73-590: Premier of Victoria (1999–2007) Elections [REDACTED] The Bracks Ministry was the 65th ministry of the Government of Victoria . It was led by the Premier of Victoria , Steve Bracks , and Deputy Premier, John Thwaites . It succeeded the Kennett Ministry on 20 October 1999, following the defeat of Jeff Kennett 's Liberal government in the 1999 state election . The ministry dissolved as
146-514: A Coalition in the 1996 , which the Liberals won majority in its own right again, and 1999 , which the Coalition was defeated. McNamara's successor as Nationals leader, Peter Ryan , ended the Coalition agreement. Since then, Liberals and Nationals had a strained relationship . Ryan uttered several sharp criticisms of the Liberals' most prominent figures, particularly their no-tolls policy on
219-603: A backlash from anti-abortion groups led by veteran campaigner Margaret Tighe. Bracks, as a Catholic of Lebanese descent, almost certainly would not have allowed abortion legislation into the parliament, but his successor John Brumby did not share this view, and the Abortion Law Reform Bill introduced by upper house member Candy Broad was passed by the Parliament in 2008. In August 2007, following his resignation as Premier, Bracks announced he would provide
292-765: A conference held in Canberra in October 1944, uniting many non-Labor political organisations, including the United Australia Party (UAP) and the Australian Women's National League (AWNL). The UAP was a major conservative party in Australia and last governed Victoria between May 1932 and April 1935, under Stanley Argyle 's leadership. Argyle lost the premiership when the UAP's coalition partner,
365-479: A few Liberal MPs including Guy resigned from O'Brien's shadow cabinet or from parliamentary party positions. O'Brien refused to step down as party leader as "he believed he had the support of the majority of MPs" ahead of a possible leadership challenge. The following day, Guy replaced O'Brien as party leader in a leadership spill . Cindy McLeish was replaced by David Southwick as deputy party leader. According to The Age , between November 2018 and November 2021,
438-591: A government, which was duly sworn in later that day. Bracks became the first Catholic Labor Premier of Victoria since 1932. Former leader Brumby, appointed Treasurer, was regarded as a major part of the government's success. He and the Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, John Thwaites , and the Attorney-General, Rob Hulls , were regarded as the key ministers in the Bracks government. Following
511-729: A keen follower of Australian rules football , supporting the Geelong Football Club . From 1976 to 1981 Bracks was a school commerce teacher at Sacred Heart College, Ballarat . During the 1980s he worked in local government in Ballarat and then as Executive Director of the Ballarat Education Centre. While in these positions he twice (1985 and 1988) contested the seat of Ballarat North in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for
584-516: A new Coalition agreement with the Nationals. After the 2010 Victorian state election , the Liberal and National Coalition held government under Baillieu's leadership. On 7 March 2013, Baillieu resigned from his position of Premier of Victoria; he was replaced by Denis Napthine. Napthine led the Coalition to a defeat in the 2014 Victorian state election . After the 2014 election, Matthew Guy
657-508: A point where you can no longer make that commitment, the choice is clear – I have made that choice. Bracks' deputy John Thwaites announced his resignation on the same day. News of the resignations caused surprise to the general community as well as to politicians. It was revealed that then Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd was informed only minutes before the announcement, and tried to talk Bracks out of his decision. Bracks' Treasurer John Brumby
730-585: A pre-1999 election commitment to consider the feasibility of introducing fast rail services to regional centres, in 2000 the government approved funding for the Regional Fast Rail project , upgrading rail lines between Melbourne and Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Traralgon. However, in 2006 the Victorian Auditor General noted that in spite of $ 750 million spent, "We found that the delivery of more frequent fast rail services in
803-518: A result of the retirement of Bracks and Thwaites and was replaced by the Brumby ministry led by new Labor leader John Brumby . There were three reshuffles within the Bracks Ministry. The first took place on 12 February 2002. Steve Bracks Premier of Victoria (1999–2007) Elections Stephen Phillip Bracks AC (born 15 October 1954) is a former Australian politician and
