Inga Peulich

Inga Peulich
MLC
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Bentleigh
In office
3 October 1992 – 30 November 2002
Preceded by Ann Barker
Succeeded by Rob Hudson
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Assumed office
25 November 2006
Personal details
Born Inga Došen
(1956-10-15) 15 October 1956
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Political party Liberal Party
Spouse(s) Savo Peulich
Children Paul Peulich
Alma mater Monash University
Occupation Member of the Victorian Parliament
Committees

Temporary Chair of Committees (Acting Speaker) 1996–2002. House Cttee 1994–96.

Community Development Committee 1992–96. Library Cttee 1992–2002.

Family and Community Development Committee 1996–2002 (Dep Chair 1999–2002).

Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee 2007 – November 2010.

Environment and Planning Legislation Committee (Chair); Environment and Planning References Committee (Dep Chair) 8 February 2011 – 16 April 2013.

Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee May 2011–31 July 2013.

Economic Development, Infrastructure and Outer Suburban/Interface Services Committee 1 August 2013–20 March 2014.

Legal and Social Issues Legislation Committee; Legal and Social Issues References Committee May 2013 – February 2014.

Electoral Matters Committee March 2013 – November 2014.

House Committee and LC Privileges Committee February–November 2014
Portfolio

Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs

Shadow Minister for Scrutiny of Government
Website ingapeulich.org

Inga Peulich (born 15 October 1956) is an Australian politician currently serving in the Legislative Council in the Parliament of Victoria as Member for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region. Peulich was appointed the offices of Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Shadow Minister for Scrutiny of Government following the 2014 State election.[1]

Biography

Inga Peulich is of Bosnian heritage, being born Inga Došen in Bosnia and Herzegovina and migrating to Australia in 1967 with her family.[2] Peulich is married to small business owner Savo Peulich, and they have a son, Paul Peulich who is currently a Councillor with Kingston City Council, where he was also elected as Mayor in 2013–2014.[3]

Peulich has a Bachelor of Arts and a master's degree in education. Before election as the State Liberal Member for Bentleigh in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Peulich taught VCE English and Psychology and was English Faculty Head in a large government school in the South East Region. She also has extensive experience in small business and continues today through her involvement in an engineering business in the region.

Peulich has been involved with many political, community and not-for-profit organisations. Membership include:

  • Councillor, City of Moorabbin 1990–1993
  • Director, Marriott Foundation 1999–2003
  • City Chair, Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. Chair, Moorabbin Arts Council
  • Past Pres., Victorian Parents Children in Day Care Association Inc.
  • Involvement with various community and sporting organisations
  • Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
  • Liberal Party of Australia.[4]

Political career

In 1989, Inga Peulich joined the Moorabbin Branch of the Liberal Party and a year later was elected to the Moorabbin City Council. She was a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1992 to 2002, representing the electorate of Bentleigh. One of many members elected in Jeff Kennett's landslide win at the 1992 election, Peulich lost her seat of Bentleigh at the 2002 election, having held it one term in opposition for the first time since the seat was created and was defeated at the fourth election.[5] She returned to parliament at the 2006 election, being elected to the Legislative Council as one of the members for South Eastern Metropolitan Region. Peulich was re-elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 2010 and 2014[6] In 1992 Peulich expressed opposition to some of the proposed expansion of Westfield Southland.[7]

Following a varied parliamentary committee career, Peulich was promoted to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary, Education and Communities in February 2008. Following the election of the Baillieu Liberal/National Coalition at the 2010 Victorian State Election, Peulich was appointed Secretary to Liberal Parliamentary Party and Coalition and in March 2013, promoted to Parliamentary Secretary for Education [8]

In March 2014, Peulich was promoted to Cabinet Secretary in the Napthine Ministry.[9]

In 2017, Peulich unsuccessfully opposed:

  • A safe injecting room trial in Richmond, a harm minimisation strategy modelled on the successful program in Sydney.[10]
  • The Assisted Dying or euthanasia legislation passed in Victoria.[11]

In September 2017, Peulich was dumped from her role for scrutiny of government. She retained her opposition portfolio for Multicultural Affairs.[12]

Controversial stance on LGBT youth

The MLC has raised ire in certain spheres of Victorian society for her views against initiatives such as the Safe Schools programme. In the most recent edition of the Quarterly Essay, Peulich is cited as stating that the programme—designed to keep gender and sexually diverse students safe—is, “‘frightening’, and saying that it cultivates in children ‘an isolation from their own families and their own values’.”[13]

