Bob Debus
Encyclopedia
Robert John "Bob" Debus AM
(born 16 September 1943), a former Australia
n politician, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives
and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, representing the Australian Labor Party
. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments. He served in the NSW Parliament from 1981 to 1998 and again from 1995 to 2007; and in the Australian Parliament from 2007 to 2010.
Before his retirement from the NSW Parliament, at the 2007 state election, he held the portfolios of Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for the Arts; and represented the Blue Mountains electorate. Prior to his retirement from the Australian Parliament, at the 2010 federal election, he was Minister for Home Affairs
in the Rudd Ministry; and served as Member for Macquarie
. Debus is a prominent member of Labor's Socialist Left faction. On 6 June 2009, Bob Debus announced his resignation from the ministry and his retirement. He did not contest the 2010 federal election.
, New South Wales
and educated at Homebush Boys High School
and Sydney University, graduating in Law and Arts in 1967. He worked as a publisher and lawyer. He worked as an ABC
broadcaster, and was Executive Producer of the ABC's Department of Radio Talks and Documentaries 1970. He was also Executive Director of Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign and Community Aid Abroad 1988-94, and advisor to Federal Minister for Administrative Services 1994-95.
, from 1981 to 1988. He was Minister for Employment from 1984 to 1986 and Minister for Finance from 1984 to 1988.
Debus was also member for Blue Mountains from 1995 to 2007. He has held several Ministerial positions in the New South Wales Government, including:
On 30 October 2006, he announced that he would retire from state politics at the March 2007 election.
leader Peter Debnam
under Parliamentary Privilege
of being under investigation by the Police Integrity Commission
. In response the Government released a Police report stating that a minister had been the subject of complaints (not an investigation) which were dismissed in 2003 as spurious and groundless. The report did not name the minister concerned as it was deemed to be 'not in the public interest'. When Mr Debnam failed to provide evidence to support his claims, he was censured by Parliament for misleading the House. It was subsequently reported that Mr Debnam's source for the accusation was a convicted bank robber and child sex offender with a long history of making unsubstantiated allegations.
. The seat's boundaries are largely the same as those of his former State seat and, after a redistribution, the seat's then sitting member, Kerry Bartlett
of Liberal
, would have required a pro-Liberal swing of 0.5% to retain the seat. On 24 November 2007 Debus won the election for Macquarie with a strong swing to Labor. On 29 November Kevin Rudd announced he would be part of his new ministry. He was appointed Minister for Home Affairs
in Kevin Rudd
's First Rudd Ministry
on 3 December 2007.
This was a new ministry, and he was responsible for domestic law enforcement, including the Australian Federal Police
and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
.
On 6 June 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a cabinet reshuffle without Mr Debus, who, after 28 years in state and federal politics had decided to retire. Debus did not contest the 2010 federal election.
had compiled a secret file on Debus, sparking condemnation by former and serving police officials. The file included details of his personal habits, views on police corruption and former Labor prime ministers.
for service to the Parliaments of Australia and New South Wales, to the development of an emergency response framework, through contributions to legal and environmental reforms, and to the community.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 16 September 1943), a former Australia
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, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, representing 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...
. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments. He served in the NSW Parliament from 1981 to 1998 and again from 1995 to 2007; and in the Australian Parliament from 2007 to 2010.
Before his retirement from the NSW Parliament, at the 2007 state election, he held the portfolios of Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for the Arts; and represented the Blue Mountains electorate. Prior to his retirement from the Australian Parliament, at the 2010 federal election, he was Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in the Rudd Ministry; and served as Member for Macquarie
Division of Macquarie
The Division of Macquarie is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for Lachlan Macquarie, who was Governor of New South Wales between 1810 and 1821...
. Debus is a prominent member of Labor's Socialist Left faction. On 6 June 2009, Bob Debus announced his resignation from the ministry and his retirement. He did not contest the 2010 federal election.
Biography
Debus was born in RydeRyde, New South Wales
Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and educated at Homebush Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School, founded in 1936, is a comprehensive public high school for boys. It is located in Homebush, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Sydney University, graduating in Law and Arts in 1967. He worked as a publisher and lawyer. He worked as an ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
broadcaster, and was Executive Producer of the ABC's Department of Radio Talks and Documentaries 1970. He was also Executive Director of Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign and Community Aid Abroad 1988-94, and advisor to Federal Minister for Administrative Services 1994-95.
