Peter Pyke
Encyclopedia
Peter Malcolm Pyke is an Australia
n politician.
Labor
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
from 1992 to 1995, representing the district of Mount Ommaney
. Pyke entered state parliament at the 1992 state election by winning the newly created seat of Mount Ommaney which was predominantly based on the former safe Liberal seat of Sherwood which had been held for 11 years by former Barrister and Liberal Party Leader Angus Innes
of the Liberal Party
.
Pyke was defeated after just one term by Bob Harper of the Liberal Party
in a cruel turn of events at 1995 state election that saw him pay a significant price for being a police whistleblower prior to his election as part of the Labor government of Wayne Goss
.
Pyke was an active anti-corruption campaigner within the Queensland Police prior to his election in 1992. In addition to his 100 page submission to the Fitzgerald Royal Commission of Inquiry
he regularly provided media comment in police uniform to TV and print journalists on the steps of police headquarters on matters before Commissioner Fitzgerald
. This behaviour put Pyke on a collision course with some members of the Queensland Police Service who in late 1993, after his election to parliament, prosecuted him for making a citizen's arrest against Brentus Noel Whittaker. After a costly trial Pyke was vindicated and found GUILTY of assaulting and depriving the liberty of Whittaker - but this legal action co-incided with Pyke's first re-election campaign in 1995 and he narrowly lost his seat costing Wayne Goss and his Labor Government their electoral majority and Pyke had to sell his home to pay for his legal bills.
This incident left Pyke in fear for his family's safety and he spent months in hiding with his family after being personally threatened by a stranger at a bottle-shop on June 28 1996, shortly after he discussed lodging a complaint with the CJC alleging police had deliberately trumped-up the charges against him.
The Labor Party never publicly acknowledged that Pyke was falsely accused by the Queensland Police and had been vilified for his actions as an anti-corruption whistleblower against a group within the Police Force that was referred to as the "Rat Pack" in evidence presented to the Fitzgerald Inquiry
. While the Goss Government introduced The Whistleblowers Protection Act (Qld) 1994 it came too late for Pyke and ultimately cost Goss his electoral majority and Government in 1995.
Pyke attempted a political comeback but failed miserably by standing as an independent at the 2009 state election
for the district of Toowoomba South
. He received less than 5% of the vote.
In June 2010, frustrated with the lack of leadership of the two major parties in Australia he announced the formation of a new political party, the Republican Democrats, a centrist party co-founded with Graham Higgins a former Journalist and Advisor to a Liberal Party President and Federal Frontbencher.
In May 2011, Pyke announced his intention to join forces with and run for the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the district of Toowoomba North
for Queensland Party
which was formed by former Liberal Parliamentarian Aidan McLindon
in 2010.
Prior to entering politics he served with the Queensland Police Service for 16 years where he headed up the first dedicated police unit to focus on violence against women (and as part of his commitment to understanding the issues, was the first Queensland Police Officer to undertake feminist studies at the University of Queensland often attending lectures after work in uniform). Pyke also served as an instructor at the Queensland Police Academy, however only rose to the rank of Police Sergeant.
He is a qualified electrician and currently operates his own business as a data and communications contractor.
Pyke was born in London
.
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.
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...
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
from 1992 to 1995, representing the district of Mount Ommaney
Electoral district of Mount Ommaney
The district of Mount Ommaney is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. It was created with the 1992 redistribution....
. Pyke entered state parliament at the 1992 state election by winning the newly created seat of Mount Ommaney which was predominantly based on the former safe Liberal seat of Sherwood which had been held for 11 years by former Barrister and Liberal Party Leader Angus Innes
Angus Innes
John Angus Mackenzie Innes, was a Queensland politician and leader of the state Liberal Party.-Biography:Innes was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1978 at a by-election to fill a vacancy created by the death of John Herbert...
of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
Pyke was defeated after just one term by Bob Harper of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in a cruel turn of events at 1995 state election that saw him pay a significant price for being a police whistleblower prior to his election as part of the Labor government of Wayne Goss
Wayne Goss
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
.
