Kevin Parry
Encyclopedia
Kevin John Parry was a businessman from Western Australia
, most noted for his backing of the Taskforce '87 syndicate which unsuccessfully defended the 1987
America's Cup
in Fremantle
, Western Australia
. The defence cost over $20 million and built and raced three 12-metre class
boats: Kookaburra I, Kookaburra II, and Kookaburra III
.
In his younger years, Parry had been a noted Australian baseball
player. He later established the Perth Heat
baseball team as well as funding the first purpose-built baseball stadium in Perth, Parry Field
at Belmont
.
Parry headed the diversified Parry Corporation group (formerly Parry's Esplanade Limited), which included the Perth
-based Parry's department stores which he developed from a backyard furniture workshop inherited from his father. In 1986, Parry Corporation was ranked 96 in a listing of the top 100 Australian non-financial firms. The West Perth
Scitech
centre was supported by Parry until financial difficulties ended his involvement.
Parry was associated with other high-flying Perth entrepreneurs in funding the Australian Labor Party
through a structure named the John Curtin Foundation
, formed in October 1984 to harvest corporate funding for and facilitate political patronage of the federal Hawke
government and the notorious WA Inc
state government of Brian Burke
. Parry Corporation suffered considerable financial difficulties after the 1987 Stock Market Crash
and in late 1987, Parry lost control of the company. He later headed a small Perth-based homeopathic company Astop Biohealth with his son Cameron.
On 26 November 2010, Parry died in a car accident near his home in Bullsbrook
.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, most noted for his backing of the Taskforce '87 syndicate which unsuccessfully defended the 1987
1987 America's Cup
The 1987 America's Cup was the twenty-seventh challenge for the America's Cup and the first time for 132 years that it had not been defended by the New York Yacht Club....
America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The defence cost over $20 million and built and raced three 12-metre class
12-metre class
The 12 Metre Class is a rating class for racing boats designed to the International rule. It enables fair competition between boats that rate in the class whilst retaining the freedom to experiment with the details of their designs. The first 12 Metres were built in 1907. The 12 Metre Class was...
boats: Kookaburra I, Kookaburra II, and Kookaburra III
Kookaburra III
Kookaburra III was the Australian 12 Meter yacht sailed by Iain Murray in the 1987 America's Cup held off of Fremantle, Australia. She won the Defender Selection and represented Australia in the America's Cup, where she lost to American challenger Dennis Conner and his Stars and Stripes...
.
In his younger years, Parry had been a noted Australian baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He later established the Perth Heat
Perth Heat
The baseball team Perth Heat is a team in the current Australian Baseball League and a foundation member of the now-defunct Australian Baseball League...
baseball team as well as funding the first purpose-built baseball stadium in Perth, Parry Field
Parry Field
Parry Field in Belmont, Perth, Western Australia was the site of Baseball WA's first purpose-built baseball stadium, named for Kevin Parry, a local businessman and enthusiast whose fortunes failed soon after the opening. The stadium featured television-standard lighting, seating for about 2,200...
at Belmont
Belmont, Western Australia
The City of Belmont is a Local Government Area in the inner eastern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about east of Perth's central business district on the south bank of the Swan River...
.
Parry headed the diversified Parry Corporation group (formerly Parry's Esplanade Limited), which included the Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
-based Parry's department stores which he developed from a backyard furniture workshop inherited from his father. In 1986, Parry Corporation was ranked 96 in a listing of the top 100 Australian non-financial firms. The West Perth
West Perth, Western Australia
West Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It is part of the inner mixed zone, and has predominantly office blocks which have displaced residential buildings. There is a high proportion of miners and consultants, and particularly medical specialists, compared to...
Scitech
Scitech
Scitech is a not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to increase interest and participation by Western Australians in science and technology...
centre was supported by Parry until financial difficulties ended his involvement.
Parry was associated with other high-flying Perth entrepreneurs in funding 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...
through a structure named the John Curtin Foundation
John Curtin Foundation
Formed in Perth, Western Australia in October 1984, the John Curtin Foundation was a fundraising organisation for the Australian Labor Party which attracted the sponsorship of a powerful group of wealthy businessmen, placing them in a privileged circle with direct access to both the Australian...
, formed in October 1984 to harvest corporate funding for and facilitate political patronage of the federal 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 and the notorious WA Inc
WA Inc
WA Inc was a political scandal in Western Australia. In the 1980s, the state government, which was led for much of the period by premier Brian Burke, engaged in business dealings with several prominent businessmen, including Alan Bond, Laurie Connell and Warren Anderson...
state government of Brian Burke
Brian Burke
Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988...
. Parry Corporation suffered considerable financial difficulties after the 1987 Stock Market Crash
Black Monday (1987)
In finance, Black Monday refers to Monday October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin...
and in late 1987, Parry lost control of the company. He later headed a small Perth-based homeopathic company Astop Biohealth with his son Cameron.
On 26 November 2010, Parry died in a car accident near his home in Bullsbrook
Bullsbrook, Western Australia
Bullsbrook is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia in the outer metropolitan area. It is located with the City of Swan. The original Bullsbrook townsite is located slightly west of the current town, on the 17 km mark of the Midland Railway...
.