Denis Burke

Denis Gabriel Burke (born September 22, 1948) is an Australian politician. A former soldier, he served as a Country Liberal Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1994 to 2005. He spent two years as Chief Minister after succeeding Shane Stone, but oversaw the CLP's defeat at the 2001 election, ending 27 years of continuous CLP government in the Northern Territory. Burke later served as Opposition Leader from 2001 to 2003 before being toppled, but was re-elected as leader in 2005. He subsequently took the party to their largest ever defeat at the 2005 election, culminating in the shock loss of his own seat.

Political rise

In 1994 he left the army and entered politics, winning Country Liberal Party endorsement to contest the safe Palmerston-based seat of Brennan, at the expense of sitting member and Perron government minister Max Ortmann. Ortmann subsequently contested the seat as an independent, but was easily defeated by Burke.

Related Topics:
1994 - Country Liberal Party - Palmerston - Brennan - Perron - Max Ortmann

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Burke was first promoted to the Cabinet of the Northern Territory the following year, serving as Minister for Water and Power, Work Health and the Minister Responsible for the Territory Insurance Office. He quickly rose through the party, and in June 1996, was appointed Attorney-General and Minister for Health. He was re-elected at the 1997 election, and was once again promoted, taking on several more minor portfolios, as well as being appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council. In early 1998, he was one of two Country Liberal Party parliamentary delegates to the territory's Statehood Convention. In October 1998 he was appointed as the Leader of Government Business, and in December, took on a new set of responsibilities - among them industry, regional development, gaming and defence support.

Related Topics:
Cabinet of the Northern Territory - Minister for Water and Power - Work Health - Minister Responsible for the Territory Insurance Office - June - 1996 - Attorney-General - Minister for Health - 1997 election - Vice-President of the Executive Council - 1998 - Territory's Statehood Convention - October

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