Ray O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor (born 6 March 1926) was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia
.
and York
, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth. He enlisted in the Australian Army and served in the intelligence section of the AIF
.
His first attempt to enter Parliament failed when he stood as an Independent Liberal candidate for the Metropolitan Province in the Legislative Council.
he was elected MLA for North Perth
, defeating Stan Lapham, 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 over a year in office in 1983.
A Western Australian Royal Commission
into business dealings by the Government was conducted during 1991 and 1992. He was tried in 1995 on charges of stealing a A$25,000 cheque from the Bond Corporation and was given a six months gaol sentence.
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Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
.
Pre-political life
He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of NarroginNarrogin, Western Australia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin...
and York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth. He enlisted in the Australian Army and served in the intelligence section of the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
.
His first attempt to enter Parliament failed when he stood as an Independent Liberal candidate for the Metropolitan Province in the Legislative Council.
Political career
He joined the Liberal Party in 1957 and in the general election of 1959Western Australian state election, 1959
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 21 March 1959 to elect all 50 members to the Legislative Assembly. The result was a hung parliament—the two-term Labor government, led by Premier Bert Hawke, was defeated with an average swing against it of about 7 per cent, but the...
he was elected MLA for North Perth
Electoral district of North Perth
The Electoral district of North Perth was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district was named for its location immediately to the north of the central business district of Perth....
, defeating Stan Lapham, a Labor man who had held the seat for 26 years. O'Connor became Premier on the resignation of Sir Charles Court
Charles Court
Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:...
. He was defeated at the polls after just over a year in office in 1983.
A Western Australian Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
into business dealings by the Government was conducted during 1991 and 1992. He was tried in 1995 on charges of stealing a A$25,000 cheque from the Bond Corporation and was given a six months gaol sentence.
External links
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
Audio interview
- 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 Library 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
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