Carr, Bob (1947-…), an Australian Labor Party politician, served as premier of the Australian state of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005. In May 2005, he became the longest-serving premier of New South Wales. During his premiership, Carr also filled various state ministerial posts, including minister for ethnic affairs, minister for citizenship, and minister for the arts.
Carr entered politics in the late 1960’s while working as a journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Commission—now the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)—and the weekly journal The Bulletin. He became actively involved with the local Australian Labor Party organization in Maroubra, a southeastern suburb of Sydney. In October 1983, Carr was elected to represent Maroubra in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales.
Carr rapidly made his mark in the Labor administration of Neville Wran, entering the cabinet as minister for planning and the environment in 1984. In 1986, he took on additional responsibilities, first as minister for consumer affairs from February to July 1986, then as minister for heritage from July 1986 to March 1988.
In the state election of 1988, the Labor government was heavily defeated. Carr then became leader of the opposition and began the task of rebuilding the Labor Party in New South Wales. In the state election of 1991, Labor came within two seats of regaining control of the government. Over the next four years, Carr continued to have success in winning back the support of the voters. On March 25, 1995, Labor returned to power in New South Wales and Carr became the state’s 13th Labor premier. In July 2005, he announced his resignation as premier and as a member of the state Parliament. He served as foreign affairs minister from 2012 to 2013.
Robert John Carr was born on Sept. 28, 1947, in Maroubra, Australia. He studied at the University of New South Wales.
