Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
MENU
Skip Navigation LinksHome Members Former Members

Former Member Details

The Hon. Peter Edward James COLLINS, Q.C., B.A., LL.B.

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 10/05/1947
Place of Birth: Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Standing Committee on Public Works 01 Dec 2002 01 Dec 2003 1 year 1 day
Member for Willoughby 27 Mar 1999 28 Feb 2003 3 years 11 months 2 days
Leader of the Opposition 04 Apr 1995 08 Dec 1998 3 years 8 months 5 days
Member for Willoughby 25 Mar 1995 05 Mar 1999 3 years 11 months 9 days
Treasurer and Minister for the Arts 26 May 1993 04 Apr 1995 1 year 10 months 10 days
Minister for State Development and Minister for Arts 03 Jul 1992 26 May 1993 10 months 24 days
Attorney General, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister for Arts 24 Jun 1992 03 Jul 1992 10 days
Attorney General, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister for Arts 06 Jun 1991 24 Jun 1992 1 year 19 days
Member for Willoughby 25 May 1991 03 Mar 1995 3 years 9 months 7 days
Minister for Health and Minister for the Arts 25 Mar 1988 06 Jun 1991 3 years 2 months 13 days
Member for Middle Harbour 19 Mar 1988 03 May 1991 3 years 1 month 15 days
Deputy Leader of the Opposition 14 Feb 1986 22 Feb 1988 2 years 9 days
Select Committee on Prostitution 01 Dec 1984 01 Dec 1986 2 years 1 day
Member for Willoughby 24 Mar 1984 22 Feb 1988 3 years 10 months 30 days
Public Accounts Committee 01 Dec 1983 01 Dec 1984 1 year 1 day
Member for Willoughby 19 Sep 1981 05 Mar 1984 2 years 5 months 16 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 19 Sep 1981 28 Feb 2003 21 years 5 months 10 days Maiden speech delivered on 3 November 1981
Political Party Activity
Liberal Party. Deputy Leader 1986 - 1992. Honorary Secretary St Ives Branch 1969 - 71;Political Vice President Killara Young Liberals 1969 - 1970. Honorary Secretary, City of Sydney Special Branch 1969-73. President, Woollahra Branch 1980. Chairman Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee 1980. State Executive since 1984. Leader of the Liberal Party from 4 April 1995 - 7 December 1998. Shadow Minister for Arts 1981 - 1988, 1995 - 1998, 2002. Shadow Special Minister of State 2002. Shadow Minister for Health 1986 - 1988. Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Employment 1984 - 1986. Shadow Minister for Planning and Environment 1983 - 1984. Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs 1981 - 1983. Delegate for numerous conferences.
Community Activity
Chairman, Brett Whiteley Foundation 1995 -1998. Patron Alliance Francaise Centenary 1995. Member Balmoral Beach Club 1995 - 2000, Northbridge Amateur Swimming Club; Kooroora Tennis Club; Manly-Warringah Area Scouting Association; Northbridge Golf Club. Founding Governor of the Australian Naval Museum (Nowra), Life member of HMAS Sydney Association. Member of 1st Commando Regiment Association (New South Wales and Victoria), Navy League of Australia, Australia Defence Association, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, United States Naval Institute. Chairman of St John Ambulance (New South Wales) 2007 - current. Director (non executive) HostPlus Pty Ltd 2006 - current. Board memebr of Workers Compensation Insurance Fund Investment Board (New South Wales) 2005 - current. Board Member of Macquarie Generation 2007 - current. Member, Community Commemorative Panel Defence White Paper, 2008. Member Policy Committee Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, 2008 - current.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Lawyer (Barrister - Queen's Counsel). Journalist. B.A., LL.B.(Syd.). Appointed Queens Counsel (QC) 1991. Previously research and public relations manager, Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division). Managing Director Assignment Pty Ltd, media consultants to several major companies (providing media training for senior management). Television journalist ABC-TV researcher, "Four Corners" and "Monday Conference"; reporter, "This Day Tonight". Barrister-at-Law, Edmund Barton Chambers, practising at the New South Wales Bar for 3 years. Chairman of Cancer Institute of New South Wales 2005 - 2008. Honorary Associate, Graduate School of Government, University of Sydney. Chairman, Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (Canberra) 2004 - 2005). Member of Cancer Council of New South Wales 2004 - 2005. Director (Non executive) Moran Health Care Group (2002-2003). Director (non executive), Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation (2001- 2005). Interests include the Arts, particularly contemporary dance, visual arts, film and literature; naval and military history.
Military Service
Army Reserve 1964 - 1969, Lieutenant, Commissioned Sydney University Regiment 1967; qualified Military Parachutist 1969, 1 Commando Company. Naval Reserve 1975 - current; Commissioned Lieutenant. Served Naval Intelligence. Promoted Lieutenant-Comander 1988. Promoted Commander 1994. Honorary Colonel, 1st Commando Regiment, 1995 - 2000, Patron Jaywick (Singapore Raid) Commemoration, 2001- 2003 Author of 'Strike Swiftly', Commando History 2004 - 2005. Acting Fleet Legal Officer (part time), Royal Australian Navy, Maritime Headquarters, Potts Point 2003 and 2004. ADF Team Leader , Law and Order Task Force, Bagdad, Iraq 2007. Director Naval Reserve Support (New South Wales) 2007 - current. Promoted Captain 2009.
Honours Received
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 2004, Australian Defence Medal, Centenary Medal 2003, Awarded the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) 1994, Australian Active Service medal (with Iraq clasp) 2007, Iraq Medal 2007, US Joint Medal Commendation Medal 2008
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Eldest son of Ronald and Mavis Collins. Educated at Marist Brothers, Kogarah, St Patrick's Bathurst, and Waverley College 1960 - 1964. University of Sydney (St John's College) 1965 - 1972, BA, LLB. Catholic. Married (1) Jennifer Ruth White in 1973 and had issue, 2 sons. Divorced. Married (2) Dominique Fisher in March 1983 and had issue, 2 sons. Divorced. Married (3) Jennine Leonarder in 2002, 1 stepdaughter.
Additional Information
Editor, 'The Union Recorder', University of Sydney 1971; Editor, 'Blackacre' Sydney University Law School 1972; contributor 'Labor to Power' edited by Henry Mayer 1972Peter Collins, 'The Bear Pit: A Life in Politics', Sydney, Allen & Unwin, 2000, Peter Collins, 'Strike Swiftly', Sydney, Watermark Press. Photographs in the PICMAN Database. Member of the Former Members Association of the New South Wales Parliament.

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.