State Politics
Debus was the member for Blue Mountains, west of SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, from 1981 to 1988. He was Minister for Employment from 1984 to 1986 and Minister for Finance from 1984 to 1988.
Debus was also member for Blue Mountains from 1995 to 2007. He has held several Ministerial positions in the New South Wales Government, including:
- March 2003 - March 2007 - Attorney General and Minister for the Environment
- June 2000 - March 2003 - Attorney General, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts
- April 1999 - January 2001 - Minister for the Environment, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Corrective Services and Minister Assisting the Premier on the Arts
- April 1998 - April 1999 - Minister for Energy, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Corrective Services, Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts
- December 1997 - April 1999 - Minister for Energy, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Corrective Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts
- April 1995 - December 1997 - Minister for Corrective Services, Minister for Emergency Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts
- 1986 - 1988 - Minister for Finance, Co-operative Societies and Assistant Minister for Education.
On 30 October 2006, he announced that he would retire from state politics at the March 2007 election.
Police Integrity Commission allegations
On 16 November 2006, Debus was accused by Liberal PartyLiberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
leader Peter Debnam
Peter Debnam
Peter John Debnam , is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Vaucluse between 1994 and 2011. Debnam is a former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney,...
under Parliamentary Privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
of being under investigation by the Police Integrity Commission
Police Integrity Commission
The Police Integrity Commission was established in 1996 upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission in to the New South Wales Police Service. The commission is a corporation established by the New South Wales Government to prevent, detect and investigate alleged serious misconduct in the New...
. In response the Government released a Police report stating that a minister had been the subject of complaints (not an investigation) which were dismissed in 2003 as spurious and groundless. The report did not name the minister concerned as it was deemed to be 'not in the public interest'. When Mr Debnam failed to provide evidence to support his claims, he was censured by Parliament for misleading the House. It was subsequently reported that Mr Debnam's source for the accusation was a convicted bank robber and child sex offender with a long history of making unsubstantiated allegations.
Federal politics
On 30 March 2007 Debus confirmed longstanding rumours that he would seek preselection for the Federal seat of MacquarieDivision of Macquarie
The Division of Macquarie is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for Lachlan Macquarie, who was Governor of New South Wales between 1810 and 1821...
. The seat's boundaries are largely the same as those of his former State seat and, after a redistribution, the seat's then sitting member, Kerry Bartlett
Kerry Bartlett
Kerry Joseph Bartlett is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives between March 1996 and November 2007, representing the Division of Macquarie, New South Wales...
of Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, would have required a pro-Liberal swing of 0.5% to retain the seat. On 24 November 2007 Debus won the election for Macquarie with a strong swing to Labor. On 29 November Kevin Rudd announced he would be part of his new ministry. He was appointed Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in 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...
's First Rudd Ministry
First Rudd Ministry
The Rudd Ministry was the 65th Australian Commonwealth ministry. It was led by Kevin Rudd of the Australian Labor Party.The Ministry was sworn in by the 24th Governor-General of Australia Major-General Michael Jeffery on 3 December 2007, following the 2007 election, and it ended on 24 June 2010...
on 3 December 2007.
This was a new ministry, and he was responsible for domestic law enforcement, including the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
.
On 6 June 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a cabinet reshuffle without Mr Debus, who, after 28 years in state and federal politics had decided to retire. Debus did not contest the 2010 federal election.
ACC file
It was revealed in October 2008 that the Australian Crime CommissionAustralian Crime Commission
The Australian Crime Commission is an Australian Government national criminal intelligence and investigation agency. It was formulated under the Australian Crime Commission Act which came into effect on 1 January 2003, establishing the ACC as a national statutory authority to combat serious and...
had compiled a secret file on Debus, sparking condemnation by former and serving police officials. The file included details of his personal habits, views on police corruption and former Labor prime ministers.
Honours
On 13 June 2011, Debus was named a Member of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for service to the Parliaments of Australia and New South Wales, to the development of an emergency response framework, through contributions to legal and environmental reforms, and to the community.