Roger Michael Steele (born 29 May 1939) is a former Australian politician. He was a

Country Liberal Party The Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory (CLP) is a centre-right political party in Australia's Northern Territory. In local politics it operates in a two-party system with the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It also contests federal ...

member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1987, representing Ludmilla until 1983 and Elsey thereafter. Steele served as Executive Member for Transport and Industry from 1977 to 1978, Minister for Industrial Development and Minister for Transport and Works from 1978 to 1980, Minister for Primary Production and Minister Assisting the Treasurer from 1980 to 1982, and Minister for Primary Production, Minister for Transport and Works and Minister Assisting the Treasurer in 1982, and Minister for Transport and Works and Minister Assisting the Treasurer from 1982 to 1983. He was then Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1986. While Speaker, he was a trenchant critic of Chief Minister Ian Tuxworth, and in May 1986 publicly stated that he believed Tuxworth should and would be ousted by caucus, and that he would resign as Speaker if Tuxworth survived. He did not resign when Tuxworth subsequently won a caucus confidence vote, but stepped down when Tuxworth resigned and was replaced as Chief Minister by Stephen Hatton. Elsey was abolished ahead of the 1987 election, and Steele nominated for CLP preselection to contest

Katherine Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Christ ...

, essentially the urbanised portion of his old seat. However, he indicated to the preselection committee that he could not guarantee that he would serve a full term if elected. The Opposition Leader, Terry Smith, publicly suggested that Steele had only renominated because this would increase his superannuation. He was one of three incumbent MLAs at that election to be denied preselection by the party's central council; while Noel Padgham-Purich and Denis Collins were re-elected as independents, Steele retired and publicly campaigned for his endorsed successor, Mike Reed.

References

1939 births Living people Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Country Liberal Party members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Speakers of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia {{Australia-politician-stub