Bob McMullan
Encyclopedia
Robert Francis McMullan (born 10 December 1947) is an Australian former politician who represented the Australian Labor Party
in both the Senate
and the House of Representatives
.
He was born in Perth
, Western Australia, and educated at the University of Western Australia
, studying economics and arts. Active in the movement against the Vietnam War
, McMullan was conscripted
for military service in 1968 but successfully argued in court that he was a conscientious objector
. McMullan became an industrial advocate for the trade unions, joining the Labor Party in 1973.
In 1975, McMullan became the Labor Party's Western Australian State Secretary. In 1981 he became National Secretary, based in Canberra
, where he has lived ever since. He played a minor role in the 1983 election
, at which Labor under Bob Hawke
was successful..
On 19 January 2010, McMullan announced he would retire at the next federal election.
in the Senate, caused by the resignation of Susan Ryan
. This was the second (and last) time that a territory senate vacancy was filled in this way.
McMullan was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer 1990–93, Minister for the Arts
and Minister for Administrative Services 1993–94, Minister for Administrative Services 1994 and Minister for Trade
1994–96 in the government of Paul Keating
.
On 6 February 1996 he resigned his Senate seat in order to contest the Division of Canberra
in the House of Representatives at the March election; he was successful. The Keating government having been defeated by John Howard
, Labor went into opposition and McMullan was elected as a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry. In 1998, following a redistribution, McMullan moved to the neighbouring seat of Fraser
.
McMullan became Manager of Opposition Business (opposite number to the Leader of the House
) in 1998, and following Labor's 2001 electoral defeat he was made Shadow Treasurer (finance minister). In July 2003 McMullan was replaced as Shadow Treasurer by Mark Latham
and relegated to the post of Shadow Minister for Finance, taking on additional responsibility for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs.
When Latham became Leader he gave the job of Shadow Treasurer to his predecessor Simon Crean, despite having promised the job to McMullan. McMullan then became Shadow Minister for Finance and Shadow Minister for Small Business.
In Question Time
in Parliament, McMullan has gained a reputation for repeatedly asking the same question in different words if he does not get a direct answer. After the 2004 election, McMullan did not stand for election to the Shadow Cabinet, in what was widely seen as an expression of lack of confidence in the leadership of Mark Latham
.
Following the election of Kevin Rudd
on 4 December 2006 as Opposition Leader in place of Kim Beazley
, McMullan returned to the front bench in the junior role of Labor spokesperson on Federal-State Relations, the reform of which was one of Rudd's declared priorities.
In the 2007 federal election McMullan successfully held his seat of Fraser, albeit with a two-party preferred to Labor swing of 3% less than the national average.
When the First Rudd Ministry
was sworn in on 3 December 2007, McMullan was given the junior post of Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.
He retired prior to the 2010 federal election.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in both the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
and the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
.
He was born in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia, and educated at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
, studying economics and arts. Active in the movement against the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, McMullan was conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
for military service in 1968 but successfully argued in court that he was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
. McMullan became an industrial advocate for the trade unions, joining the Labor Party in 1973.
In 1975, McMullan became the Labor Party's Western Australian State Secretary. In 1981 he became National Secretary, based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, where he has lived ever since. He played a minor role in the 1983 election
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
, at which Labor under Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
was successful..
On 19 January 2010, McMullan announced he would retire at the next federal election.
Parliamentary career
On 16 February 1988, McMullan was chosen by a joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate to fill a casual vacancy in the representation of the Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
in the Senate, caused by the resignation of Susan Ryan
Susan Ryan
Susan Maree Ryan AO is an Australian educator who served as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory 1975–87...
. This was the second (and last) time that a territory senate vacancy was filled in this way.
McMullan was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer 1990–93, Minister for the Arts
Minister for the Arts (Australia)
The Australian Minister for the Arts is the Hon Simon Crean MP. The portfolio is part of the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio. The only minister before Simon Crean to have the title of Minister for the Arts was Bob McMullan between 24 March 1993 and 25 March 1994...
and Minister for Administrative Services 1993–94, Minister for Administrative Services 1994 and Minister for Trade
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
1994–96 in the government of Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
.
On 6 February 1996 he resigned his Senate seat in order to contest the Division of Canberra
Division of Canberra
The Division of Canberra is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. The division was created in 1974 from the southern half of the old Division of Australian Capital Territory...
in the House of Representatives at the March election; he was successful. The Keating government having been defeated by John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, Labor went into opposition and McMullan was elected as a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry. In 1998, following a redistribution, McMullan moved to the neighbouring seat of Fraser
Division of Fraser
The Division of Fraser is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. It also covers the Jervis Bay Territory.The division was created in 1974 and is named for James Fraser, who was member for Australian Capital Territory 1951-70...
.
McMullan became Manager of Opposition Business (opposite number to the Leader of the House
Leader of the House
There are several offices titled Leader of the House:* Leader of the House in the Australian Parliament* Leader of the House in the Parliament of Singapore* Leader of the House in the Parliament of Sri Lanka...
) in 1998, and following Labor's 2001 electoral defeat he was made Shadow Treasurer (finance minister). In July 2003 McMullan was replaced as Shadow Treasurer by Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
and relegated to the post of Shadow Minister for Finance, taking on additional responsibility for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs.
When Latham became Leader he gave the job of Shadow Treasurer to his predecessor Simon Crean, despite having promised the job to McMullan. McMullan then became Shadow Minister for Finance and Shadow Minister for Small Business.
In Question Time
Question Time
Question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers , which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be cancelled in exceptional circumstances...
in Parliament, McMullan has gained a reputation for repeatedly asking the same question in different words if he does not get a direct answer. After the 2004 election, McMullan did not stand for election to the Shadow Cabinet, in what was widely seen as an expression of lack of confidence in the leadership of Mark Latham
Mark Latham
Mark William Latham , an author and former Australian politician, was leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005....
.
Following the election of Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
on 4 December 2006 as Opposition Leader in place of Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
, McMullan returned to the front bench in the junior role of Labor spokesperson on Federal-State Relations, the reform of which was one of Rudd's declared priorities.
In the 2007 federal election McMullan successfully held his seat of Fraser, albeit with a two-party preferred to Labor swing of 3% less than the national average.
When the First Rudd Ministry
First Rudd Ministry
The Rudd Ministry was the 65th Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party.The Ministry was sworn in by the 24th Governor-General of Australia Major-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December 2007, following the 2007 election, and it ended on 24 June 2010...
was sworn in on 3 December 2007, McMullan was given the junior post of Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.
He retired prior to the 2010 federal election.
External links
- Biographical and other Details on Official Labor Party Web Site Accessed 15 September 2008