Robert Clark (Australian politician)

{Refimprove|date=March 2008}Robert Clark is a politician representing the Liberal Party of Australia in the state of Victoria. He is currently a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Box Hill.

Early life

Having attended both St. Albans High School and University High School during his formative years, Clark undertook his tertiary education at the University of Melbourne, obtaining his B.Com (Hons) in 1980, an LLB in 1982 and a BA in 1986. Whilst at university, he was active in both the Melbourne University Liberal Club and the Australian Liberal Students’ Federation, serving as the President (1979-81) and Vice-President (1981-82) of these organisations respectively.

Serving also as the Treasurer of the Melbourne University Students' Representative Council (1976-77), Clark was responsible for legal proceedings brought against the University concerning the collection of the Student Service Fee. The action protested the right of the University Council to award such funds to the SRC, and the right of the SRC to subsequently allocate said funds to the AUS.In what was labelled the “Kaye” judgement, the court ruled that the SSF was not a fee for services provided but was rather in the nature of a levy of a tax or charge. It was further ruled that the University of Melbourne was a "public authority exercising legislative powers", in that the University was unduly exercising a power in the absence of legislative approval from parliament. Clark’s instrumental role in these actions resulted in significant changes to the law relating to student unionism in Victoria. [ [http://www.internationalstudents.asn.au/uploads/media/vsu.pdf Student Organisations in Australia] . Retrieved on October 1 2007.]

Entry into politics

Clark joined the Liberal Party in 1976. He was an Executive Member of the Victorian Young Liberal Movement in 1986 and Vice-Chairman of the Deakin Electorate Committee from 1986 to 1988. He has also been a member of the Party's Constitutional Committee since 1987.

Member of Victorian State Parliament

In 1988, after almost five years serving as a solicitor practicing in commercial, financial and labour law, Clark was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Balwyn. However, following the division of electorate boundaries in 1991, the traditionally safe Liberal seat of Balwyn ceased to exist – forcing Clark to seek re-election in the newly marginal and composite seat of Box Hill. This contest for re-election was successful for Clark, who subsequently assumed the role of Parliamentary Secretary to the Victorian Treasurer, Alan Stockdale, in 1992.

From 1992 to 1999 he also convened the Parliamentary Coalition's Treasury and Finance Committee. He was a member of the Coalition's Attorney-General's Committee 1992-1999, Education Committee 1992-1996, Tertiary Education Committee 1996-1999 and Multimedia Committee 1996-1999.

Following the 1996 Victorian state election, Clark was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury and Multimedia, a position he held until the Coalition lost Government in October 1999.

From October 1999 until September 2001, Clark was Shadow Minister for Planning (including Major Projects) and Shadow Minister for WorkCover, from September 2001 to August 2002 was Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Finance and Shadow Minister for WorkCover and from August 2002 to November 2002 was Shadow Minister for Finance, Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Shadow Minister for WorkCover and Shadow Minister for Gaming. In November 2002, Clark assumed the post of Shadow Treasurer and held the position until December 2006.

In the 2006 Victorian State Election, Robert Clark again secured the electoral seat of Box Hill for the Liberal Party, despite a slight swing (1.1%) to the ALP in the 2002 election. Clark managed 49.49% of the primary vote and 55.22% of the two candidate preferred vote in the 2006 election, up from 46.79% of the primary vote and 51.09% of the two candidate preferred vote in 2002.

Following the failure of the Liberal Party to form government in 2006, Clark has been appointed as Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Shadow Minister for Information and Communication Technology and Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources.

He is an Honorary Patron of the Box Hill Rugby Union Football Club.

References