Bob Kucera
Encyclopedia
Robert Charles Kucera (born 6 November 1944 in Cardiff
, Wales
) is an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 2001 to 2008, representing the district of Yokine
, initially for the Australian Labor Party
and from June 2008 as an independent
.
Joining the police
force of Western Australia in 1966, Kucera served for 34 years, achieving the rank of assistant commissioner
before resigning to enter politics in 2001 after being recruited by then Premier Geoff Gallop.
Appointed as Health minister in 2001, Kucera held the position until 2003 before losing the portfolio to Jim McGinty
in a cabinet reshuffle.
Kucera resigned as the minister of Sports and Seniors in October 2005 after claims of a conflict in interest. Kucera and his wife both held shares in Alinta
Gas, an energy supply company, when cabinet made a $90 million decision that would benefit the company.
Kucera's district of Yokine
was abolished in an electoral redistribution for the 2008 state election
, largely split between the new districts of Mount Lawley
and Nollamara
. Kucera lost Labor preselection for the seat of Mount Lawley to Premier Alan Carpenter
's recruit, former journalist and lobbyist Karen Brown. As a result Kucera quit the Labor Party in 2008 to sit as an independent in parliament. He seemed set to contest either Mount Lawley or Nollamara as an independent at the election. However, Kucera later announced his retirement from politics, expressing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is an 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. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
from 2001 to 2008, representing the district of Yokine
Electoral district of Yokine
Yokine was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia from 1996 to 2008. It was named for the northern Perth suburb of Yokine which fell within its borders...
, initially 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...
and from June 2008 as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
Joining the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force of Western Australia in 1966, Kucera served for 34 years, achieving the rank of assistant commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
before resigning to enter politics in 2001 after being recruited by then Premier Geoff Gallop.
Appointed as Health minister in 2001, Kucera held the position until 2003 before losing the portfolio to Jim McGinty
Jim McGinty
James Andrew McGinty is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 2009, representing the district of Fremantle. He was Labor Party leader and Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1996...
in a cabinet reshuffle.
Kucera resigned as the minister of Sports and Seniors in October 2005 after claims of a conflict in interest. Kucera and his wife both held shares in Alinta
Alinta
Alinta is an Australian energy infrastructure company. It has grown from a small, Western Australia based gas distributor and retailer to the largest energy infrastructure company in Australia. It was bought in 2007 by a consortium including Singapore Power and various now defunct Babcock & Brown...
Gas, an energy supply company, when cabinet made a $90 million decision that would benefit the company.
Kucera's district of Yokine
Electoral district of Yokine
Yokine was a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia from 1996 to 2008. It was named for the northern Perth suburb of Yokine which fell within its borders...
was abolished in an electoral redistribution for the 2008 state election
Western Australian state election, 2008
A general election was held in the state of Western Australia on Saturday 6 September 2008 to elect 59 members to the Legislative Assembly and 36 members to the Legislative Council...
, largely split between the new districts of Mount Lawley
Electoral district of Mount Lawley
Mount Lawley is an electorate in the state of Western Australia. Mount Lawley is named for the inner north-eastern Perth suburb of Mount Lawley which falls within its borders....
and Nollamara
Electoral district of Nollamara
Nollamara is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is based in the north-eastern suburbs of Perth. It includes the suburbs of Nollamara, Alexander Heights, Koondoola, Mirrabooka, Westminster and part of the suburb of...
. Kucera lost Labor preselection for the seat of Mount Lawley to Premier Alan Carpenter
Alan Carpenter
Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop...
's recruit, former journalist and lobbyist Karen Brown. As a result Kucera quit the Labor Party in 2008 to sit as an independent in parliament. He seemed set to contest either Mount Lawley or Nollamara as an independent at the election. However, Kucera later announced his retirement from politics, expressing a desire to spend more time with his family.