Jump to content

Hajnal Ban

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Propertysouth (talk | contribs) at 23:37, 22 June 2010 (Undid revision 368562992 by Space cadet 2000 (talk) sources quoted and has been accepted version of history for 12 months). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hajnal Ban
Pen nameSara Vornamen
OccupationBarrister, author, politician
NationalityAustralian
CitizenshipAustralian
EducationBIntBus, LLB
Alma materGriffith University
Notable worksGod Made Me Small, Surgery Made Me Tall
SpouseSean Black
ChildrenDominic, Elijah (stepchildren)
Website
http://www.hajnalban.com/

Hajnal Ban (born 3 November 1977) is an Australian barrister (lawyer), author and conservative politician. She is currently a councillor for Logan City, elected 15 March 2008, and prior to that, she was a councillor for the now defunct Beaudesert Shire Council from 27 March 2004. She was an unsuccessful National Party candidate for the federal seat of Forde, south of Brisbane, at the 2007 federal election. Ban won Liberal National Party selection for the newly-created federal seat of Wright in November 2009, but she subsequently lost endorsement following allegations that she mismanaged the funds of a 65-year-old man.[1]

In 2002 Ban underwent radical surgery to increase the length of each leg by 8 cm. She published her experiences in the book God Made Me Small, Surgery Made Me Tall under the pseudonym Sara Vornamen and recently announced her original book will be revised and released as Her Secret.

Ban and Sean Black were married at Tamborine Mountain on 30 May 2010 [2].

Early life

Hajnal Ban was born in Afula, Israel, to Hungarian parents[3]. Ban speaks fluent Hungarian, as this is the primary language in her home, and English. Her grandfather was an Eastern European Jewish holocaust survivor, and moved the family to Israel in 1976 to escape communism[4]. The family moved to Austria in 1980 and then immigrated to Logan City, south of Brisbane, Australia in 1983. On gaining pre-selection for a Federal seat, Ban reluctantly relinquished her Israeli citizenship as Section 44 of the Australian Constitution forbids the election of people holding dual citizenship to its parliament.

Education

Ban was educated at Marsden Primary School and then Marsden State High School in Logan City, graduating in 1995. After high school she entered Griffith University's law school and completed a double degree in Law and International Business. Ban was then admitted as a Barrister-at-Law in 2001.[4]

Leg lengthening surgery

In 2002 Ban undertook radical cosmetic surgery to gain 8 cm of height. She travelled to the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics in Kurgan, Russia where she was operated on by Dr Constantine Novikov[5][6].

Over a period of 5 months Ban was bedridden as her legs were lengthened. The process of lengthening took 12 months. She returned to Australia and talked to the media about her operation under the pseudonym Sara Vornamen in an attempt to hide her identity. Under the name 'Sara Vornamen' Hajnal Ban wrote a book about her surgery, God made me small, Surgery made me Tall.[7][8]

Brisbane's Courier-Mail revealed in April 2009 that Ban was actually Sara Vornamen [9]. Since that time Ban has received world wide attention for her surgery[10] and has been a commentator on issues from sex-discrimination to extra airline charges.[11]

Political career

Disendorsement as LNP candidate for Wright

Ban was disendorsed as the LNP candidate for Wright on 7 June 2010 following revelations of an action taken against her by the Adult Guardian in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal(QCAT).[12] The litigation brought by the Adult Guardian related to alleged actions taken by Ban in her role under a power of attorney for a 65 year old man.[13] Ban failed to disclose the litigation to the LNP when she nominated for preselection for the seat.[14] According to documents filed with the QCAT Ban was stripped of her role as the man's financial power of attorney by the Office of the Adult Guardian in April, which claimed she had "financially abused" her position.[15]

2004 - 2008

Hajnal Ban was first elected as Councillor for Division 4 in the former Shire of Beaudesert on 27 March 2004 at the age of 26 where she significantly outpolled her four male opponents[16]. She was the youngest ever councillor to be elected in the shire and the only Barrister. She was elected to council as an independent and had no previous political party affiliation. She joined the National Party in 2006.

She was Chairperson of the Shire's Planning and Development Committee from April 2004, until December 2005 when she was removed from the post, a move spearheaded by Councillor John Fronis, over her opposition to the State's decision to designate the North McLean Enterprise Precinct in the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which would have placed heavy industry in the middle of her rural residential division.[17]

Federal election

In the November 2007 Federal Election Ban stood as the National Party candidate for the seat of Forde[18][19]. Although she worked hard at her campaign[20] and was credited with achieving a larger than expected swing, Ban only achieved 12.2% of the primary vote.[21]

2008 Local Government Elections

In July 2007, the Queensland Labor Government announced widespread reform to local government. The major reform was to amalgamate many councils, and Beaudesert was included in the process. Half of the Shire was amalgamated with the Shire of Boonah to create the Scenic Rim Region while the other half was amalgamated with Logan City. Hajnal Ban's entire division was in the transferring area to be amalgamated into Logan City. Her division underwent significant change as it was merged with the neighbouring Division 5 (held by John Fronis, a Labor councillor) to form the new Logan City Division 11. Fronis and Ban subsequently contested the new division at the March 2008 elections, with Ban winning convincingly, even in areas where the Labor vote at state and federal elections has historically been high. Ban achieved 66.06% of the two-candidate-preferred vote to John Fronis' 33.94%.[22]

Post 2008 election

After her election to Logan City Hajnal Ban was elected Chairperson of the Community, Sport and Customer Services Committee but was removed from this position in May 2009 and replaced by a neighbouring urban based councillor, Phil Pidgeon, because of her strong and somewhat outspoken advocacy for the amalgamated areas she represents[23].

