Monarch Elizabeth II Preceded by Bob Carr Preceded by Eddie Britt Battles and wars Iraq War | Deputy Ron Phillips Succeeded by Kerry Chikarovski Succeeded by District abolished | |
Party Liberal Party of Australia Spouse Jennine Leonarder (m. 2002), Dominique Fisher (m. 1983), Jennifer Ruth White (m. 1973) Books The Bear Pit: A Life in Politics, Sell Like a Champion Education University of Sydney (1965–1972), Waverley College (1960–1964), Marist College Kogarah Awards Order of Australia, Reserve Force Decoration | ||
Captain Peter Edward James Collins, AM, RFD, QC, RANR (born 10 May 1947) was the Leader of the Opposition in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 4 April 1995 to 8 December 1998.
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Early years
Peter Collins was born the eldest son of Ronald and Mavis Collins. He was educated at Marist College Kogarah, Saint Patrick's, Bathurst and Waverley College from 1960 to 1964. From 1965 to 1972 Collins was a student at the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws and residing at St John's College. After university, Collins went on to be a journalist and researcher for Four Corners and Monday Conference on ABC TV and was a media consultant for several major companies.
Army and Navy Reserve
During his university years from 1960–1964, Collins joined the Army Reserve gaining the rank of Lieutenant. In 1969 Collins qualified as a parachutist in the 1st Commando Company. In 1988, after being promoted to Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander, and then to Commander in 1994. Collins retired from the Navy in 2012 in the senior rank of Captain.
Political career
Collins was elected to the seat of Willoughby in the NSW Legislative Assembly in 1981 as a Liberal, serving in opposition until the election of Nick Greiner as Premier in 1988. He was also deputy Liberal leader under Greiner. He held Willoughby until his retirement, (except between 1988 and 1991, when it was called Middle Harbour). Collins served as Health Minister, Treasurer, and other portfolios throughout the Liberal Government until its defeat by the Australian Labor Party led by Bob Carr in 1995. Collins was immediately elected opposition leader on 4 April 1995, but he was deposed by Kerry Chikarovski on 8 December 1998 without having faced an election. Collins remained in Parliament until the 2003 state election, which he did not contest.
Later career
After his time in politics, the Australian Government appointed Collins Chair of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2004–11); the NSW Government appointed him to the Cancer Council of NSW (2004–06), then Chair of the Cancer Institute of NSW (2005–08); and, he has been Chairman of St. John Ambulance NSW (2007–current). He is Chairman of the Advisory Board for National Patient Transport (NPT) Pty Ltd and a Member of the St Vincents & Mater Health Sydney Advisory Council. Collins is also the founder and national chairman of Barton Deakin, a government relations firm that provides strategic advice to business and not-for-profits on working with Liberal and Coalition governments.
In 2009, he was appointed Chair of Legal Aid NSW on the recommendation of the Attorney General; and, in 2010, was appointed Deputy Chair of the Centenary of ANZAC Commemoration Committee for NSW. From 2006–09 he was a Board member of Macquarie Generation, Australia’s largest electricity generator.
He has been a Director of the leading Industry Superannuation fund HOSTPLUS since 2006; and a Board member of the Workers Compensation Insurance Fund Investment Board of NSW (2005–12). He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (FAIST) and Chairman of the Sydney Financial Forum. Maintaining a long association with the University of Sydney, he was made an Associate of the Graduate School of Government (2004–08). Peter Collins is also Chairman of Barton Deakin Government Relations, which he established in 2009.
With an active, lifelong interest in the ADF, he has served as both an Army and Navy Reserve officer – during a 37-year RAN career he was Honorary Colonel of the elite 1st Commando Regiment (1995–2000) and saw active service in Iraq as a legal officer in 2007. He left the Navy in 2012 in the senior rank of Captain. He was awarded the US Joint Service Commendation Medal for his service in Iraq. The Australian Government appointed him to the Defence White Paper Consultative Committee in 2008.
For his civilian service, Peter Collins was made a Member of the Order of Australia (2004); was made a Commander in the Order of St John (2012); and, received the Centenary Medal.
Personal life
Collins has married three times. In 1973 he married Jennifer Ruth White, with whom he has two sons. In 1983 he married Dominique Fisher with whom he also has two sons. Both these marriages ended in divorce. Since 2002 Collins has been married to Jennine Leonarder. Collins' interests include: military and naval history, contemporary dance, visual arts, film and literature.