditional blue-ribbon Liberal seat had been out of the hands of the Liberals or their predecessors since its formation in 1922.[23] Steggall has been described as the pioneer of the teal independent movement, who combined conservative views on economics with progressive views of the environment and won several seats at the 2022 federal election.[24]

    Member of Parliament

    In March 2021, Steggall joined the "Bring Julian Assange Home" parliamentary group.[25]

    In November 2021, Steggall stated that she did not support Australia's diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.[26]

    Prior to her election, Steggall received a $100,000 donation from 8 members of the Kinghorn family that was paid on a single cheque issued by the Kinghorn Family Trust's Sole Director, John Kinghorn, who made his fortune from coal mining.[27] Steggall recorded this donation split into eight parts, thus coming in below the reporting threshold. In February 2021, after an independent review by the Australian Electoral Commission, Steggall updated the records to reflect that this was one cheque.[28] A year later on 14 February 2022 it was reported that Steggall had failed to record this donation correctly, although it had been corrected.[29][30] Steggall stated the incident was a "mistake"[31] and a "rookie error".[32]

    Steggall retained her seat in the 2022 federal election, defeating Liberal Katherine Deves.[33] Steggall increased her margin at this election by 3.72% on a two-party preferred basis.[34]

    Steggall supported the Yes vote in the unsuccessful 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, and took part in a 'Run for the Voice' event to promote the Yes campaign.[35] Steggall stated that she was "gutted" that the referendum did not succeed.[36]

    Personal life

    Steggall was married to Olympic rower David Cameron from 1999 until their separation in 2006. They have two children from their marriage.[37]

    In 2007, her relationship with marketing executive Tim Irving was made public,[38] and the couple became engaged in June 2008 and married later that year.[39]

    Honours

    Steggall received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000,[40] and a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2007.[41] She was inducted into the Australian Institute of Sport 'Best of the Best' in 2001 and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2004.[42][43]

    See also

    Notes

    1. ↑ "Ms Zali Steggall OAM, MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
    2. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Zali Steggall". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
    3. ↑ "About". zalisteggall.com.au. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Andrews (2000), p. 405.
    5. ↑ Alpine Beach. A Family Adventure ISBN 9780958196420
    6. 1 2 3 Gordon (2003), p. 282.
    7. ↑ Gordon (2003), p. 280.
    8. ↑ The Compendium, p. 218.
    9. ↑ The Compendium, p. 220.
    10. 1 2 3 "Zali Steggall". Ski DB. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
    11. ↑ Gordon (1994), p. 279.
    12. ↑ Andrews (2000), p. 314.
    13. ↑ The Compendium, p. 225.
    14. 1 2 Pearson, Nick (14 March 2019). "Zali Steggall calls on Tony Abbott to denounce 'trolls'". Nine News. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
    15. ↑ "Sydney lights up for torch relay". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
    16. 1 2 3 4 5 Zali Steggall, Barrister Archived 6 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Family Law Chambers
    17. ↑ "The private interests of Zali Steggall MP - 46th Parliament". Open Politics. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
    18. ↑ "Ms Zali Steggall OAM". Queenwood School for Girls. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
    19. ↑ Davies, Anne; Karp, Paul (27 January 2019). "Zali Steggall to challenge Tony Abbott for Warringah seat". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
    20. 1 2 Clench, Sam (14 March 2019). "Ugly 'nude photoshoot' claims mar Wikipedia page". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
    21. ↑ "Australian Electoral Division summary of Warringah". Australian Electoral Commission. 18 May 2019. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
    22. ↑ Green, Antony. "Warringah (Key Seat)". Australia votes. ABC News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
    23. ↑ Green, Antony. "Warringah (Key Seat)". Australia votes. ABC News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
    24. ↑ Wahlquist, Calla (23 May 2022). "Teal independents: who are they and how did they upend Australia's election?". The Guardian.
    25. ↑ Harris, Rob (22 March 2021). "Bipartisan delegation of Australian MPs meets with US embassy about Julian Assange". Sydney Morning Herald.
    26. ↑ "Steggall rejects Beijing boycott". The Australian. 29 November 2021.
    27. ↑ Alexander, Harriet (15 February 2022). "Donuts, duds and dead cats:the life and times of John Kinghorn".
    28. ↑ Australian Electoral Commission (February 2021). "Compliance Review Report: Warringah Independent Ltd" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
    29. ↑ Harris, Rob (13 February 2022). "Climate warrior Zali Steggall failed to declare six-figure donation from family trust of coal investor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
    30. ↑ Martin, Sarah (14 February 2022). "Zali Steggall defends $100,000 donation from coal investor, saying 'most people have through super'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
    31. ↑ Crowe, David (14 February 2022). "Zali Steggall admits mistake but defends taking donation from coal investor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
    32. ↑ "'It was a rookie error': Zali Steggall defends $100,000 donation from coal investor". SBS News. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
    33. ↑ Pearson, Nick (21 May 2022). "Zali Steggall takes comfortable win in Warringah". Nine News.
    34. ↑ "House of Representatives Division Information- Warringah, NSW". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
    35. ↑ Cohen, Dale (22 August 2023). "MPs run for Yes campaign". Northern Beaches Advocate. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
    36. ↑ "'Silver lining' amid overwhelming defeat of the Voice". Sky News Australia. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
    37. ↑ "On the road with the two faces of Zali Steggall". 20 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
    38. ↑ "Zali finds new love". The Daily Telegraph. 9 July 2007. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2009. The snowbunny is now back on good terms with her ex – elite rower David Cameron – with whom she separated out of the blue last October after seven years of marriage.
    39. ↑ "Zali Steggall announces her engagement". The Daily Telegraph. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
    40. ↑ "Australian Sports Medal entry for Steggall, Zali". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 8 February 2000. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
    41. ↑ "Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) entry for Steggall, Zali". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2021. For service to alpine skiing, and to the community through support for a range of charitable groups.
    42. ↑ Australian Institute of Sport 'Best of the Best' Archived 23 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
    43. ↑ "Zali Steggall". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

    References

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