Roger Steele facts for kids
Roger Michael Steele was an Australian politician. He was born on May 29, 1939. He received an award called the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service. Roger Steele was a member of the Country Liberal Party. He served in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, which is like the parliament for the Northern Territory. He represented the areas of Ludmilla from 1974 to 1983 and Elsey from 1983 to 1987.
| Years | Term | Electoral division | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–1977 | 1st | Ludmilla | Country Liberal Party | |
| 1977–1980 | 2nd | Ludmilla | Country Liberal Party | |
| 1980–1983 | 3rd | Ludmilla | Country Liberal Party | |
| 1983–1987 | 4th | Elsey | Country Liberal Party | |
Contents
What Did Roger Steele Do in Politics?
Roger Steele held many important jobs in the government of the Northern Territory. These roles are often called "ministers" or "executive members." They are in charge of different parts of the government.
Early Roles as Executive Member
From 1977 to 1978, Roger Steele was the Executive Member for Transport and Industry. This meant he helped manage how people and goods moved around the Northern Territory. He also looked after local businesses and factories.
Becoming a Minister
From 1978 to 1980, he became a Minister. He was the Minister for Industrial Development. He also served as the Minister for Transport and Works. These roles involved making decisions about new industries and building projects.
Managing Primary Production
From 1980 to 1982, Roger Steele was the Minister for Primary Production. This role focused on farming, fishing, and other natural resources. He also helped the Treasurer, who manages the government's money. In 1982, he briefly held all three roles: Primary Production, Transport and Works, and Assisting the Treasurer. He continued as Minister for Transport and Works and Assisting the Treasurer until 1983.
Roger Steele as Speaker
From 1984 to 1986, Roger Steele had a very important job. He was the Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. The Speaker is like the referee in a debate. They make sure that meetings are fair and follow the rules.
Challenges as Speaker
While he was Speaker, Roger Steele sometimes disagreed with the Chief Minister, Ian Tuxworth. The Chief Minister is the leader of the government. In May 1986, Steele publicly said he thought Tuxworth should be replaced. He even said he would quit as Speaker if Tuxworth stayed in power.
Stepping Down from the Role
Tuxworth did win a vote to keep his job. Roger Steele did not quit right away. However, he did step down as Speaker later. This happened when Ian Tuxworth resigned and Stephen Hatton became the new Chief Minister.
Leaving Politics
Before the 1987 election, the area Roger Steele represented, Elsey, was changed. He wanted to run for the new area called Katherine. This area included parts of his old seat.
Deciding Not to Run
Roger Steele told the political party that he might not be able to serve a full term if he was elected. The leader of the other political party, Terry Smith, suggested that Steele only wanted to run to get more retirement money.
Retirement from Public Life
Roger Steele was one of three politicians who were not chosen by their party to run again. While the other two ran as independent candidates and won, Steele decided to retire. He publicly supported the person chosen by his party, Mike Reed.
