{{Short description|Australian politician}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Peter Tinley | honorific_suffix = AM | image = Peter Tinley.jpg | image_size = 150px | constituency_MP = Willagee | parliament = Western Australian | term_start = 28 November 2009 | term_end = 5 February 2025 | predecessor = Alan Carpenter | successor = ''District abolished'' | birth_name = Peter Charles Tinley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1962|7|9}} | birth_place = Karrinyup, Western Australia | citizenship = | party = Labor Party | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = University of New England<br />Royal Military College, Duntroon | occupation = Soldier, businessman | allegiance = Australia | branch = Australian Army | service_years = 1981–2006 | rank = Major | unit = Special Air Service Regiment | commands = | battles = Iraq War | mawards = Member of the Order of Australia }} '''Peter Charles Tinley''' (born 9 July 1962) is an Australian politician and former soldier. Peter was a Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly between November 2009 and February 2025, representing the now-abolished electorate of Willagee.
==Early life and military career== Born in the northern Perth suburb of Karrinyup, Tinley joined the Australian Army in 1981 and graduated from Royal Military College, Duntroon, earning the Queen's Medal as the cadet graduating top of his class.<ref name=abcbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2009/byelections/willagee.htm|title=2009 Willagee by-election|last=Green|first=Antony|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |authorlink=Antony Green|year=2009|accessdate=11 December 2009}}</ref> He spent 17 of his 25 years in the army in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). In 2002, he was the lead tactical planner for Australia's special forces advising the United States, and in 2003 he served as Deputy Commander for the Special Forces Task Group in Iraq. In the same year, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the military division for "dynamic leadership and consistent professional excellence".<ref name=abcbio/><ref name=aus251106>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/iraq-a-moral-blunder-says-war-hero/story-e6frg6nf-1111112581947|title=Iraq a moral blunder, says war hero|last=Walters|first=Patrick|work=The Australian|date=25 November 2006|accessdate=11 December 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1088/topstories/story02.htm From the Australian Army Soldier's Newspaper – 'Absolute commitment']</ref>
In late 2006, after leaving the army with the rank of major, Tinley spoke out against the decision of the Howard government to support the US and British initiative to invade Iraq on the basis of purported evidence of the country's possession of weapons of mass destruction. He also called for the immediate withdrawal of Australian troops.<ref name=aus251106/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1798696.htm|title=Tony Jones speaks with Major Peter Tinley|work=Lateline (ABC)|date=27 November 2006|accessdate=11 December 2009}}</ref>
In the meantime, Tinley conducted strategic planning and leadership workshops. Among other clients, he worked with the West Coast Eagles Football Club coaching staff.<ref>{{cite web |title=Curtin Business School Review |url=http://www.cbs.curtin.edu.au/files/CBS_Review_Issue_61.pdf |publisher=Curtin Business School |date=Spring 2006 |accessdate=29 April 2007 |archive-date=29 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829223233/http://www.cbs.curtin.edu.au/files/CBS_Review_Issue_61.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also ran a small business.
==Political career== In 2006, former federal opposition leader Kim Beazley approached Tinley to run for the federal Division of Stirling as the Labor Party's endorsed candidate at the 2007 election.<ref>{{cite web|title=Former SAS soldier approached by Labor|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1798845.htm|publisher= ABC News|date=28 November 2006|accessdate=28 November 2006}}</ref> The sitting member, Liberal MP Michael Keenan, retained the seat with a slightly reduced majority.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/website/HouseDivisionFirstPrefsByVoteType-13745-246.htm|title=WA Division – Stirling|date=25 November 2007|accessdate=2007-11-25|work=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref>
Upon the resignation of former premier Alan Carpenter from the safe Labor state seat of Willagee, Tinley was preselected to run for Labor at the resulting by-election on 28 November 2009. He was ultimately elected as the member for Willagee with over 60% of the two-party-preferred vote against the Greens' Hsien Harper.<ref name=abcbio/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-national/former-soldier-wins-willagee-byelection-20091129-jykf.html|title=Former soldier wins Willagee by-election|work=WAtoday|date=29 November 2009|accessdate=11 December 2009}}</ref>
Upon Labor's election to government at the 2017 state election, Tinley was appointed to the McGowan Ministry as minister for mines and petroleum, Veterans Issues, and Youth on 17 March. Five days later on 22 March, Tinley resigned as Mines and Petroleum minister, to avoid any claim of conflict of interest due to a family member working in the industry, and exchanged the Housing portfolio with Bill Johnston.<ref name="mines">{{cite news|title=New WA mining, housing ministers swap jobs|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/new-wa-mining-housing-ministers-swap-jobs/news-story/68d0bef633ceb6470b94c828b00c0a5e|accessdate=29 March 2017|work=PerthNow|date=23 March 2017}}</ref> Tinley later became Western Australia's Asian Engagement Minister.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-10/the-iron-ties-that-bind-australia-states-to-china/11664730|title='Use the countryside to surround the city': How Mao's tactics are winning over Australia's states|last=Borrello|first=Eliza|date=2019-11-10|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref>
On 19 March 2021, after the 2021 state election, Tinley was unexpectedly removed from cabinet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Personalities and portfolios: Premier's cabinet pick by pick |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/personalities-and-portfolios-premier-s-cabinet-pick-by-pick-20210318-p57bz1.html |website=WAtoday |access-date=12 March 2022 |date=19 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Peter Charles Tinley |url=https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/mphistoricaldata.nsf/LinkMembersDbNames/Tinley,%20Mr%20Peter |website=Parliament of Western Australia |access-date=12 March 2022}}</ref> After spending almost three years as a backbencher, on 14 March 2024 Tinley announced that he would not seek re-election at the 2025 state election.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/state-politics/willagee-mp-peter-tinley-announces-he-will-quit-politics-at-the-2025-election-as-part-of-labor-renewal-c-13948366 | title=Willagee MP Peter Tinley to quit Parliament at 2025 election | date=14 March 2024 }}</ref>
==Returned & Services League of Australia== Peter Tinley joined The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL Australia) about 2010. {{As of|2025}}, he was a member of the Cockburn Sub-Branch in Western Australia and chair of the Veterans' Transition Centre in Western Australia, a 70-bed facility supporting veterans at risk of homelessness. On 16 October 2025 he was elected as the national president of the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rslaustralia.org/rsl-national-president |title=Peter Tinley AM |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 2025 |website=RSL Australia |publisher=The Returned & Services League of Australia Limited |access-date=11 November 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192626/http://business.thewest.com.au/catalogues/about-product.jsp?orgID=20000724153305002&productID=20031129011503601 Photo from the West Australian newspaper after Tinley became a Member of the Order of Australia]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-wa}} {{s-bef|before=Alan Carpenter}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Willagee|years=2009–2025}} {{s-non|reason=District abolished}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tinley, Peter}} Category:1962 births Category:Australian Army officers Category:Australian military personnel of the Iraq War Category:Royal Military College, Duntroon graduates Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly Category:Politicians from Perth, Western Australia Category:University of New England (Australia) alumni Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Western Australia Category:21st-century Australian politicians