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#1732802107613876-738: A short-term pro bono advising role in East Timor working alongside the newly elected Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão . Bracks was to spend a year travelling between Melbourne and Dili helping with the establishment of Gusmão's administration, the key departments that would need to be involved, and advising on how they would be accountable and reportable to the legislature. During 2008 Bracks indicated his support for Victorian abortion law reform in Victoria. In addition to his role advising Gusmão, Bracks also joined several company advisory boards: KPMG , insurance firm Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group ,
949-484: A slim but clear majority in the Legislative Council as well. While this was the greatest victory Labor had ever had in a Victorian state election, it brought with it considerable risks. With majorities in both houses Bracks could no longer cite his weak parliamentary position as an excuse for inaction. On 28 August 2002, Bracks, in conjunction with his then New South Wales counterpart , Bob Carr , opened
1022-614: A third term, with a slightly reduced majority in the Lower House. This marked only the second time that the Victorian Labor Party had won a third term in office. His third term Cabinet was sworn in on 1 December 2006 with Bracks also holding the portfolio of Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Multicultural Affairs. Bracks announced his resignation as Premier on 27 July 2007, saying this was to spend more time with his family. He stepped down on 30 July 2007. According to
1095-752: A very conservative and cautious view of economic management in government. Following the defeat of the Kirner government by the Liberal leader Jeff Kennett in late 1992, Bracks became Executive Director of the Victorian Printing Industry Training Board. Kirner resigned from parliament in 1994, and Bracks was elected to Kirner's seat of Williamstown in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Bracks and his wife Terry lived in Williamstown. They have three children, one of whom
1168-532: Is illegal by federal or state law, recruiting members to the party by paying for their membership, and adding party members to seats under fake residential addresses. Bastiaan's activities were allegedly endorsed by Michael Sukkar , another conservative federal MP who was a minister within the Morrison ministry . Just a week earlier, internal audit by the party found some members breached party rules by paying for other people's membership fees. On 6 September 2021,
1241-520: Is model Nick Bracks . Bracks was immediately elected to Labor's front bench, as Shadow Minister for Employment, Industrial Relations and Tourism. In 1996, after Labor under John Brumby was again defeated, he became Shadow Treasurer. In March 1999, when it became apparent that Labor was headed for another defeat under Brumby's leadership, Brumby resigned and Bracks was elected Opposition Leader. Political observers were almost unanimous that Bracks had no chance of defeating Liberal premier Jeff Kennett at
1314-469: Is to date the last Liberal Prime Minister from Victoria. His immediate successor Andrew Peacock , who served from 1983 to 1985, and again from 1989 to 1990, is the most recent Victorian federal Liberal leader. The Liberal Party continued to hold government in the Victorian state parliament until 1982 under the leaderships of Bolte, Rupert Hamer and Lindsay Thompson . The Liberal Party was defeated in
1387-523: The 1982 Victorian state election after governing Victoria for 27 years. Following the Liberals' defeat, Jeff Kennett became the leader of the party. He was deposed as leader following the 1988 Victorian state election , and was replaced by Alan Brown . During Brown's leadership, the Liberals reached a new Coalition agreement with the Victorian Nationals , led by Pat McNamara since 1988. Kennett became party leader again in 1991 and led
1460-497: The 2002 election . Labor was elected for a third term at the 2006 election with a substantial but reduced majority. The treasurer , John Brumby , became Labor leader and premier in 2007 when Bracks retired from politics. Bracks is the third-longest-serving Labor premier in Victorian history, surpassed only by John Cain Jr. and Daniel Andrews . Bracks has served as the 6th Chancellor of Victoria University since 2021. Steve Bracks
1533-559: The ABC , Bracks had been under political and personal pressure in the weeks before his resignation. Alone among State Premiers, he had refused to agree to the Federal Government's $ 10 billion Murray-Darling Basin water conservation plan, and his son had been involved in an accident involving a charge of drink driving. Bracks told a media conference he could no longer give a 100 per cent commitment to politics: Once you reach
