Peter Dowling

{{short description|Australian politician}}

{{for|the screenwriter and director|Peter A. Dowling}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Peter Dowling

|honorific-suffix =

|image =

|nickname =

|office = Member of the Queensland Parliament for Redlands

|term_start = 21 March 2009

|term_end = 31 January 2015

|predecessor = John English

|successor = Matt McEachan

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1961|8|12}}

|birth_place = Leicester, England

|party = Independent 2017–Present

Liberal National Party 2009–2017

}}

Peter James Dowling (born 12 August 1961) is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal National Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 2009 to 2015, representing the electorate of Redlands.

Dowling was born in Leicester, England. Before entering politics he was a labourer, painter and decorator and sales representative. In 2000, he was elected to Redland City Council representing Division 4, which covers Victoria Point and Coochiemudlo Island; he was deputy mayor 2006–08. In 2009, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Liberal National Party member for Redlands, defeating Labor MP John English.{{cite web |title=Peter James Dowling |publisher=Queensland Parliamentary Library |url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/documents/memberBio/DowlingPeter.htm |accessdate=31 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601121606/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/documents/memberBio/DowlingPeter.htm |archive-date=1 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}

In August 2013, Dowling stood aside as chair of the Parliamentary Ethics Committee after it was revealed he sent explicit text messages and images.{{cite news |title=LNP MP Peter Dowling stands down in sexting scandal|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/lnp-mp-peter-dowling-stands-down-in-sexting-scandal-20130806-2rao5.html|accessdate=6 August 2013|newspaper=brisbanetimes.com.au|date=6 August 2013}} After his wife Helen kicked him out, Dowling attempted a political comeback, running for the seat of Redlands as an independent at the 2017 state election, but was unsuccessful.{{cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland-election-2017/wine-glass-plonker-mp-runs-as-independent-20171109-p4ywwt.html|title=Wine glass "plonker" MP runs as independent|work=Brisbane Times|date=9 November 2017|accessdate=26 November 2017}}