Duncan Pegg
{{Short description|Australian politician (1980–2021)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Duncan Pegg
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Duncan-Pegg-2016.png
| office = Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Stretton
| term_start = 31 January 2015
| term_end = 10 June 2021
| predecessor = Freya Ostapovitch
| successor = James Martin
| birth_date = 27 June 1980
| birth_place = Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|10 June 2021|27 June 1980}}
| death_place =
| party = Labor (1998–2021)
| spouse =
| children =
| alma_mater = Griffith University
Queensland University of Technology
| profession = {{hlist|Lawyer|Politician}}
| religion =
| website =
}}
Duncan Andrew Pegg (27 June 1980 – 10 June 2021) was an Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Stretton in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from the 2015 election until his death in 2021.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/qld-election-2015/guide/stre/|title=Stretton|work=Queensland Election 2015|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|last=Green|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Green}} On 22 April 2021, Pegg announced he would be resigning within several weeks to undergo treatment for cancer.{{cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-mp-duncan-pegg-resigns-triggering-byelection-20210422-p57lhx.html|title=Queensland MP Duncan Pegg resigns, triggering byelection|publisher=Brisbane Times}} Pegg's death triggered a by-election for Stretton.{{cite news |title=Queensland Labor MP Duncan Pegg to retire from politics to focus on cancer battle |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-22/qld-mp-duncan-pegg-retire-politics-focus-cancer-battle/100089016 |access-date=22 April 2021 |work=www.abc.net.au |date=22 April 2021 |language=en-AU}}
Early life
Pegg was born in Townsville, Queensland.{{cite news|last=Whiting|first=Frances|date=28 May 2021|title='Cancer just takes things away from you, one at a time': Inside ex-MP's terminal cancer battle|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/qweekend/cancer-just-takes-things-away-from-you-one-thing-at-a-time-inside-exmps-terminal-cancer-battle/news-story/c1c435fd0a364cd122f63e27e32c1c0e|url-access=subscription|work=The Courier-Mail|location= |access-date=11 June 2021}} He was the eldest in a family of five boys, including a set of triplets. He was raised and attended high school in Rockhampton, Queensland.
Compelled by his objection to the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, he joined the Australian Labor Party at the age of 17 in 1998.
He graduated from Griffith University with law and commerce degrees. majoring in politics. Pegg was then employed as an articled clerk at Sciaccas Lawyers before working as a lawyer for the National Union of Workers.
Parliamentary career
Pegg was first elected at the 2015 election, defeating incumbent Freya Ostapovitch on a swing of over 14%. Ostapovitch had won the previously safe seat from Labor during the Liberal National Party of Queensland landslide of the 2012 election. In the subsequent 2017 and 2020 elections, Pegg increased the margin of Stretton back into safe territory for Labor, winning 64.8% of the two-party preferred vote in 2020.{{cite web |title=Queensland 2020 Results - Stretton |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/qld/2020/guide/stre |website=ABC Elections |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |access-date=4 June 2021}}
During his time as a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Pegg served as a member of various committees including as Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee, Chair of the State Development, Tourism, Innovation and Manufacturing Committee, Chair of the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee, Chair of the Agriculture and Environment Committee and as a Member of the Ethics Committee.{{cite web |title=Member Details - Duncan Pegg |url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/current/list/MemberDetails?ID=425411558 |website=Queensland Parliament |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=4 June 2021}}
In 2017, Pegg was awarded the Queensland Public Service Award by the Queensland Intercultural Society.{{cite web |title=Qld Labor chooses Stretton candidate |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7279581/qld-labor-chooses-stretton-candidate/ |website=The Canberra Times |publisher=Australian Community Media |access-date=4 June 2021}}
On 4 June 2021, Stretton State College named its performing arts building the Duncan Pegg Performing Arts Centre in recognition of Pegg's support for the school's arts and instrumental music programs.{{cite web |title=Stretton State College - 10 June 2021 |url=https://strettonsc.schoolzineplus.com/newsletter/74048 |website=Stretton State College |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=10 June 2021}}
Pegg was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. He died at age 40 on 10 June 2021, seven weeks after he announced he was retiring from politics to focus on his health.{{cite news |title=Queensland MP Duncan Pegg dies after cancer fight |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-10/qld-former-labor-mp-duncan-pegg-dies-cancer/100204776 |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=ABC News |date=10 June 2021 |language=en-AU}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|au-qld}}
{{s-bef|before=Freya Ostapovitch}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member for Stretton|years=2015–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=James Martin}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pegg, Duncan}}
Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Queensland
Category:Griffith University alumni
Category:21st-century Australian politicians