Steve Kons
Encyclopedia
Steven Kons was an Australia
n Labor
politician and member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
in the electorate of Braddon. His positions within the Government of Tasmania
included posts as Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Workplace Relations and Minister for Planning.
Kons was born in Melbourne
to Greek immigrants who worked in heavy manual employment to help educate him at Caulfield Grammar School
. After the family moved to operate a Devonport
business, he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws
degree from the University of Tasmania
before returning to Melbourne to practice mainly in the corporate sector.
Kons later returned to Tasmania and established a successsful business career. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Mayor of Burnie
.
Invited by Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon
to run for the Labor Party, he was first elected in the 1998 Tasmanian legislative election
. Before long he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, then was given the position of Secretary to Cabinet before being elevated to Minister for Primary Industries and Water.
In October 2004, Kons controversially drank a glass of water contaminated with atrazine
after a property in the north-east of Tasmania was accidentally sprayed by a Gunns Limited contractor. His actions were supposedly to prove the water was "safe".
On October 27, 2006, he was appointed Deputy Premier, replacing Bryan Green
.
In 2009, Kons ran a campaign to be elected as an alderman in Burnie Tasmania once again, partly motivated by council decisions in recent years. He was successful and was elected in the election. He however did not succeed in gaining the position as Mayor.
Kons has chosen not to stand for re-election for state parliament in the seat of Braddon in the 2010 election.
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 Labor
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...
politician and member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
in the electorate of Braddon. His positions within the Government of Tasmania
Government of Tasmania
The form of the Government of Tasmania is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
included posts as Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Workplace Relations and Minister for Planning.
Kons 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...
to Greek immigrants who worked in heavy manual employment to help educate him at Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
. After the family moved to operate a Devonport
Devonport, Tasmania
-Sport:The Devonport Football Club is an Australian Rules team competing in the Tasmanian Statewide League. The Devonport Rugby Club is a Rugby Union team competing in the Tasmanian Rugby Union Statewide League...
business, he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
before returning to Melbourne to practice mainly in the corporate sector.
Kons later returned to Tasmania and established a successsful business career. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Mayor of Burnie
Burnie, Tasmania
- Sport :Australian rules football is popular in Burnie. The city's team is the Burnie Dockers Football Club in the Tasmanian State League.Rugby union is also played in Burnie. The local club is the Burnie Rugby Union Club. They are the current Tasmanian Rugby Union Statewide Division Two Premiers...
.
Invited by Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon
Jim Bacon
James Alexander Bacon, AC was Premier of Tasmania from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:Bacon was born in Melbourne; his father Frank, a doctor, died when Jim was twelve, leaving him to be raised by his mother Joan. He was educated at Scotch College and later at Monash University, but he did not graduate....
to run for the Labor Party, he was first elected in the 1998 Tasmanian legislative election
Tasmanian legislative election, 1998
Elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly were held on Saturday 29 August 1998. This was the first election held after the size of the house was reduced from 35 to 25 members. The quota required for election increased from 12.5% to 16.7%....
. Before long he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, then was given the position of Secretary to Cabinet before being elevated to Minister for Primary Industries and Water.
In October 2004, Kons controversially drank a glass of water contaminated with atrazine
Atrazine
Atrazine, 2-chloro-4--6--s-triazine, an organic compound consisting of an s-triazine-ring is a widely used herbicide. Its use is controversial due to widespread contamination in drinking water and its associations with birth defects and menstrual problems when consumed by humans at concentrations...
after a property in the north-east of Tasmania was accidentally sprayed by a Gunns Limited contractor. His actions were supposedly to prove the water was "safe".
On October 27, 2006, he was appointed Deputy Premier, replacing Bryan Green
Bryan Green
Bryan Alexander Green is a Tasmanian Labor politician and member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly in the electorate of Braddon. In July 2006 he was forced to step down as Deputy Premier and Minister for Economic Development and Resources pending an enquiry into deal made with the TCC...
.
In 2009, Kons ran a campaign to be elected as an alderman in Burnie Tasmania once again, partly motivated by council decisions in recent years. He was successful and was elected in the election. He however did not succeed in gaining the position as Mayor.
Kons has chosen not to stand for re-election for state parliament in the seat of Braddon in the 2010 election.