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#17328021076131606-637: The Governor , Sir Winston Dugan , to form a government, when it became clear that the Victorian Legislative Assembly would not grant supply to the Dunstan government. The Liberals were defeated by the Labor Party in the election a month later . By the 1947 Victorian state election , the Liberals were again in coalition with the Country Party (renamed from United Country Party) and contested
1679-527: The Labor Party . In 1989 Bracks was appointed statewide manager of Victorian state government employment programs, under the Labor government of John Cain Jr . He then became an adviser to both Cain and Cain's successor as Premier, Joan Kirner . Here he witnessed from the inside the collapse of the Labor government following the economic and budgetary crisis which began in 1988. This experience gave Bracks
1752-524: The September 1999 election : polls gave Kennett a 60% popularity rating. Bracks and his senior colleagues (particularly Brumby, who comes from Bendigo ) campaigned heavily in regional areas, accusing Kennett of ignoring regional communities. In response, voters in regional areas deserted the Kennett government. On election night, much to its own surprise, Labor increased its seat count from 29 to 41, with
1825-757: The United Country Party , led by Albert Dunstan , ended the coalition and formed a minority government with the support of the Labor Party . After Argyle's death in late 1941, Thomas Hollway became the leader of the UAP in Victoria. During his time as UAP leader, he was the Deputy Premier in a Dunstan coalition government from September 1943. The AWNL was a conservative women's organisation founded and originally based in Victoria, but had expanded across Australia since World War I . Its leaders included Dame Elizabeth Couchman and future senator Ivy Wedgwood , both of whom were from Victoria. During
1898-521: The Victorian Labor agreed to support a minority Country Party government led by McDonald. In December 1951, Hollway and his deputy Trevor Oldham were replaced by Les Norman and Henry Bolte , as party leader and deputy leader respectively. In September 1952, Hollway and seven LCP members were expelled from the LCP after a dispute over electoral reform. In October, the Labor Party moved to defeat
1971-630: The Victorian Liberal Party , replacing the Electoral Reform League. Despite the name, it was a separate party to the LCP and the federal Liberal Party. Following the Australian Labor Party split of 1955 that led to the weakening of the governing Victorian Labor , the LCP, led by Bolte, won the 1955 Victorian state election and formed government for the next 27 years, without a coalition with
2044-629: The state election in December 1952, Hollway contested Norman's seat of Glen Iris and won. Neither Country Party, the LCP, nor the Electoral Reform League won enough seats to form government. With Norman losing his seat, Oldham was elected as leader, with Bolte remaining as deputy leader. Oldham and his wife died in a plane crash in India on 2 May 1953, on their way to England to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , and Bolte succeeded him as LCP leader. In 1954, Hollway and his supporters formed
2117-594: The 6th Chancellor of Victoria University from 2021. In June 2020, Bracks and former federal Labor deputy leader Jenny Macklin were appointed as administrators of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party by the party's National Executive until early 2021, after allegations of branch-stacking by Victorian minister Adem Somyurek were revealed. The pair will review the state party’s operations and provide detailed recommendations to tackle
2190-722: The AIMS Financial Group and the NAB . The KPMG appointment was controversial, as the Victorian government had awarded the firm over 100 contracts during Bracks' time as Premier. On 14 February 2008, the Federal Labor Government appointed Bracks to head an inquiry into the ongoing viability of the Australian car industry. In 2010, Bracks was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for services to
2263-511: The Coalition to victory in the 1992 Victorian state election . The Liberals actually gained a majority of seats in their own right and although Kennett had no need for the support of the Nationals, he retained the Coalition with McNamara as his Deputy Premier. The Liberal and National Coalition held government from 1992 to 1999 under Kennett's leadership. The Kennett government privatised many government services, including closing down over three hundred schools. The Liberals and Nationals fought as
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2336-719: The Coalition's Legislative Council members voted with the Andrews Government's position 28.9% of the time; of the parties in the Legislative Council, only the Liberal Democratic Party had a lower figure (22.1%). In May 2022, Bernie Finn was expelled from the Victorian Liberal Party for "a series of inflammatory social media posts", including calling for abortion to be made illegal in all circumstances, and comparing
