Peter Chin (mayor)
Encyclopedia
Peter Wing Ho Chin CNZM
(born 1941) is a lawyer
and was the 56th Mayor of Dunedin
, New Zealand
. He served two terms as Mayor from 2004 to 2010.
Chin is a descendant of the earliest Chinese immigrants to New Zealand, and his family owned a take-away
establishment in Stuart Street
.
In the 1950s Chin was a student at Otago Boys' High School
and then the University of Otago
, graduating LLB. He has worked in Dunedin
as a lawyer
since 1968, and is currently a consultant for the Otago law firm Webb Farry. First elected in 1995 to the Dunedin City Council, representing the Hills Ward, he served three terms before becoming mayor in 2004, replacing Sukhi Turner
who was retiring as mayor. He was re-elected in October 2007
with an absolute majority.
Chin serves as the head of the Gambling Commission, the government-appointed panel that regulates casino
s. Married to Noleen since c.1964 with 4 children, he lives in Roslyn
and is a prominent opera
tic singer.
In 2003, he was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
, for services to local body and community affairs.
He is also a member of the national Chinese Poll Tax HeritageTrust which was set up with government funding in 2004. The trust aims to raise awareness of the early Chinese community in New Zealand and its history, language and culture.
Chin played a minor part in the 1987 film Illustrious Energy, a historic drama based on the experiences of Chinese gold miners in Central Otago.
Chin is a strong supporter of the controversial Forsyth Barr Stadium, over which questions have been raised over the cost and source of funding. This support almost certainly cost him the election. In the course of examining funding options he sent a confidential letter to the Government asking for money without full Council approval, and was on a committee of three that later censured Councillor Teresa Stevenson for leaking the letter to the Otago Daily Times
. Chin chaired the Chinese Gardens Trust which built the Dunedin Chinese Garden
, using $3.75 million of New Zealand taxpayers and $1 million of Dunedin ratepayers money. The Gardens were constructed in an authentic manner, using almost a thousand tonnes of rocks imported from Lake Taihu, China.
During the 2010 Dunedin mayoral election
, he was defeated by Greater Dunedin
candidate and Dunedin City Council councillor Dave Cull
.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 1941) is a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and was the 56th Mayor of Dunedin
Mayor of Dunedin
The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He served two terms as Mayor from 2004 to 2010.
Chin is a descendant of the earliest Chinese immigrants to New Zealand, and his family owned a take-away
Take-out
Take-out or takeout , carry-out , take-away , parcel , or tapau , is food purchased at a...
establishment in Stuart Street
Stuart Street, Dunedin
Stuart Street is one of the main streets of Dunedin, New Zealand. As with many of Dunedin's streets, it is named after a main street in Edinburgh, Scotland....
.
In the 1950s Chin was a student at Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
and then the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, graduating LLB. He has worked in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
since 1968, and is currently a consultant for the Otago law firm Webb Farry. First elected in 1995 to the Dunedin City Council, representing the Hills Ward, he served three terms before becoming mayor in 2004, replacing Sukhi Turner
Sukhi Turner
Dame Sukhinder "Sukhi" Kaur Gill Turner, DNZM was the Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1995 until her retirement from the position in 2004. She was notable as the first Green Party mayor in New Zealand...
who was retiring as mayor. He was re-elected in October 2007
Dunedin Mayoralty Election, 2007
The Dunedin mayoral election 2007 re-elected Peter Chin as Mayor of Dunedin. The election was conducted under the Single transferable vote voting system.-Results:The following table shows the detailed results for the 13 October 2007 election:...
with an absolute majority.
Chin serves as the head of the Gambling Commission, the government-appointed panel that regulates casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s. Married to Noleen since c.1964 with 4 children, he lives in Roslyn
Roslyn, Otago
Roslyn is a major residential and retail suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located above the city centre on the ridge which runs in a crescent around the central city's western edge. It is to the northwest of the city centre, immediately above the Town Belt. Roslyn's 2001...
and is a prominent opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic singer.
In 2003, he was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, for services to local body and community affairs.
He is also a member of the national Chinese Poll Tax HeritageTrust which was set up with government funding in 2004. The trust aims to raise awareness of the early Chinese community in New Zealand and its history, language and culture.
Chin played a minor part in the 1987 film Illustrious Energy, a historic drama based on the experiences of Chinese gold miners in Central Otago.
Chin is a strong supporter of the controversial Forsyth Barr Stadium, over which questions have been raised over the cost and source of funding. This support almost certainly cost him the election. In the course of examining funding options he sent a confidential letter to the Government asking for money without full Council approval, and was on a committee of three that later censured Councillor Teresa Stevenson for leaking the letter to the Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times
The Otago Daily Times is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand.-History:Originally styled The Otago Daily Times, the ODT was first published on November 15, 1861. It is New Zealand's oldest surviving daily newspaper - Christchurch's The Press, six months older, was a...
. Chin chaired the Chinese Gardens Trust which built the Dunedin Chinese Garden
Dunedin Chinese Garden
The Dunedin Chinese Garden, is located in the city of Dunedin in southern New Zealand. It is sited next to the Otago Settlers' Museum close to the centre of the city and numerous other of the city's tourist attractions, including the Dunedin Railway Station and Queen's Gardens.-Name and...
, using $3.75 million of New Zealand taxpayers and $1 million of Dunedin ratepayers money. The Gardens were constructed in an authentic manner, using almost a thousand tonnes of rocks imported from Lake Taihu, China.
During the 2010 Dunedin mayoral election
Dunedin mayoral election, 2010
The Dunedin mayoral election, 2010 occurred on Saturday, 9 October 2010 and was conducted under the Single Transferable Voting system.The candidates for mayor included Peter Chin, the incumbent who contested for a third consecutive term. He faced six other candidates...
, he was defeated by Greater Dunedin
Greater Dunedin
Greater Dunedin is a local body ticket in Dunedin, New Zealand. The ticket was formed in 2007 and contested the 2010 Dunedin local elections.-Councillors:...
candidate and Dunedin City Council councillor Dave Cull
Dave Cull
David Charles "Dave" Cull, QSO JP is the mayor of the city of Dunedin in New Zealand. He became the 57th Mayor of Dunedin in October 2010.-Early life and career before politics:...
.