Greg Piper
Encyclopedia
Gregory Michael Piper MP (born 31 August 1957 in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
), an Australia
n politician, is the independent
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Lake Macquarie
since 2007. Piper also serves as Mayor
of City of Lake Macquarie, since 2004.
. He has three children and one granddaughter. He now lives on the Morisset Peninsula in Mirrabooka
, near the Westlakes suburb of Morisset
, with his wife Lyn.
In the 2008 local Government elections, Piper stood again for the position of Mayor. Piper received 60% of the first preference vote in the Mayoral category easily out voting his next opponent, Labor's
John Buckley with 27% of the vote and The Greens
candidates 13%.
at the 2007 general election. Piper has sat on the Legislative Assembly's Broadband Committee and currently is a member of the Natural Resources Committee (Climate Change).
Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
-History:By the early 1900s, the Coffs Harbour area had become an important timber production centre. Before the opening of the North Coast Railway Line, the only way to transport large items of heavy but low value, such as timber, was by coastal shipping. This meant sawmillers on the North Coast...
), an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, is the independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
representing Lake Macquarie
Electoral district of Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Hunter region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by the independent Greg Piper.-Members for Lake Macquarie:-Election results:...
since 2007. Piper also serves as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of City of Lake Macquarie, since 2004.
Early years and background
Piper grew up in the Lake Macquarie suburb of KahibahKahibah, New South Wales
Kahibah is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district.Kahibah is the closest suburb to Glenrock Lagoon, and is drained by Flaggy and Little Flaggy creeks which flows into Glenrock Lagoon 2 km to the east...
. He has three children and one granddaughter. He now lives on the Morisset Peninsula in Mirrabooka
Mirrabooka, New South Wales
Mirrabooka is a suburb located on a peninsula east of the town of Morisset on the western side of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the West Ward of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area.- History :...
, near the Westlakes suburb of Morisset
Morisset, New South Wales
Morisset is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia, and is located west of Lake Macquarie just off the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway.-History:...
, with his wife Lyn.
Local government political career
Independent Councillor Greg Piper was first elected to the City of Lake Macquarie Council in 1991 and served as Deputy Mayor through 2000. He has sat on and chaired numerous Council and State Government committees. Piper has held the position of Chairman of the Lake Macquarie Estuary Management Committee and the Lake Macquarie Project Management Committee since the establishment of each. He also served on Hunter Waste Management and Planning Board for a number of years including a period as Chairman. He was elected as the Mayor of Lake Macquarie in March 2004,In the 2008 local Government elections, Piper stood again for the position of Mayor. Piper received 60% of the first preference vote in the Mayoral category easily out voting his next opponent, Labor's
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
John Buckley with 27% of the vote and The Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
candidates 13%.
New South Wales political career
Piper was elected as the Member for Lake MacquarieElectoral district of Lake Macquarie
Lake Macquarie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Hunter region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by the independent Greg Piper.-Members for Lake Macquarie:-Election results:...
at the 2007 general election. Piper has sat on the Legislative Assembly's Broadband Committee and currently is a member of the Natural Resources Committee (Climate Change).