Robert Sercombe
Encyclopedia
Robert Charles Grant "Bob" Sercombe (born 3 April 1949) is a former Australia
n politician who represented the Division of Maribyrnong
, Victoria
for the Australian Labor Party
from March 1996 until his retirement at the 2007 federal election.
He was born in Melbourne
, Victoria, and was educated at the University of Melbourne
. He was a public servant, social planner, and administrator before entering politics. He was an adviser to Clyde Holding
, a former Victorian opposition leader and a minister in the Hawke
government from 1983 until 1988. Sercombe was a member of the Essendon City Council in 1983 and 1984.
Sercombe was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1988 until 1996. He was Deputy Leader of the Opposition 1993-94 and a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1992-94.
In State politics, he became well known for attempting a leadership challenge on behalf of Ian Baker who attempted to topple then Leader John Brumby
in 1994. Brumby asked him to leave the front-bench after the abortive bid.
In the federal Parliament, Sercombe was an Opposition Whip
from 1998 until 2001. He was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry after the 2004 election and appointed Shadow Minister for Pacific Islands (assisting the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd
). His rather limited portfolio responsibilities were slightly expanded some time later by Beazley to include Overseas Development. As Shadow Minister, despite not having a direct Ministerial opponent, Sercombe put out a series of policy announcements about expanding Australia's relationship with that region.
Within the Labor Party, Sercombe was for many years a leading member of the Labor Right
in Victoria, although later became allied to the Socialist Left faction in Victoria while being a leading light of the Centre-Left caucus in Canberra.
Just prior to a local vote of ALP members, in February 2005 Sercombe announced he was withdrawing his candidacy from Labor preselection for his seat of Maribyrnong in favour of Australian Workers Union National Secretary Bill Shorten
who was elected unopposed as a result. He criticised challenges to other incumbent MPs.
Despite announcing his retirement Sercombe remained on the frontbench until December 2006 when he was sacked by new leader Kevin Rudd.
Remarkably Sercombe was an Opposition frontbencher in both the Victorian State and Federal Parliaments but did not become a Minister in either tier of Government.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician who represented the Division of Maribyrnong
Division of Maribyrnong
The Division of Maribyrnong is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne. It covers the suburbs of Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Niddrie, Keilor East, Avondale Heights, Tullamarine, Airport West, Sunshine and Brooklyn. Due to...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
from March 1996 until his retirement at the 2007 federal election.
He was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria, and was educated at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He was a public servant, social planner, and administrator before entering politics. He was an adviser to Clyde Holding
Clyde Holding
Allan Clyde Holding Australian politician, was Leader of the Opposition in Victoria for ten years, and was later a federal minister.-Early life and education:...
, a former Victorian opposition leader and a minister in the Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
government from 1983 until 1988. Sercombe was a member of the Essendon City Council in 1983 and 1984.
Sercombe was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1988 until 1996. He was Deputy Leader of the Opposition 1993-94 and a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1992-94.
In State politics, he became well known for attempting a leadership challenge on behalf of Ian Baker who attempted to topple then Leader John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
in 1994. Brumby asked him to leave the front-bench after the abortive bid.
In the federal Parliament, Sercombe was an Opposition Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1998 until 2001. He was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry after the 2004 election and appointed Shadow Minister for Pacific Islands (assisting the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
). His rather limited portfolio responsibilities were slightly expanded some time later by Beazley to include Overseas Development. As Shadow Minister, despite not having a direct Ministerial opponent, Sercombe put out a series of policy announcements about expanding Australia's relationship with that region.
Within the Labor Party, Sercombe was for many years a leading member of the Labor Right
Labor Right
The Labor Right, or Labor Unity in some State branches, or Centre Unity in NSW, is the organised faction of the Australian Labor Party that tends to be more economically liberal and socially conservative than Labor Left....
in Victoria, although later became allied to the Socialist Left faction in Victoria while being a leading light of the Centre-Left caucus in Canberra.
Just prior to a local vote of ALP members, in February 2005 Sercombe announced he was withdrawing his candidacy from Labor preselection for his seat of Maribyrnong in favour of Australian Workers Union National Secretary Bill Shorten
Bill Shorten
William Richard "Bill" Shorten is an Australian politician, the Member for Maribyrnong in the Australian Parliament, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Superannuation and Financial Services. He was the Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children's Services in the Rudd/Gillard Government...
who was elected unopposed as a result. He criticised challenges to other incumbent MPs.
Despite announcing his retirement Sercombe remained on the frontbench until December 2006 when he was sacked by new leader Kevin Rudd.
Remarkably Sercombe was an Opposition frontbencher in both the Victorian State and Federal Parliaments but did not become a Minister in either tier of Government.