Steven Chaytor
{{short description|Australian politician (born 1976)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder | name =Steven Chaytor
| image = |
| nationality =Australian
| term_start =2005
| term_end =2007
| predecessor = Craig Knowles
| successor = Andrew McDonald
| constituency_MP = Macquarie Fields
| parliament = New South Wales
| party = Labor Party
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|02|19|df=y}}
| birth_place =
}}
Steven John Chaytor (born 19 February 1976) is an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2007, representing the southwest Sydney electorate of Macquarie Fields.{{Cite NSW Parliament |name=Mr Steven John Chaytor (1976- ) |former=Yes |access-date=30 April 2019 |id=2115}}
Chaytor was educated at St Gregory's College in Campbelltown and the University of Technology, Sydney, where he completed degrees in international studies and law. He worked as a solicitor and advisor to former Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam, and first entered local politics in 1999, when he was elected to the Campbelltown City Council.
Chaytor was widely expected as a favourite to enter federal politics when Mark Latham resigned as the member for the safe seat of Werriwa in 2005. However, after a messy pre-selection battle with Campbelltown Mayor Brenton Banfield over who would run in the resulting by-election, Chaytor lost out to compromise candidate Chris Hayes. There was little challenge possible, however, when Chaytor was nominated several months later to replace Craig Knowles in a by-election for his safe state seat of Macquarie Fields. Though he was challenged by whistleblower nurse Nola Fraser, Chaytor survived a strong swing to the Liberal Party to win the seat.
Assault conviction
On 20 December 2006, Chaytor was charged with assault over an alleged incident which occurred on 10 December.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1815518.htm|title=MP to appear in court on assault charges|work=ABC Online|date=20 December 2006|accessdate=14 June 2010}} Chaytor claimed in his defence that he was attempting to prevent his partner from self-harm.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/article/2006/12/20/1166290587827.html|title='Assault' MP: I tried to stop her|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 December 2006|accessdate=14 June 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}} The Premier, Morris Iemma, sought to suspend Chaytor's membership of the Labor Party.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1815942.htm|title=Iemma distances himself from Chaytor|work=ABC Online|date=20 December 2006|accessdate=14 June 2010}}
The case was heard on 15 January 2007 at Campbelltown Local Court, and Chaytor was found guilty four days later.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/01/19/1169095948459.html|title=MP found guilty of assault|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 January 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010}} NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced shortly after that he was to be expelled from the Labor Party and a new candidate found for the coming March state election.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/01/19/1830059.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718063142/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/01/19/1830059.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2012|title='Cowardly' Chaytor to be expelled from Labor|work=ABC Online|date=19 January 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010}} That new candidate was Dr Andrew McDonald, a local paediatrician.
Despite the fact that the assault conviction dealt with a personal matter involving Chaytor and that he had been disendorsed by the Labor Party, the Sunday Telegraph cited the conviction as among the reasons why the Iemma Government should be defeated at the March 2007 election.
On 30 July 2007, the conviction was quashed on appeal by the District Court, citing insufficient evidence. The appeal judge found that Chaytor had acted in self-defence and was trying to stop his former partner from committing suicide.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/07/30/1185647827074.html|title=Premier unmoved as MP's assault conviction quashed|last=Clennell|first=Andrew|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=31 July 2007|accessdate=14 June 2010}} The NSW branch of the ALP ultimately decided to reinstate Mr Chaytor's ALP membership in light of the legal decision.
Chaytor did not nominate as a candidate for re-election in the 2008 local government elections for Campbelltown City Council.
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{succession box | title=Member for Macquarie Fields | before=Craig Knowles | after=Andrew McDonald | years=2005 – 2007}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaytor, Steven}}
Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Category:Australian solicitors
Category:University of Technology Sydney Law School alumni
Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
Category:21st-century Australian politicians
Category:People educated at St Gregory's College, Campbelltown