Peter Batchelor

The Honourable Peter Batchelor
Minister for the Arts
In office 20 January 2010 – 2 December 2010
Leader	John Brumby
Preceded by	Lynne Kosky
Succeeded by	Ted Baillieu
Minister for Community Development
In office 3 August 2007 – 19 January 2010
Leader	John Brumby
Preceded by	Christine Campbell
Succeeded by	Lily D'Ambrosio
Minister for Energy and Resources
In office 1 December 2006 – 2 December 2010
Leader	Steve Bracks John Brumby
Preceded by	Candy Broad
Succeeded by	Michael O'Brien
Minister for Victorian Communities
In office 1 December 2006 – 3 August 2007
Leader	Steve Bracks
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Minister for Major Projects
In office 12 February 2002 – 1 December 2006
Leader	Steve Bracks
Preceded by	John Pandazopoulos
Succeeded by	Theo Theophanous
Minister of Transport
In office 20 October 1999 – 1 December 2006
Leader	Steve Bracks
Preceded by	Robin Cooper
Succeeded by	Lynne Kosky
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Thomastown
In office 3 February 1990 – 2 November 2010
Preceded by	Beth Gleeson
Succeeded by	Bronwyn Halfpenny
Personal details
Born	(1950-09-21) 21 September 1950 (age 74) Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor

Peter John Batchelor (born 21 September 1950) is an Australian former politician who served as an Australian Labor Party (ALP) member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Thomastown from 1990 until 2010.

Batchelor was born in western Sydney. He attended Beaumaris High School. His grandmother reportedly once held a 50-year-plus record as the longest card-carrying member of the ALP.^[1]

Career

Prior to entering politics, Batchelor was a union official at Furnishing Trades Union from 1972 to 1982. From 1983 to 1990, he was the ALP Victorian state branch secretary.^[2]

Member of Parliament

Batchelor was elected in a 1990 by-election in the district of Thomastown, following the death of Beth Gleeson.

His parliamentary roles are listed as follows.^[2]

• Shadow Minister for Public Transport 1992-96.
• Manager of Opposition Business 1995-99.
• Shadow Minister of Transport (Victoria) 1996-99.
• Manager, Government Business in the Legislative Assembly October 1999-November 2010.
• Minister of Transport October 1999-December 2006.
• Minister for Major Projects 2002-05.
• Minister for Energy and Resources December 2006-December 2010.
• Manager of Government Business Legislative Assembly December 2006-November 2010.
• Minister for Victorian Communities December 2006-August 2007.
• Minister for Community Development August 2007-January 2010.
• Minister for the Arts January 2010-December 2010.

As Transport Minister, Batchelor oversaw the $750 million Regional Fast Rail project. In 2000, the State Government approved funding for a major upgrade to rail lines between Melbourne and Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Traralgon, to provide fast rail passenger services

As Minister for Energy and Resources, Batchelor initiated the roll-out of smart meters to 2.5 million homes and businesses.^[3] The roll-out of smart meters was reportedly to assist with consumer choice on electricity providers and to help manage climate change. However, the roll-out was stopped when the budget blew-out from $800 million to $2 billion.^[4] The roll-out was completed under the Andrews Government in 2015.

According to Melbourne public transport academic Paul Mees, Batchelor "was staunchly against privatisation when in opposition and then continued with privatisation and reprivatisation in government.^[1]

On 7 October 2010, Batchelor announced he would not re-contest his seat at the 2010 state election. Dorothy, his partner, was also reported to be retiring from work.^[1]

Later role

In February, 2012, Batchelor was appointed President of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. The Foundation, based in Melbourne, is the independent funding body annually distributing over $15m of federal grants to 220 Australian community based media organisations.^[5]

Campaign disputes

Reportedly, Batchelor "helped organise and distribute bogus how-to-vote cards for the Nuclear Disarmament Party" (sic) during the 1985 Nunawading by-election,^[1] which appeared to indicate the recommended voting preferences of the Nuclear Disarmament Party.^[6] Campaigning for nuclear disarmament was popular in left-wing politics during the 1980s. Police investigated the matter and Batchelor was not charged with any criminal offence.

In 2016, Batchelor was filmed removing a Greens election banner and replacing it with ALP election material in the seat of Batman. It was claimed that Greens election campaigners had blanketed polling booths with their material leaving no space for other campaigners.^[7]

References

1. Austin, Paul; Tomazin, Farrah (8 October 2010). "Two for the road". The Age. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
2. "Peter John Batchelor". Re-Member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
3. "Energy Source Distribution, Victoria's smart meter roll out". 11 January 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
4. "The Age, Plug pulled on smart meter plan". 23 March 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
5. "Community Broadcasting Foundation Ltd, Board President Peter Batchelor". 7 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
6. "VicHansard Assembly 1222-1223, p102-103" (PDF). 23 October 1985. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
7. "Election 2016: Former Labor MP Peter Batchelor removes Greens Batman banners". 1 July 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2019.

External links

• Parliamentary biography

 

Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Beth Gleeson	Member for Thomastown 1990–2010	Succeeded by Bronwyn Halfpenny