Paul Lucas (politician)
Encyclopedia
Paul Thomas Lucas is the Attorney-General of Queensland
and Minister for Local Government
and Special Minister of State (which includes: Attorney-General, Local Government and Planning, Fair Trading, Liquor Licencing and Gaming regulation) in the Bligh Labor Government and the Member for Lytton
. Lucas was a solicitor prior to entering Parliament, has a Bachelor degrees in Economics and in Law and a Master of Business Administration
.
in October 1996 at a by-election for the seat of Lytton, vacated by former Deputy Premier Tom Burns
.
Lucas was previously the Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning between September 2007 and March 2009. Lucas served as Minister for Transport and Main Roads between 2004 and 2007. Prior to that he was Minister for Innovation and Information Economy, with ministerial responsibility for Energy between 2001 and 2004.
Lucas was once under investigation for electoral malpractice in the Shepherdson Inquiry, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
While Lucas was Minister for Transport, he was issued a speeding ticket, which his driver paid for instead due to a mix-up. The incident attracted much negative attention from the media and the public.
There were calls for his resignation over the bungled rollout of a payroll
system for Queensland Health workers in 2010. An online petition was started by the Queensland Public Sector Union
as part of a campaign to force Lucas to resign after the Auditor-General released a report which heavily criticised the implementation of the new payroll system.
On 15 September 2011, Lucas announced he would step down as Deputy Premier the following day and would retire from the parliament at the next Queensland state election
.
and the Port of Brisbane
. He has also worked to ensure that the Wynnum Manly community has benefited from the economic development of the Port and the Australia TradeCoast
area.
in Brisbane
, Lucas admitted to having suffered an epileptic seizure but that he had returned to work and was "fighting fight", providing an example to the community that people with chronic medical conditions can participate fully in public life.
Attorney-General of Queensland
The Attorney-General of Queensland is a ministry of the Government of Queensland with responsibility for the state's legal and justice system.The current Attorney-General of Queensland is Paul Lucas.-List of Attorneys-General of Queensland:-References:...
and Minister for Local Government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
and Special Minister of State (which includes: Attorney-General, Local Government and Planning, Fair Trading, Liquor Licencing and Gaming regulation) in the Bligh Labor Government and the Member for Lytton
Electoral district of Lytton
The district of Lytton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is based in the eastern suburbs of Brisbane, to the south of the Brisbane River. It is named for the suburb of Lytton and also includes the suburbs of Hemmant, Lota, Manly...
. Lucas was a solicitor prior to entering Parliament, has a Bachelor degrees in Economics and in Law and a Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
.
Political career
He was elected to the Queensland ParliamentQueensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
in October 1996 at a by-election for the seat of Lytton, vacated by former Deputy Premier Tom Burns
Tom Burns
Thomas Everett Burns was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Chicago White Stockings/Colts. He also played for, and managed, the Pittsburgh Pirates for part of one season. Burns was the brother of National League umpire, John Burns...
.
Lucas was previously the Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning between September 2007 and March 2009. Lucas served as Minister for Transport and Main Roads between 2004 and 2007. Prior to that he was Minister for Innovation and Information Economy, with ministerial responsibility for Energy between 2001 and 2004.
Lucas was once under investigation for electoral malpractice in the Shepherdson Inquiry, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
While Lucas was Minister for Transport, he was issued a speeding ticket, which his driver paid for instead due to a mix-up. The incident attracted much negative attention from the media and the public.
There were calls for his resignation over the bungled rollout of a payroll
Payroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
system for Queensland Health workers in 2010. An online petition was started by the Queensland Public Sector Union
Queensland Public Sector Union
The Queensland Public Sector Union is an Australian trade union for most workers employed by the Queensland state government. The QPSU operates on an organising model, which entails making delegates and members more participatory in their industrial activism....
as part of a campaign to force Lucas to resign after the Auditor-General released a report which heavily criticised the implementation of the new payroll system.
On 15 September 2011, Lucas announced he would step down as Deputy Premier the following day and would retire from the parliament at the next Queensland state election
Next Queensland state election
The 2012 Queensland state election will elect all 89 members of the Legislative Assembly. Queensland elections must be held on a Saturday, the last possible date being calculated by reference to the previous election writs, and therefore slightly longer than 3 years after the previous election...
.
Community affiliations
Lucas belongs to many community organisations, including the Wynnum Manly Leagues Club, and is a patron of organisations such as Bay FM, Wynnum Softball Association, Eastern districts Orchid Society Inc and the Aid and Recreational Association for the Disabled and Wynnum Table Tennis. He was also a founding member of the Bayside Community Legal Service. He has played an important role in environmental issues, in particular fighting for a buffer zone between residential areas of Wynnum NorthWynnum, Queensland
Wynnum is a suburb located on the shores of Moreton Bay in Brisbane, Australia, about 16 kilometres east of the CBD. The area was sparsely settled until the arrival of the railway in the late 1880s, but then grew fairly rapidly. The former Wynnum Shire Council was created in 1902, and twelve years...
and the Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane
Port of Brisbane is the shipping port of Brisbane, on the east coast of Australia. It is located in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River on reclaimed land that was once called Fisherman Islands at the mouth of the river. It currently is the third busiest port in Australia and the nation's...
. He has also worked to ensure that the Wynnum Manly community has benefited from the economic development of the Port and the Australia TradeCoast
Australia TradeCoast
Australia TradeCoast is an economic development area of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia.The concept of branding and promoting the empty space around Brisbane's port and airport, following many years of Government reports and soul-searching on what might be done with the...
area.
Personal life
On 20 January 2010, upon release from the Mater Private HospitalMater Private Hospital
The Mater Private Hospital is a private Catholic hospital in Ireland. Founded in 1986, it shares a campus on Eccles Street, Dublin 7, with its sister public hospital, the Mater Misercordiae Hospital...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Lucas admitted to having suffered an epileptic seizure but that he had returned to work and was "fighting fight", providing an example to the community that people with chronic medical conditions can participate fully in public life.