Peter McMullin

Peter McMullin (25 April 1952) was the Mayor of Geelong in 2006 and Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne between 1996 and 1999. McMullin served as a Councillor of the City of Geelong since 2004 and served as a Councillor of the City of Melbourne from 1996 to 1999. McMullin is a life-long member and power broker within the Australian Labor Party

McMullin is the son of Ian McMullin, the founder and Managing Director of Spotless, an ASX 200 company which specialises in cleaning, catering, facilities management and non-core business support to outsourcing markets in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. McMullin is widely regarded as the heir-apparent of Spotless.

Politics

In 2001, following the Victorian Government's dismissal of the Melbourne City Council and its subsequent reform, Peter McMullin emerged as one of the two favourites to be elected Lord Mayor. The other favourite was multi-millionaire shoe retailer Peter Sheppard. McMullin's position was publicly endorsed by the Labor Party and then-Victoria Premier Steve Bracks. In an upset election, McMullin and Sheppard were both defeated by another Melbourne City Councillor at the time, multi-millionaire businessman John So.

McMullin, a long standing member of the Labor Party, then stood for pre-selection in the Federal Seat of Corangamite, winning local and central party support. At the Australian Federal Election in 2004, McMullin defied a national trend against the Labor Party and secured a small swing toward Labor against Liberal Party opponent Stewart McArthur, but not enough to win the seat.

In October 2008, following Melbourne Lord Mayor John So's decision not to seek a third term, McMullin emerged as a favourite to win the Lord Mayor Elections in November 2008. McMullin is rumoured to have the unofficial support of So and Victoria Premier John Brumby, having struck a deal with So's right-hand man and Chief of Staff, Kevin Louey, to install him as his number one Councillor candidate.