Ray O'Connor

Infobox Criminal
subject_name = Raymond James O'Connor


image_size =
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date_of_birth = birth date and age|1926|3|6|df=y
place_of_birth = Perth, Western Australia
date_of_death =
place_of_death =
alias = Rocky
conviction = Defamation, Theft
penalty =
status =
occupation = Politician
spouse =
parents =
children =

Raymond James O'Connor (born 6 March 1926) was the Liberal Party Premier of Western Australia from 25 January 1982 until 25 February 1983. He was also known as "Rocky".

He was born in Perth and attended convent and government schools in the wheatbelt towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' school in Perth.

O'Connor joined the Australian Army and served in the intelligence section of the AIF where his commanding officer was Sir Charles Court.

It is said that O'Connor's late father, a former policeman, encouraged his son to start a political career because of his own disillusionment with H. V. Evatt's leadership of the ALP.

Before entering Parliament O'Connor won distinction as a sportsman - he was a State champion in athletics for hurdles and discus and also a good footballer for East Perth where he played 14 league games from 1948-50.

His first attempt to enter Parliament failed when he stood as an Independent Liberal candidate for the Metropolitan Province in the Legislative Council.

He joined the Liberal Party in 1957 and in the general election of 1959 he was elected MLA for North Perth, defeating a Labor man who had held the seat for 26 years.

O'Connor became Premier on the resignation of Sir Charles Court. He was defeated at the polls after just more than a year in office in 1983.

A Western Australian Royal Commission into business dealings by the Government was conducted during 1991 and 1992. The Commission's report found that he had been given a cheque for $25,000 by executives from Bond Corporation in 1984 to bribe Councillors from the City of Stirling to approve the Observation City development in Scarborough. It was alleged that he kept the money for himself.

He stood trial in 1995 on charges of stealing and criminal defamation and was jailed as a result.

References

* [http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/publications/publications.nsf/inquiries+and+commissions?openpage Western Australian Government Commissions of Inquiry]
* [http://www.ccentre.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?event=premiersRaymondoconnor Constitutional Centre biographical entry]

Transcript

* Reid, Stuart (1996) "Interview with Raymond James O'Connor, politician"(sound recording)] 8 sound cassettes (7 hr. 50 min.)A joint project of J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History and Parliament of Western Australia, Parliamentary History Committee. Transcript (typescript, 165 p. + index + appendix) Part of Battye ibrary catalogue note- "While reticent about going over matters from the WA Inc Royal Commission which led to him being gaoled, Mr O'Connor does discuss the prison experience and how he has affected by it. An extract from the judge's summing up in that court case is appended at Mr O'Connor's request"

Further reading

* Reid, G. S. and M.R. Oliver (1982) "The premiers of Western Australia 1890-1982 "Nedlands, W.A: University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 0855642149 pp.102-106