Bob Stensholt

Bob Stensholt is an Australian politician in the Victorian Parliament. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1999, representing the electorate of Burwood. Since 2007 he has been the Chair, Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. From February 2003 to December 2006 he was Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury and Finance. [ [http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=161 re-member - Parliament of Victoria ] ]

Bob Stensholt’s initial victory in the seat of Burwood came at an 11 December 1999 by-election following the resignation from parliament of the previous member for Burwood and former Premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett. [ [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/1999-2000/2000rp19.htm Victorian Election 1999 (Research Paper 19 1999-2000) ] ] .

Stensholt’s by-election victory was unexpected and cemented the result of the 1999 state election which for a period had been up for grabs following an election in which three independents ended up with the balance of power, eventually throwing their support behind the Labor Party. The seat of Burwood had previously been held by the Liberal Party since its establishment in 1955, most recently by a margin of 10% at the state election less than two months previously. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/vic/2006/guide/burw.htm 2006 Victorian Election. Burwood Electorate Profile. Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) ] ]

Early in his career Stensholt had studied to be a Catholic priest, a matter the Liberal Party attempted to make some mileage out of during Stensholt's by-election campaign. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s73087.htm 7.30 Report - 13/12/1999: Burwood by-election blow to the Liberal Party ] ]

Since discontinuing his religious studies Stensholt primarily worked in various roles with the Australian Public Service in Canberra, most notably as Assistant Director-General of Australia's overseas aid program, AusAID. Prior to being elected Stensholt was working as a senior research fellow at Monash University and as an international development consultant. [ [http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=161 re-member - Parliament of Victoria ] ]

Stensholt was re-elected for a third term at the 2006 Victorian State Election with a two-candidate preferred margin of 7.46%. [ [http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/state2006resultBurwoodDistrict.html VEC: Burwood District State Election 2006 ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.bobstensholt.net/ Official website]
* [http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=161 Parliament of Victoria re-member parliamentary biography]