Walter Keyes (The Realignment)

The Honourable 	The Honourable
Walter Keyes 	Walter Keyes
 	
Leader of the Opposition 	Leader of the Opposition
In office 	In office
28 September 2048 – 25 June 2052 	28 September 2048 – 25 June 2052
Deputy 	Baldwin KingstonJohn H. Walker
Preceded by 	Wyatt Roy
Succeeded by 	Donald Turnbull
Leader of the Democratic Party 	Leader of the Democratic Party
In office 	In office
19 May 2043 – 25 June 2052 	19 May 2043 – 25 June 2052
Deputy 	Baldwin KingstonJohn H. Walker
Preceded by 	Office established
Succeeded by 	Donald Turnbull
Member of the Australian Parliament for Howard	Member of the Australian Parliament for Howard
In office 	In office
21 September 2041 –  16 August 2055 	21 September 2041 –  16 August 2055
Preceded by 	William Moore
Succeeded by 	John Bednarczyk
Mayor of Newcastle 	Mayor of Newcastle
In office 	In office
3 June 2039 – 15 April 2041 	3 June 2039 – 15 April 2041
Preceded by 	Henry G. Turner
Succeeded by 	Richard Roberg
Personal details 	Personal details
Born 	Walter Donald Christian Keyes
29 August 2002Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died 	7 August 2096 (aged 93)Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Political party 	Democratic Party
Spouse(s) 	Debra Burke(m. 2034-2036)
 	Clair Lynn(m. 2040-2059; her death)
Children 	2
Profession 	PhysicianPolitician
Alma mater 	University of Newcastle
Religion 	Methodism
Military service 	Military service
Allegiance 	Australia
Service/brand 	Royal Australian Navy
Years of service 	2026-30
Rank 	Warrant officer
Unit 	HMAS Anzac
Dr Walter Donald Christian Keyes (29 August 2002 - 7 August 2096) was an Australian politician, well-known for being the founder of the Australian Democratic Party (ADP) and leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives.
Born into a working class family in 2002 in the city of Sydney, later studding at the University of Newcastle where he would graduate at the top of his year in 2026. A short time later, he enlisted into the Royal Australian Navy, serving aboard the HMAS Anzac until 2030. During the ensuring years, he worked at the Royal Newcastle Hospital, his popularity among many in Newcastle building before he joined a private practice in 2036. His popularity among the people in Newcastle put him in a position that would later allow him to run for, then consequently win the mayorship of the city in 2039.
A little under two years later, he decided to run for NSW electoral district of Howard in the 2041 election, at that time represented by the Liberal National politician William Moore. Running as an independent (as he did so in Newcastle), he managed to win Howard after a number of recounts with a margin of 115 votes. Whilst in the House of Representatives, he slowly became disenfranchised with the incumbent Prime Minister Andrew Burges, who at the time was steadily moving the nation to what Keyes considered a "more extreme right position", even though he supported the Nationalists on a majority of their immigration policies. Uniting with four other representatives, Keyes founded the centrist Democratic Party on 22 February 2043, officially registering it on 18 May that same year.
After five years if little to no electoral success, Keyes managed to lead a powerful campaign against the Nationalists, Liberal Nationals and Labor parties in 2048, gaining 39 seats for a total of 47 in the House of Representatives. As leader of the second largest political party in the House, he became the leader of the opposition on 28 September, leading a coalition of independents and minor centrist parties against the Nationalists. Many political commentators claim his popularity among the citizens reached its peak on 4 July 2050 with the "Independence Speech"; spoken in Sydney in front of almost 40,000 spectators, he called out against the Nationalists interventionist, far-right policies, and advocated a return to the "normalcy" of pre-Burges Australia.
His popularity, however, fell due to a number of in-party corruption scandals that rocked the Democrats, and in the 2050 election, his party lost 20 seats. Subsequently, Keyes was beginning to be blamed for many of the scandals that didn't in fact include him (claiming he had "no knowledge of the events"), and many in the party began to clammer for a change of leadership. Donald Turnbull (grandson of Malcolm Turnbull) stepped up against the party's leader in the June of 2052, calling for a leadership spill for June 24. This request was granted, and after Keyes was defeated by the shadow treasurer, he stepped down as both the party's leader, and leader of the opposition. 
Category:Scenario: The Realignment
Category:People