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{{short description|56th Mayor of Dunedin}}
{{For|the Malaysian politician|Peter Chin Fah Kui}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific_prefix =
|name = Peter Chin
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|size=100%}}
| image = Peter Chin 2010 Otago Rally.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Chin in 2010
|order = 56th
|office = Mayor of Dunedin
|term_start = 2004
|term_end = 2010
|predecessor = [[Sukhi Turner]]
|successor = [[Dave Cull]]
| birth_name = Peter Wing Ho Chin
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1941}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Lawyer
}}
'''Peter Wing Ho Chin''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|size=85%}} ({{zh|c=陳荣和|p=Chén Rónghé|j={{kCantonese|陳荣和}}|first=j}}, born 1941) is a lawyer and was the 56th [[Mayor of Dunedin]], New Zealand. He served two terms as Mayor from 2004 to 2010.<ref name="OBHS">{{cite journal |last1=Rodgers |first1=Melissa |title=Visit from Old Boy Peter Chin |journal=Hail to |date=19 September 2017 |url=https://hail.to/otago-boys-high-school/article/k7ANGMp |access-date=20 March 2023}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Peter Chin is a descendant of the earliest Chinese immigrants to New Zealand,<ref name=TeAra_Ip>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Peter Chin |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4106/peter-chin |first=Manying |last=Ip |date=15 November 2012 |encyclopedia=[[Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand]] |accessdate=6 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016012929/https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4106/peter-chin |archive-date=16 October 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> and his family owned a [[fish and chips]] [[Take-out|take-away]] establishment in [[Dunedin]].<ref name="OBHS" />

In the 1950s Chin was a student at [[Otago Boys' High School]]<ref name="OBHS" /> and then the [[University of Otago]], graduating with an LLB in 1965.<ref name="Otago Uni">{{cite journal |title=Leaders, 150 Alumni heroes |journal=University of Otago Magazine |date=Autumn 2019 |issue=48 |url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine/issue48/alumni-heroes/otago709076.html |access-date=20 March 2023}}</ref> He started working as a lawyer in Dunedin in 1968 and became a founding partner at the Otago law firm Webb Farry. He also took up a position in the [[Otago District Law Society]].<ref name="Hidden Talent">{{cite news |title=Hidden Talent: Former Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/201832991/hidden-talent-former-dunedin-mayor-peter-chin |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=13 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120195048/https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/201832991/hidden-talent-former-dunedin-mayor-peter-chin |archive-date=20 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rae |first1=Sally |title=Team player in law |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/business/team-player-law |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=1 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320233047/https://www.odt.co.nz/business/team-player-law |archive-date=20 March 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Mayoral career==
Chin was first elected in 1995 as a councillor in the [[Dunedin City Council]], representing the Hills Ward. He served three terms before being elected as [[Mayor of Dunedin|Mayor]] during the [[2004 Dunedin mayoral election]], replacing [[Sukhi Turner]] who was retiring as mayor. He was re-elected during the [[2007 Dunedin mayoral election]] with an absolute majority.<ref name="OBHS" />

As Mayor, Chin supported the [[Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza|Forsyth Barr Stadium]], which drew controversy over its cost and source of funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/court-appeal-dimisses-allegations-against-dunedin-city-council-108913|title=Court of Appeal dismisses allegations against Dunedin City Council|last=Gregor|first=Kelly|date=24 August 2009|work=[[National Business Review]]|accessdate=17 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611064055/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/court-appeal-dimisses-allegations-against-dunedin-city-council-108913|archive-date=11 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Dunedin-stadium-plans-advance/tabid/423/articleID/100435/cat/64/Default.aspx|title=Dunedin stadium plans advance|date=20 April 2009|work=[[Newshub|3 News]]|accessdate=17 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324083420/http://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Dunedin-stadium-plans-advance/tabid/423/articleID/100435/cat/64/Default.aspx|archive-date=24 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the course of examining funding options he sent a confidential letter to the Government asking for money without full Council approval,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/41163/questions-over-secret-stadium-letter|title=Questions over secret stadium letter|last=Price|first=Mark|date=29 January 2009|work=[[Otago Daily Times]]|accessdate=17 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525044756/http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/41163/questions-over-secret-stadium-letter|archive-date=25 May 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> and was on a committee of three that later censured Councillor Teresa Stevenson for leaking the letter to the ''[[Otago Daily Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/54311/stevenson-apologise-leaking-information|title=Stevenson to apologise for leaking information|last=Schofield|first=Edith|date=6 May 2009|work=[[Otago Daily Times]]|accessdate=14 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507111653/http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/54311/stevenson-apologise-leaking-information|archive-date=7 May 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Post-mayoral career==
During the [[2010 Dunedin mayoral election]], Peter Chin was defeated by [[Greater Dunedin]] candidate and [[Dunedin City Council]] councillor [[Dave Cull]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cull wins Dunedin mayoralty|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/elections-2010/dunedin-city-council/130812/cull-wins-dunedin-mayoralty|date=9 October 2010|work=[[Otago Daily Times]]|accessdate=10 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011163620/http://www.odt.co.nz/elections-2010/dunedin-city-council/130812/cull-wins-dunedin-mayoralty|archive-date=11 October 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> He was one of the twelve members of the [[New Zealand Constitutional Advisory Panel|Constitutional Advisory Panel]], which sought public input on a written constitution for New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Panel |url=http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/ArcAggregator/arcView/frameView/IE28514444/http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/ |work=Constitutional Advisory Panel |date= |accessdate=24 March 2019}}</ref> since 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/constitutional-advisory-panel-named |title=Constitutional Advisory Panel named |date=4 August 2011 |work=beehive.govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand Government |accessdate=6 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923185242/http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/constitutional-advisory-panel-named |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Community involvement==
In addition to his professional and mayoral career, Chin served as the chair of the [[Otago Community Trust]], the [[Chinese Garden Trust]], the Otago District Law Society and head of the [[Gambling Commission (New Zealand)|Gambling Commission]], the government-appointed panel that regulates [[casino]]s.<ref name="Hidden Talent" /> In the [[2003 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2003 New Year Honours]], he was appointed a [[Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for services to local-body and community affairs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2003 | title=New Year honours list 2003 |date=31 December 2002 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=26 July 2019}}</ref>

