Peter Collier (politician)

Peter Charles Collier (born 25 February 1959) is a former Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 2005 to 2025, representing North Metropolitan Region. He served as a minister in the government of Colin Barnett from 2008 until its defeat at the 2017 election.

Collier was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, to Beryl Lillian (née Davies) and Les Collier. He attended Eastern Goldfields Senior High School before going on to the University of Western Australia, where he studied teaching. After graduating, Collier taught at various high schools in the Perth metropolitan area, both public and private. He taught for periods at John Curtin Senior High School (1981–1983), Lesmurdie Senior High School (1985–1986), Presbyterian Ladies' College (1987–1988), and Scotch College (1990–2005).^[1] Outside of his teaching career, Collier was also a professional tennis coach. He spent a season on the WTA Tour in 1989, coaching Jenny Byrne, Jo-Anne Faull, and Dianne Van Rensburg.^[2]

It was revealed in the media in 2021 that Collier was part of a factional group of powerbrokers within his party known as "The Clan", alongside former federal finance minister Mathias Cormann and Nick Goiran. Leaked WhatsApp messages revealed that Collier sent sexist messages to other group members that referred to female Liberal members as "sandwich makers", "bitches" and "toxic cows".^[3]

Collier first stood for parliament at the 2001 state election, running unsuccessfully in fourth position on the Liberal Party's ticket in North Metropolitan Region.^[4] Prior to the election, he had been accused of forging signatures on membership forms and using people's names without their consent in order to secure party preselection. He denied the allegations, and a police investigation found there was "insufficient evidence against him".^[5][6] At the 2005 state election, Collier was elevated to second position on the Liberal Party's ticket, and was elected to a term starting in May 2005.^[7] One of his unsuccessful opponents for preselection was Alan Cadby, a sitting member, who subsequently resigned from the Liberal Party to sit as an independent.^[8]

Collier was elevated to the Liberal shadow ministry shortly after his election, and served under four leaders of the opposition (Matt Birney, Paul Omodei, Troy Buswell, and Colin Barnett). After the Liberal Party's victory at the 2008 state election, he was made Minister for Energy and Minister for Training and Workforce Development^[c] in the new ministry formed by Colin Barnett. In December 2010, Collier was also made Minister for Indigenous Affairs.^[b] In a ministerial reshuffle in June 2012, he replaced Liz Constable as Minister for Education, but lost the training portfolio to Murray Cowper. In a further reshuffle after the 2013 state election, Collier was made Minister for Electoral Affairs, but was replaced as energy minister by Mike Nahan.

Following the 2017 Western Australian state election, he held multiple shadow ministry portfolios such as Housing, Disability Services, Sports and Recreation, Police & Corrective Services, and Culture & the Arts.

He also became leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council, where he served as the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council from from March 2013 to March 2017, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council from March 2017 to March 2021, and again from February 2024 to May 2025.^[7]

Collier retired from politics on May and did not stand for election in the 2025 Western Australian state election.