Pyke was an active anti-corruption campaigner within the Queensland Police prior to his election in 1992. In addition to his 100 page submission to the Fitzgerald Royal Commission of Inquiry
Fitzgerald Inquiry
The Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland Police corruption was a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald QC. The inquiry resulted in the deposition of a premier, two by-elections, the jailing of three former ministers and a police commissioner who was jailed and lost his...
he regularly provided media comment in police uniform to TV and print journalists on the steps of police headquarters on matters before Commissioner Fitzgerald
Tony Fitzgerald
Gerald Edward Fitzgerald, AC, QC is a former Australian judge, who presided over the Fitzgerald Inquiry.-Life and career:...
. This behaviour put Pyke on a collision course with some members of the Queensland Police Service who in late 1993, after his election to parliament, prosecuted him for making a citizen's arrest against Brentus Noel Whittaker. After a costly trial Pyke was vindicated and found GUILTY of assaulting and depriving the liberty of Whittaker - but this legal action co-incided with Pyke's first re-election campaign in 1995 and he narrowly lost his seat costing Wayne Goss and his Labor Government their electoral majority and Pyke had to sell his home to pay for his legal bills.
This incident left Pyke in fear for his family's safety and he spent months in hiding with his family after being personally threatened by a stranger at a bottle-shop on June 28 1996, shortly after he discussed lodging a complaint with the CJC alleging police had deliberately trumped-up the charges against him.
The Labor Party never publicly acknowledged that Pyke was falsely accused by the Queensland Police and had been vilified for his actions as an anti-corruption whistleblower against a group within the Police Force that was referred to as the "Rat Pack" in evidence presented to the Fitzgerald Inquiry
Fitzgerald Inquiry
The Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland Police corruption was a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald QC. The inquiry resulted in the deposition of a premier, two by-elections, the jailing of three former ministers and a police commissioner who was jailed and lost his...
. While the Goss Government introduced The Whistleblowers Protection Act (Qld) 1994 it came too late for Pyke and ultimately cost Goss his electoral majority and Government in 1995.
Pyke attempted a political comeback but failed miserably by standing as an independent at the 2009 state election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
for the district of Toowoomba South
Electoral district of Toowoomba South
The district of Toowoomba South is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. It was created with the 1972 redistribution, and replaced the abolished Toowoomba East....
. He received less than 5% of the vote.
In June 2010, frustrated with the lack of leadership of the two major parties in Australia he announced the formation of a new political party, the Republican Democrats, a centrist party co-founded with Graham Higgins a former Journalist and Advisor to a Liberal Party President and Federal Frontbencher.
In May 2011, Pyke announced his intention to join forces with and run for the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the district of Toowoomba North
Electoral district of Toowoomba North
The district of Toowoomba North is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. It was created with the 1972 redistribution...
for Queensland Party
The Queensland Party
The Queensland Party is a political party based in Queensland, Australia. It is not affiliated with the North Queensland Party. The Queensland Party had one member in the Queensland Legislative Assembly and claims to be "neither left nor right with a focus on providing a balanced, moderate voice"...
which was formed by former Liberal Parliamentarian Aidan McLindon
Aidan McLindon
Aidan Patrick McLindon is an Australian politician. He was first elected for the seat of Beaudesert to the Queensland State Parliament for the Liberal National Party of Queensland at the 2009 Queensland Election...
in 2010.
Prior to entering politics he served with the Queensland Police Service for 16 years where he headed up the first dedicated police unit to focus on violence against women (and as part of his commitment to understanding the issues, was the first Queensland Police Officer to undertake feminist studies at the University of Queensland often attending lectures after work in uniform). Pyke also served as an instructor at the Queensland Police Academy, however only rose to the rank of Police Sergeant.
He is a qualified electrician and currently operates his own business as a data and communications contractor.
Pyke was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.