Peter Phelps (politician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dr Peter Phelps | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
| In office 26 March 2011 – 23 March 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 May 1968 |
| Party | Liberal Party |
Peter Robert Phelps (born 7 May 1968) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2011 to 2019.[1]
He was Government whip in the Legislative Council for five years, before resigning in March 2016 to protest new legislation regarding the sale of E10 ethanol fuel, which he called "an egregious breach" of Liberal Party core values.[2]
Phelps was born at Camden District Hospital to Robert and Gwen Phelps. He spent his early years in Bradbury, New South Wales, and attending the Bradbury Infants School. Later his family moved to the Sydney inner-western suburbs of Camperdown and then Dulwich Hill. He attended Camperdown Demonstration School, opportunity classes at Summer Hill Public School, Fort Street High School and the University of Sydney, where he resided at St Paul's College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History in 1990 and a PhD in Australian History in 1997.[3]
Political activity
Phelps contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Drummoyne in the 1999 election.[4] Before entering Parliament, Phelps worked as an adviser to various Liberal politicians: Ian McLachlan (1998), John Moore (1998–99), Senator Chris Ellison (1999–2000), Senator Eric Abetz (2001–06), Gary Nairn (2006–07), Senator Michael Ronaldson (2009–10) and Bronwyn Bishop (2010–11).[1] He was ninth on the coalition Legislative Council ticket at the 2011 election and was elected 16th.[5] He was again ninth on the coalition Legislative Council ticket at the 2019 election however he was not re-elected.[6][7]
He was a Member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party and the Chairman of the Constitution Standing Committee. He has also been on numerous other parliamentary committees.[1]
Phelps's entry at the website of the NSW Parliament says: "Dr Phelps is a libertarian with social conservative tendencies, placing him within the 'fusionist' school of conservative political philosophy. His political hero is Ronald Reagan."[1]
