Peter Debnam
Encyclopedia
Peter John Debnam is a former Australia
n politician. He was a member of the New South Wales
Legislative Assembly
representing Vaucluse
between 1994 and 2011
. Debnam is a former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party
, Leader of the Opposition
and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney, Redfern/Waterloo and Citizenship. He also held the shadow portfolios
of Infrastructure and Energy.
from 1972 to 1980. During his Naval career, Debnam served on many ships including the aircraft carrier
, destroyer escort , destroyers and and patrol boats and . After leaving the Navy, Debnam studied at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management
, where he gained an MBA. He held positions at Dalgety Farmers Limited, Hawker de Havilland
and Australian Aircraft Consortium before entering politics.
In 1994 Debnam was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
as Liberal member for Vaucluse. The following year the Liberal government was defeated by Labor
under Bob Carr
. Between 1997 and 2005 Debnam was successively Shadow Minister for Housing and for Planning and Urban Affairs, Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Transport, Shadow Minister for Police and Shadow Minister for Transport Services.
Following Brogden's sudden resignation as Liberal Leader, Barry O'Farrell
, as Deputy Leader, was initially the favourite to become leader, but Debnam steadily gained ground as he lobbied Liberal MPs, and on 31 August O'Farrell withdrew from the contest.
He led the Liberal/National coalition to defeat in the 2007 state election. The Coalition gained a total of four seats from Labor and independents—too few to significantly reduce Labor's majority. Following the election, Deputy Liberal Leader and member for Ku-ring-gai
, Barry O'Farrell
challenged Debnam for the Liberal leadership, and on 2 April 2007 Debnam withdrew from the contest. On 11 April 2007 O'Farrell appointed Debnam as opposition infrastructure and energy spokesman. He resigned in May 2008 because of his party's decision to support the Labor Government's plan to privatise the electricity system.
that NSW Attorney-General Bob Debus
was under investigation by the Police Integrity Commission
. In response the Government released a Police report stating that a minister had been the subject of complaints (not an investigation) which were dismissed in 2003 as spurious and groundless. The report did not name the minister concerned as it was deemed to be 'not in the public interest'. When Mr Debnam declined to provide evidence to support his claims, he was censured by Parliament for misleading the House.
It was subsequently reported that Mr Debnam's source for the accusation was a convicted child sex offender and bank robber with a history of making unsubstantiated allegations. Opinion poll support for the Opposition leader declined markedly in the wake of the allegations, which also distracted attention from a campaign against the Government over the sacking of Ministers Milton Orkopoulos
and Carl Scully
.
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. He was a member of the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. 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 Vaucluse
Electoral district of Vaucluse
Vaucluse is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, based on the suburb of Vaucluse. Vaucluse is one of two original electorates to have never been held by the opposing Labor party and always by the Liberal Party or its predecessors, the other...
between 1994 and 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
. Debnam is a former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party
Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party
The position of leader of the Liberal Party of Australia's New South Wales division is a formal role held by a Liberal member of the Parliament of New South Wales...
, Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney, Redfern/Waterloo and Citizenship. He also held the shadow portfolios
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
of Infrastructure and Energy.
Biography
Debnam's early years of schooling were at Frenchs Forest Public School and The Forest High School. Debnam was educated at the Royal Australian Naval College, where he graduated in 1974. He served in the Royal Australian NavyRoyal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
from 1972 to 1980. During his Naval career, Debnam served on many ships including the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, destroyer escort , destroyers and and patrol boats and . After leaving the Navy, Debnam studied at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management
Macquarie Graduate School of Management
Macquarie Graduate School of Management is a graduate business school based on the campus of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and associated with the University's Faculty of Business and Economics...
, where he gained an MBA. He held positions at Dalgety Farmers Limited, Hawker de Havilland
Boeing Australia
Boeing Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, or simply Boeing Australia, is Boeing's largest footprint outside the United States. Established in 2002, the company oversees its seven wholly owned subsidiaries, consolidating and co-ordinating Boeing’s businesses and operations in Australia.Boeing has played an...
and Australian Aircraft Consortium before entering politics.
In 1994 Debnam was elected to 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...
as Liberal member for Vaucluse. The following year the Liberal government was defeated by Labor
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...
under Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
. Between 1997 and 2005 Debnam was successively Shadow Minister for Housing and for Planning and Urban Affairs, Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Transport, Shadow Minister for Police and Shadow Minister for Transport Services.
Following Brogden's sudden resignation as Liberal Leader, Barry O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
, as Deputy Leader, was initially the favourite to become leader, but Debnam steadily gained ground as he lobbied Liberal MPs, and on 31 August O'Farrell withdrew from the contest.
He led the Liberal/National coalition to defeat in the 2007 state election. The Coalition gained a total of four seats from Labor and independents—too few to significantly reduce Labor's majority. Following the election, Deputy Liberal Leader and member for Ku-ring-gai
Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai
Ku-ring-gai is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by the current Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell of the Liberal Party of Australia, since 1999.-Electorate History:...
, Barry O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
challenged Debnam for the Liberal leadership, and on 2 April 2007 Debnam withdrew from the contest. On 11 April 2007 O'Farrell appointed Debnam as opposition infrastructure and energy spokesman. He resigned in May 2008 because of his party's decision to support the Labor Government's plan to privatise the electricity system.
Allegations against Attorney-General
On 16 November 2006, Debnam suggested under Parliamentary PrivilegeParliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
that NSW Attorney-General Bob Debus
Bob Debus
Robert John "Bob" Debus AM , a former Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the Australian Labor Party. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments...
was under investigation by the Police Integrity Commission
Police Integrity Commission
The Police Integrity Commission was established in 1996 upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission in to the New South Wales Police Service. The commission is a corporation established by the New South Wales Government to prevent, detect and investigate alleged serious misconduct in the New...
. In response the Government released a Police report stating that a minister had been the subject of complaints (not an investigation) which were dismissed in 2003 as spurious and groundless. The report did not name the minister concerned as it was deemed to be 'not in the public interest'. When Mr Debnam declined to provide evidence to support his claims, he was censured by Parliament for misleading the House.
It was subsequently reported that Mr Debnam's source for the accusation was a convicted child sex offender and bank robber with a history of making unsubstantiated allegations. Opinion poll support for the Opposition leader declined markedly in the wake of the allegations, which also distracted attention from a campaign against the Government over the sacking of Ministers Milton Orkopoulos
Milton Orkopoulos
Milton Orkopoulos is a former Australian Labor Party politician, and convicted criminal. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.In November 2006, New...
and Carl Scully
Carl Scully
Patrick Carl Scully , was an Australian politician and minister in the New South Wales state government before his forced resignation on 25 October 2006....
.