As chair of the Chinese Gardens Trust, Chin presided over the building of the [[Dunedin Chinese Garden]], which receive NZ$3.75 million in public funding and NZ$1 million in ratepayer funding. The Chinese Garden opened in May 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/7995/200000-boost-chinese-garden|title=$200,000 boost for Chinese garden|date=31 May 2008|work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |accessdate=17 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609025901/http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/7995/200000-boost-chinese-garden|archive-date=9 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/7462/eleven-year-wait-chinese-garden|title=Glimpse at Chinese garden|date=28 May 2008|work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |accessdate=17 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609030031/http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/7462/eleven-year-wait-chinese-garden|archive-date=9 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> The Garden was constructed in an authentic manner, using almost a thousand tonnes of rocks imported from [[Lake Tai]], China.<ref>Beattie, J. (ed.) (2008). ''Lan Yuan: The garden of enlightenment.'' Dunedin: Dunedin Chinese Garden Trust. p.64</ref>

He also served the chair of the national Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust, which was set up with government funding in 2004.<ref name=TeAra_Ip/><ref name=DIA/> The trust aims to raise awareness of the early Chinese community in New Zealand and its history, language and culture.<ref name=DIA>{{cite web |url=http://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/Funding-and-grants---Trust-and-fellowship-grants---Chinese-Poll-Tax-Heritage-Trust |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628234500/http://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/Funding-and-grants---Trust-and-fellowship-grants---Chinese-Poll-Tax-Heritage-Trust |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2011 |title=Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust |date=2014 |work=communitymatters.govt.nz |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |accessdate=6 September 2015 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Chin has been married to Noleen since 1964 with whom he had 4 children.<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate profiles for Mayor and Council wards|url=http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?MIvalObj=candidate_mayor_wards&MItypeObj=application/pdf&ext=.pdf|work=Dunedin City Council|accessdate=15 April 2008}}</ref> he lives in [[Roslyn, Otago|Roslyn]] and is a prominent opera singer. Chin suffered a heart attack on New Year's eve, 2014<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz/about-superseniors/minister-senior-citizens/superseniors-champions/peter-chin-champion.html |title=Heart attack survivor reflects on life - Super Seniors |access-date=29 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529083835/http://www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz/about-superseniors/minister-senior-citizens/superseniors-champions/peter-chin-champion.html |archive-date=29 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> whilst on a plane from Dunedin to Wellington to visit his son. He had a [[Coronary artery bypass surgery|triple bypass]] and later recovered.

==Filmography==
Chin played a minor part in the 1987 film ''[[Illustrious Energy]]'', a historic drama based on the experiences of Chinese gold miners in Central Otago.<ref>{{cite web |author1=The Film Archive |title=Illustrious Energy screens at the Film Archive |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1310/S00192/illustrious-energy-screens-at-the-film-archive.htm |website=[[Scoop (website)|Scoop]] |access-date=22 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422053352/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1310/S00192/illustrious-energy-screens-at-the-film-archive.htm |archive-date=22 April 2023 |date=10 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20081014134203/http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/councillors/mayor-peter-chin Profile and contact information at the Dunedin City Council]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014040116/http://www.webbfarry.co.nz/people/pchin.htm Biography at Webb Farry Barristers & Solicitors]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sukhi Turner]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Mayor of Dunedin]]|years=2004-2010}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Dave Cull]]}}
{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chin, Peter}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Mayors of Dunedin]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Dunedin]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:University of Otago alumni]]
[[Category:People educated at Otago Boys' High School]]

Peter Chin - Revision history

imported>Northern Moonlight: ce