2409-519: The Country Party was not convinced and never joined the new party. The LCP, Country Party and Labor Party were the principal contestants at the 1949 Legislative Council election in June. John Lienhop , who was a member of the Bendigo Province and previously elected as a Country Party member, contested the election as an LCP member and managed to retain his seat. Despite their differences,
2482-472: The Country Party. All members of Hollway's Victorian Liberal Party, including Hollway, lost their seats in the election, and the party ceased to exist. As one of the conditions of the Country Party supporting the government's supply bill in the Legislative Council on 27 October 1964, the 'and Country' was to be dropped from the name of the Liberal and Country Party. During the party's State Council in March 1965,
2555-473: The Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo corridors by the agreed dates was not achieved. In total, the journey time outcomes will be more modest than we would have expected with only a minority of travellers likely to benefit from significant journey time improvements. These outcomes occur because giving some passengers full express services means bypassing often large numbers of passengers at intermediate stations along
2628-412: The LCP and Country Party agreed to endorse the same candidates for 10 seats in Victoria for the 1949 federal election in December, minimising three-cornered contests. The federal Liberal/Country coalition led by Robert Menzies won the election, securing 20 out of the 33 lower house seats in Victoria. The LCP continued to govern Victoria independently as a minority government until 27 June 1950, when
2701-601: The Liberal Party in 1965. The party sits on the centre-right to right-wing of the Australian political spectrum . There was a previous Victorian division of the Liberal Party when the Liberal Party was formed in 1945, but it ceased to exist and merged to form the LCP in March 1949. Robert Menzies , who was the Prime Minister of Australia between 1939 and 1941, founded the Liberal Party during
2774-412: The Liberal Party on 30 January 1945. The UAP and its parliamentary members (including Hollway) joined the Liberal Party on 5 March 1945, with the state parliamentary UAP becoming the state parliamentary Liberal Party. As a result, Hollway became the first parliamentary leader of the Victorian branch of the Liberal Party. On 2 October 1945, deputy Liberal Party leader, Ian Macfarlan , was commissioned by
2847-524: The Liberal and Country parties had already happened in South Australia in 1932, with the formation of the Liberal and Country League . The Liberal Party conference on 22 February 1949 endorsed the idea of a merger. However, the idea was rejected by the Country Party and argued it was a takeover attempt of the Country Party, and to eliminate the Country Party from Victorian politics entirely. However, six Country Party MPs were willing to be part of
2920-630: The Liberals and their National Party allies retaining 43, and three falling to rural independents. With the Coalition one seat short of government, the election was to be decided in Frankston East , when the death of incumbent Peter McLellan forced a supplementary election. That supplementary election was won by Labor on a large swing, resulting in a hung parliament . The independents then threw their support to Labor, allowing Bracks to form government by one seat. The Coalition briefly considered forcing Bracks to demonstrate that he had support on
2993-688: The McDonald government by working with two of Hollway's supporters in the Victorian Legislative Council to block supply. Hollway was commissioned by the governor, Sir Dallas Brooks , to form a minority government with the seven former LCP members, known as the Electoral Reform League , and the backing of the Labor Party on confidence and supply. However, 70 hours later, Brooks forced Hollway to resign and recommissioned McDonald as premier. Two months later. at
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3066-535: The Melbourne Eastlink freeway and on former leader Robert Doyle 's remarks that the Liberals were twenty seats from government, a statement that assumed that the Nationals would support a Liberal government. Relations soured further at the beginning of 2006 when Victorian Senator Julian McGauran defected from the Nationals to the Liberals. The Liberal Party was the sole opposition party in Victoria until 2008, when Liberals under Ted Baillieu formed
