Peter Chandler (politician)

The Honourable Peter Chandler MLA
Northern Territory Minister of the Crown
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 September 2012
Member of the Northern Territory Parliament for Brennan
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 August 2008
Preceded by	James Burke
Personal details
Born	Peter Glen Chandler 18 July 1965 Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Country Liberal Party
Occupation	Public servant
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1985–1991

Peter Glen Chandler (born 18 July 1965) is an Australian politician. He is a Country Liberal Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, and has held his seat of Brennan since his electoral victory over sitting Labor member James Burke in the 2008 election. He was the Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment.^[1] Following a February 2015 reshuffle, he became Minister for Lands and Planning, Minister for Police Fire and Emergency Services, and Minister for Defence Industries and Veterans Support.

Early life

Chandler was born in Swan Hill, Victoria, and was educated at Warialda High School in New South Wales. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1985 in Queensland, and later transferred to the Northern Territory where he worked as a dog handler for the RAAF, and later worked for the City of Darwin.^[2] He also worked as a public servant for the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Defence Housing Australia.^[3]

Political career

Chandler was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly at the 2008 NT election on 9 August, representing the seat of Brennan for the Country Liberal Party (CLP). He was Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage; Parks and Wildlife in Terry Mills' shadow cabinet,^[4] and took on several ministerial portfolios in the Mills Ministry when the CLP won government at the 2012 election.

On the Country Liberal Party's victory of the Northern Territory General Election in August 2012, Chandler was appointed as a Minister of the Mills Cabinet in September 2012, and has continued to serve as a Northern Territory Minister for the Crown in the Giles Cabinet.

In August 2014, Deputy Chief Minister Dave Tollner was asked to resign from that position after making several homophobic slurs about a fellow MLA's son. However, a few days later he threatened to move to the crossbench unless he was reinstated, so on 1 September, Chief Minister Adam Giles threw open the leadership and deputy leadership to a party room ballot. Giles was re-elected as CLP leader, and Chandler was voted in as his deputy.^[5]

Chandler became the fourth deputy chief minister of the CLP government since it won power two years previously in August 2012.

Personal life

Chandler enjoys fishing and lives in Palmerston with his wife, Robyn, and four children.

References

1. CHANDLER, The Honourable Peter Glen, Parliament of the Northern Territory
2. "NT Government names Peter Chandler as new deputy, replacing Dave Tollner after gay slur controversy". ABC News. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
3. "NT Major Projects 2014 Speakers". NT Conference. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
4. "Peter Glen CHANDLER MLA". Parliament @ Work. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
5. "Peter Chandler takes reins as NT's Deputy Chief Minister as Dave Tollner's future remains in doubt". 105.7 ABC Darwin. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.