Peter Cochran (politician)
Encyclopedia
Peter Lachlan Cochran is a former Australia
n politician. He was the National Party
member for Monaro
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1988 to 1998.
Cochran was born in Albury
in New South Wales
. He enlisted in the Army
in 1965 and was sent to Vietnam
in 1969, returning in 1970. He left the main force in 1972, and was a reservist from 1977–79. Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace
, he farmed near Adaminaby
after leaving the armed forces and became involved in the National Party
.
In 1987 he stood unsuccessfully as the National candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro
, but came third after Labor MP Jim Snow
and Liberal candidate David Evans, obtaining 16.4% of the vote. Nevertheless, this was a large increase from the 1984 result of 3.9%. In 1988, Cochran was selected as the Nationals' candidate for the state seat of Monaro
, previously a marginal Labor seat. Cochran defeated sitting member John Akister
and also warded off an attempt by the Liberal Party
to win the seat. In parliament he acted as liaison between the parliamentary party and the Young Nationals
. He was re-elected in 1991 and 1995, but resigned from parliament on 26 October 1998, shortly before the 1999 election.
In 2001, Cochran returned to prominence as an independent
candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro
, one of several prominent independents to nominate for that election. Cochran came third behind the Liberal and Labor candidates, with 8.2% of the vote.
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. He was the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member for Monaro
Electoral district of Monaro
Monaro is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Barilaro of the National Party of Australia....
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1988 to 1998.
Cochran was born in Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He enlisted in the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
in 1965 and was sent to Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1969, returning in 1970. He left the main force in 1972, and was a reservist from 1977–79. Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, he farmed near Adaminaby
Adaminaby, New South Wales
Adaminaby is a small town near the Snowy Mountains located north-west of Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire.The historic town, of about 234 people, is a trout fishing centre and winter sports destination situated at above sea level. It is one of the highest towns in...
after leaving the armed forces and became involved in the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
.
In 1987 he stood unsuccessfully as the National candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro
Division of Eden-Monaro
The Division of Eden-Monaro is anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1900, and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the town of Eden and the Monaro district of southern New South Wales...
, but came third after Labor MP Jim Snow
Jim Snow
James Henry "Jim" Snow was an Australian politician.Snow was born in the Melbourne suburb of Surrey Hills, Victoria and graduated in pharmacy from the Victorian College of Pharmacy. He worked as a goat farmer, pharmacist and community worker for Queanbeyan City Council...
and Liberal candidate David Evans, obtaining 16.4% of the vote. Nevertheless, this was a large increase from the 1984 result of 3.9%. In 1988, Cochran was selected as the Nationals' candidate for the state seat of Monaro
Electoral district of Monaro
Monaro is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Barilaro of the National Party of Australia....
, previously a marginal Labor seat. Cochran defeated sitting member John Akister
John Akister
John Edward Akister is a former Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Monaro in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1976 to 1988, and served as a minister from 1984 to 1988....
and also warded off an attempt by 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...
to win the seat. In parliament he acted as liaison between the parliamentary party and the Young Nationals
Young Nationals (Australia)
The Young Nationals, is the youth division of the National Party of Australia, and membership is open to those between 18 and 35 years of age. Young Nationals also have full party membership, and partake in state and federal conferences with equal rights to members of the senior party...
. He was re-elected in 1991 and 1995, but resigned from parliament on 26 October 1998, shortly before the 1999 election.
In 2001, Cochran returned to prominence as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro
Division of Eden-Monaro
The Division of Eden-Monaro is anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1900, and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the town of Eden and the Monaro district of southern New South Wales...
, one of several prominent independents to nominate for that election. Cochran came third behind the Liberal and Labor candidates, with 8.2% of the vote.