3139-533: The Mowamba aqueduct between Jindabyne and Dalgety , to divert 38 gigalitres of water a year from Lake Eucumbene to the Snowy and Murray rivers. The ten-year plan cost A$ 300 million with Victoria and NSW splitting the costs. Melbourne Water has stated that within 50 years there will be 20 per cent less water going into Victorian reservoirs. In May 2003 Bracks broke an election promise and announced that
3212-542: The NSW example and cattlemen would be banned from using the "High Plains" in Victoria's National Parks to graze cattle. Stockmen had been fearing this decision since 1984, when a Labor government excised land to create the Alpine National Park . Some estimated three hundred cattlemen rode horses down Bourke street in protest while police said it was closer to 100. Colourful Victorian National Party leader Peter Ryan
3285-493: The October 1944 conference, the AWNL was recognised by Menzies as one of the long-standing non-Labor organisations in Victoria. The Liberal Party in Victoria was established between December 1944 and January 1945, with the names of the provisional state executive revealed on 29 December 1944, and the first meeting held a week later, on 5 January 1945. The state executive included AWNL's leaders Couchman and Wedgwood. The AWNL joined
3358-490: The Victorian Premier to Adolf Hitler . Following the 2022 Victorian state election, the party's director Sam McQuestin, stepped down citing 'internal challenges' in the months leading into the state election. McQuestin is set to be replaced by West Australian Liberal party state director Stuart Smith after a three-month search. John Pesutto was elected leader of the Liberal Party on 8 December 2022, winning
3431-636: The community and the Parliament of Victoria. In recognition of his distinguished services to the Victorian community, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws ( honoris causa ) – LL.D (h.c.) by Deakin University on 27 April 2010. He was also appointed to the Honorary Chair of the Deakin University Foundation. In February 2013 after the announcement that Nicola Roxon would retire from federal politics, Bracks
3504-547: The conservative parties' traditional enemies. Hollway forced McDonald to resign as deputy, and Wilfrid Kent Hughes , deputy leader of Liberal Party, was appointed Deputy Premier. In February 1949, the Liberal Party planned to form a new Liberal and Country Party (LCP), with metropolitan and country interests proposed to be represented on a 50–50 basis. Hollway hoped this would unite the two "anti-socialist" parties of Liberal Party and Country Party together, an idea supported by Liberal Party and Country Party voters. A merger of
3577-459: The corridors." On 14 December 2000, Steve Bracks released a document outlining his government's intent to introduce the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 . The major criticism of Bracks's first government was that their insistence on consultation stood in the way of effective, proactive government. Bracks, according to critics, achieved little, and lost the excitement of constant change that
3650-517: The current single-member constituencies. This system increases the opportunity for minor parties such as the Greens and DLP to win seats in the Legislative Council, giving them a greater chance of holding the balance of power. Illustrating the historic importance Labor assigns to the changes, in a speech to a conference celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade , Bracks said it
3723-513: The election together. The coalition won the election and governed Victoria as majority government from 20 November 1947 to 3 December 1948, with Liberal leader Hollway as Premier and Country leader John McDonald as Deputy Premier . During a series of transport strikes in 1948, the moderate Hollway had dealt amicably with the transport unions and the Trades Hall Council, but McDonald heavily criticised his conciliatory approach to
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#17328021076133796-559: The end of the election campaign polling indicated that the Liberals under Baillieu were closing the gap. The election campaign was a relatively low-key affair, with the Government and Bracks largely running on their record, as well as their plans to tackle infrastructure issues in their third term. Bracks' image loomed large in Labor's election advertising. Liberal attacks concentrated on the slow process of infrastructure development under Bracks (notably on water supply issues relating to
3869-460: The floor of the Assembly. However, two of the independents, Russell Savage and Susan Davies , felt Kennett had given them short shrift in the previous legislature, and would not have even considered supporting him. In any event, this gambit was brought undone when Kennett announced his retirement from politics on 20 October. Bracks then advised the Governor , Sir James Gobbo , that he could form