Multiculturalism

In 2007 Peulich employed race blogger Gary Anderton as an adviser. He had published material maligning Aborigines and his Indian doctor on his blog in 2004. At the 2006 Victorian state election he had run as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Lyndhurst.[14]

In 2007 Peulich was accused by others in the Liberal Party of being a key supporter of Ken Aldred's attempt to gain Liberal preselelction for the federal electorate of Holt. In 1995, Aldred had tabled documents in the federal parliament linking Mark Leibler, National Chairman of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, to an alleged money laundering scam run by the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad. The so-called Suriname papers were later exposed as fakes. When told Aldred had won the Holt ballot, Liebler telephoned Treasurer Peter Costello, and the Prime Minister's office, to demand the result be overturned, and Aldred's endorsement was withdrawn.[15][16]

Following the defeat of the Liberal National coalition government at the 2014 Victorian State election, Peulich was appointed to the shadow cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Scrutiny of Government.[17]

In 2018, Peulich labelled Victorian Greens MP Samantha Ratnam a 'pig' while Ratnam was speaking on increasing gender and cultural diversity in the Victorian parliament.[18]

Media

Following the 2010 State election, Peulich was credited with playing a significant role in winning several sandbelt metropolitan seats to secure a narrow win for the Victorian Liberal/ National Coalition Government.[19]

In November 2012 Inga Peulich accused Liberal member Geoff Gledhill and conservative fellow traveller Tamsin Bearsley of party disloyalty for failing to vote for her son in his mayoral bid.[20]

In January 2013, a number of articles were run in the Age newspaper, based on dubious e-mails accusing Peulich of intervening directly on behalf of her son in his mayoral bid.[21] However Fairfax was unable to confirm the source and the authenticity of the e-mails and acknowledged it could not be sure if Peulich sent them.[22]

Family and Personal life

When not working in politics Peulich enjoys family activities, community and international affairs, sport and recreation, education and further study, and travel.[4]

Peulich's husband Savo, son Paul and mother Nena Dosen, all ran as candidates at the 2003 election for the Glen Eira City Council.[9] In 2008, Paul was elected to the Kingston City Council. He was unanimously elected Mayor of Kingston for 2013–2014.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Parliament of Victoria". Parliament of Victoria. Parliament of Victoria. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Women Australia". Women of Australia. Women of Australia. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Herald Sun Newspaper". herald Sun. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Parliament of Victoria". Parliament of Victoria. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Tally Room – Bentleigh". The Tally Room. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Victorian Electoral Commission". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  7. ↑ http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/243.htm
  8. ↑ "Parliament of Victoria". Parliament of Victoria. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Parliament of Victoria – Members Information – Inga Peulich (South-Eastern Metropolitan)". parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "Inquiry denies proposal for safe injection room in North Richmond". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Mammoth debate over euthanasia — why is it taking so long?". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Victorian Coalition shakes up frontbench in preparation for 2018 election". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  13. ↑ Law, Benjamin (2017-09-09). Quarterly Essay 67 Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal. Black Inc. ISBN 9781925435887.
  14. ↑ Ferguson, John (2008-05-20). "Race blogger Gary Anderton advises Liberal MP". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  15. ↑ "Victorian Liberal Party decides not to endorse Ken Aldred as its candidate for Holt". Stateline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2007-03-23. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  16. ↑ Hannan, Ewan; Wallace, Rick (2007-03-24). "Raking over the ashes". The Australian. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  17. ↑ Smethurst, Annika (2014-12-17). "Opposition Leader Matthew Guy reveals fresh Coalition front bench". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
  18. ↑ "Lib MP's Vic parliament 'pig' jab to Green". SBS News. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "the Age". The Age. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  20. ↑ "Meddling MP fuels Liberal row". theage.com.au. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  21. ↑ "Empress of the south-east". theage.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  22. ↑ "Star Community". Star Community. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  23. ↑ Walker, Neil (2013-11-20). "Councillors Back Peulich Power Push". Chelsea-Mordialloc News. issuu. Retrieved 2017-02-20.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
Ann Barker		 Member for Bentleigh
1992–2002		 Succeeded by
Rob Hudson
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