Bob McMullan

Robert Francis (Bob) McMullan (born 10 December 1947) is an Australian politician who has 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.Fact|date=July 2007 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 major role in the 1983 election, at which Labor under Bob Hawke was successful.Fact|date=July 2007.

McMullan is not a member of any Labor faction.Fact|date=July 2007.

Parliamentary career

On 16 February 1988 [ [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/historical/senate/kirk.quirke.htm Parliamentary Handbook: Historical Information on the Australian Parliament ] ] , 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 Territory in the Senate, caused by the resignation of Susan Ryan [ [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=282882&TABLE=HANSARDS] ] . This was the second (and last) time that a territory senate vacancy was filled in this way [ [http://www.aph.gov.au/house/pubs/practice/5Atjs.pdf Footnote, p.3] ] .

McMullan was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer 1990-93, Minister for the Arts and 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 Simon Crean was elected Leader in 2001, and again when Latham replaced Crean in 2003, there was some speculation McMullan would stand for the deputy leadership.Fact|date=July 2007 However, he lacked the support required to secure the post.

When Latham became Leader he gave the job of Shadow Treasurer to his predecessor Simon Crean, despite having promised the job to McMullan. Fact|date=February 2007 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. This tactic was responsible for Peter Costello's denial that he would challenge John Howard for the leadership.Fact|date=February 2007 After several days of refusing to give an answer, and after being placed under pressure by McMullan, most Labor MPs and some media, Costello announced that he would not challenge Fact|date=February 2007.

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, [See Federalism in Australia and Federation of Australia] the reform of which is one of Rudd's declared priorities.Fact|date=July 2007

In the 2007 federal election McMullan successfully held his seat of Fraser, increasing his margin from the 2004 election. [ [http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/increased-majority-for-labor-in-canberra-fraser/1092487.html Increased majority for Labor in Canberra, Fraser - News - General - The Canberra Times ] ]

On 29 November 2007, Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd announced that Bob McMullan would be Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance in the First Rudd Ministry. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/29/2105169.htm Rudd hands out portfolios] , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 November 2007.] The ministry was sworn in on 3 December 2007.

External links

* [http://www.alp.org.au/people/act/mcmullan_bob.php Biographical and other Details on Official Labor Party Web Site] Accessed 15 September 2008

Notes