18 Facts About Marshall Perron

Marshall Bruce Perron was born on 5 February 1942 and is a former Australian politician, who was Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 1988 to 1995.

Marshall Perron served as a Country Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northern Territory from the formation of the Assembly in 1974 until his resignation in 1995.

Marshall Perron's family was from Darwin, but had been evacuated to Perth due to the threat of Japanese attack during World War II.

Marshall Perron entered politics in 1974, when he was elected as a member of the first Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, which replaced the partly elected Legislative Council.

Marshall Perron represented the division of Stuart Park for the Country Liberal Party.

Marshall Perron joined Letts' executive in December 1975 as Executive Member for Municipal and Consumer Affairs and Cabinet Member for Education and Planning from 1976 to 1977.

From 1 July 1978, when self-government came into effect, Marshall Perron became Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer and Minister for Lands and Housing until 1980 when he took the Industrial Development and Community Development portfolios instead of Lands and Housing, although he regained that position in 1982.

Marshall Perron won the seat from the incumbent Labor Party candidate Pam O'Neil.

Marshall Perron was Attorney-General when the discovery of a matinee jacket near Ayers Rock raised doubts about the conviction of Lindy Chamberlain for the alleged murder of her infant daughter Azaria.

Marshall Perron announced Chamberlain's immediate release from prison, and the establishment of a Royal Commission into the convictions of Lindy and her husband Michael.

Marshall Perron returned to the backbench in May 1986, but returned in 1987 as Minister for Industries and Development under Stephen Hatton.

Marshall Perron became Chief Minister on 14 July 1988, after having rejected previous offers for the position.

Marshall Perron served as his own Treasurer, and was Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services from September 1989 until July 1994.

Marshall Perron stayed in office for just under seven years, longer than any head of government in the Territory except Everingham.

Marshall Perron restored a measure of stability to the government, which had seen three Chief Ministers in four years.

Marshall Perron faced his first electoral test at the 1990 Territory election.

An advocate for voluntary euthanasia, Marshall Perron was instrumental in devising the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill which he introduced to Parliament on 22 February 1995.

Marshall Perron resigned as Chief Minister and retired from politics on the morning of the debate over the bill, maintaining that he did not want his position to influence the debate.