Don Jessop

Donald Scott Jessop (21 June 1927 – 21 May 2018) was an Australian politician. He served as a Senator for South Australia from 1971 to 1987, having previously served in the House of Representatives as the member for Grey from 1966 to 1969. He was a member of the Liberal Party until his preselection defeat just before the 1987 federal election, which he recontested unsuccessfully as an independent. He was an optometrist before entering politics.

Early life Jessop was born on 21 June 1927 in Unley Park, South Australia. He was the oldest of three sons born to Margaret Ada (née Scott) and Lindsay Newton Rennie Jessop.

Jessop was educated at Mitcham Primary School and Unley High School. With careers in medicine or pharmacy unavailable due to his colour blindness, he instead chose to pursue a career in optometry, taking a course at the University of Adelaide and undertaking further training with Laubman & Pank. He became a registered optometrist in 1949, working for Laubman & Pank in Port Pirie, Jamestown, and Broken Hill. In 1953 he established his own practice in Port Augusta. He campaigned on better transport for rural areas and greater development of mineral resources, travelling widely in his large electorate and occasionally using an aircraft lent by a supporter. He was defeated after only a single term, due to a large swing to Labor at the 1969 election and an unfavourable redistribution. He also abstained from voting on a number of other occasions. In the same month he announced that he would recontest his seat as an independent, campaigning with the assistance of the Australian Small Business Association as "your independent voice in the Senate". He was defeated for re-election.

Personal life In 1949, Jessop married Barbara Maughan, with whom he had three children.