Ban formed an alliance with the only other Logan City rural councillor, Sean Black, in late 2008. Together they formed a strong allegiance in council advocating and representing their similar constituencies. Ban and Black married in 2010.

Policies on Gaming Machines

Hajnal Ban is an anti-pokies campaigner and continues to advocate for the reduction in the number of gaming machines in her city [24]. Her strong views on pokies is the reason why she voted in several ballots to remove Deputy Mayor of Logan, Russell Lutton, who is a pro-pokies councillor [25][26][27][28]. Lutton has since fought back, often criticising Ban including issuing a verbal tirade against her Leg lengthening story[7][29].

Future ambitions

Ban has announced via her website that she plans to re-write her original self-published book and title it Her Secret.[30]

References

  1. ^ Sandy, Alison (7 June 2010). "Hajnal Ban's federal election bid in doubt after funds allegations". couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 7 June 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Sandy, Alison (May 30, 2010). "Hajnal Ban, Sean Black marry in Mt Tamborine ceremony". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  3. ^ Vornamen, Sara (Hajnal Ban's pen name)(2003) God made small, surgery made me tall. Vornamen Enterprises
  4. ^ a b Laszlo, Dr Tanka (editor) (2005) Ausztralia es Uj-Zealand Magyar Vilaga (in English - Hungarians in the Australian and New Zealand part of the world). Panarama Konyvek (in English - Panarama Books), pg 34 article titled Ban, Hajnal - Kepviselo, jogasz (in English political/representative) and Szeret masokon segiteni (in Engish - She likes to help others). This is a Hungarian written A-Z of notable Hungarians from around the world. This edition is for the Australia/New Zealand region
  5. ^ Vornamen, Sara (Hajnal Ban's pen name)(2003) God made small, surgery made me tall. Vornamen Enterprises, pg 19
  6. ^ Who (May 18, 2009) Extreme measures. Pacific Magazines, pg 24
  7. ^ a b Calligeros, Marissa (April 29, 2009). "Big op overcomes small anxiety: Siberian surgeons add 8cms". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  8. ^ "God made me small, surgery made me tall". Times of India. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  9. ^ Sandy, Alison (April 29, 2009). "Hajnal Ban has legs broken to be 8cm taller". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  10. ^ Tedmanson, Sophie (2009-05-01). "Australian councillor, Hajnal Ban, has legs broken to become taller". Times Online. London. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  11. ^ Robertson, Josh (May 23, 2009) Giving hot girls a leg up. The Courier Mail, pg 72
  12. ^ Barrett, Rosanne (14 June 2010). "Former LNP candidate Hajnal Ban 'used man's money to improve her property'". The Australian. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  13. ^ Barrett, Rosanne (14 June 2010). "Former LNP candidate Hajnal Ban 'used man's money to improve her property'". The Australian. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  14. ^ Barrett, Rosanne (14 June 2010). "Former LNP candidate Hajnal Ban 'used man's money to improve her property'". The Australian. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  15. ^ "Buyer 'tipped off by Hajnal Ban' over sale, documents claim". The Courier Mail. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  16. ^ Flack, Mark (26 October 2007). Ban believes people contact is key to electoral success. Albert and Logan News, p. 14
  17. ^ Waters, Brenton (12 December 2005) Ban-ished!. Jimboomba Times, pg 5}}
  18. ^ Jacobson, Micheal (10–11 November 2007) Long-standing MPs to sit out. Weekend Bulletin, pg 58
  19. ^ Coorey, Phillip (26 October 2006). "Happy National breaks the mould". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  20. ^ McKenna, Michael (21 November 2007). "Libs lose faith and turn to Nats". The Australian. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  21. ^ "House of Representatives - Forde (2007 general election)". Australian Electoral Commission. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  22. ^ "2008 Logan City - Councillor Election - Division 11". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  23. ^ Fraser, Kelmeny (May 24, 2009) Council bars rebels. The Sunday Mail, pg 39
  24. ^ Maizey, Judith (16 June 2009). "Ban moves on Greenbank Tavern pokie plan". Albert & Logan News. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  25. ^ Barrett, Chris (29 April 2009). "Lions slot new venue into Queensland's poker machine capital". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  26. ^ Helbig, Koren (1 May 2009). "Council out on limb". Albert & Logan News. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  27. ^ Lutton, Russell (16 March 2009). "Decision is about giving residents a choice". Logan City press release obtained from LCC website. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
  28. ^ Davies, Hannah (4 March 2009). "Logan City moves to ban poker machines". Courier Mail. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
  29. ^ Robertson, Josh (5 May 2009) Tall tales at Logan circus. The Courier-Mail, pg 38
  30. ^ Robertson, Josh (13 May 2009) Writing bug bites leggy councillor. The Courier-Mail, pg 79
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hajnal_Ban&oldid=369639511"