3942-544: The issue of branch-stacking within the party. Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) The Victorian Liberal Party , officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division) and branded as Liberal Victoria , is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria . It was formed in 1944. It became the Liberal and Country Party (LCP) in 1949, and simplified its name to
4015-427: The new parliamentary session" and "should carry on with it", so the incumbent cabinet composition was unchanged. The LCP succeeded the old Victorian Liberal Party as the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, and federal members endorsed by the LCP sat with the Liberals in Canberra and belonged to the federal parliamentary Liberal Party. Future Prime Minister, John Gorton , was one of those appointed to
4088-420: The odium will wear off before the next State election. But we're copping the fall-out electorally... Bracks, however, was unmoved, even when Faulkner put it right on him... Sat there like a statue, that silly grin on his face. This backflip, while seen by many as an opportunity for the Liberals to make ground, saw the then leader of the Liberals, Robert Doyle , adopt a much-criticised policy of half tolls, which
4161-438: The party debated for more than an hour on its party name. It was revealed through a letter from Menzies that he did not like the "Liberal and Country Party" name because "liberalism catered for people in the city and in the country". With the letter, Bolte managed to persuade the party to support the motion of change of name back to the original name of Liberal Party. Malcolm Fraser , the Prime Minister between 1975 and 1983,
4234-406: The party room ballot by one vote against Brad Battin . Under Pesutto's leadership, in March 2023 he attempted to expel Liberal MP Moira Deeming from the party room after she spoke at an anti-trans rally outside the Victorian Parliament, but the vote failed 18–11. Two months later, Deeming threatened to sue Pesutto following the first attempt to expel her and associate her with Neo Nazis. She
4307-403: The proposed Scoresby Freeway in Melbourne's eastern suburbs would be a tollway rather than a freeway, as promised at the 2002 elections. As well as risking a loss of support in marginal seats in eastern Melbourne, this decision brought about a strong response from the Howard Federal government, which cut off federal funding for the project on the grounds that the Bracks government had reneged on
4380-479: The severe drought affecting Victoria in the election leadup), and new Liberal leader Ted Baillieu promised to start construction on a range of new infrastructure initiatives, including a new dam on the Maribyrnong River and a desalination plant. Labor's broken election promise on Eastlink was also expected to be a factor in some seats in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. On 25 November 2006, Steve Bracks won his third election, comfortably defeating Baillieu to secure
4453-447: The state executive of the LCP. He had supported the Country Party since before the war, but became frustrated with the party's squabbles with the Liberal Party and its willingness to co-operate with the Labor Party. While being part of the LCP state executive, he had addressed Country Party gatherings in a few occasions, urging its members to join the new party and stressing that it would not neglect rural interests, as many feared. However,
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#17328021076134526-446: The terms of the federal-state funding agreement. The decision seems to have been on the recommendation of Brumby, who was concerned with the state's budgetary position. Also opposing the decision was the Federal Labor Opposition, which feared anti-Labor reaction at the 2004 Federal election. The then Opposition Leader Mark Latham described a meeting with Bracks and federal shadow ministers, writing: Bracks has broken his promise, hoping
4599-431: The united party. On 22 March 1949, they joined the Liberals in forming the Liberal and Country Party (LCP). Hollway was chosen as leader of the new party and continued to be Premier. Hughes also continued as deputy leader of the new party and Deputy Premier. The six former Country MPs were eligible for Cabinet positions in the new LCP government, but turned them down since "the present cabinet had prepared legislation for
4672-401: The upcoming election and "arrogant" because of a lack of consultation with the then-opposition. Following the defeat of the ALP at the 7 September election , incoming foreign minister Julie Bishop reversed the appointment in a decision described as 'petty and vindictive' by acting ALP foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek . In March 2019, it was announced that Bracks will serve as
4745-489: Was "another victory for the aspirations of Eureka", and has described the changes as "his proudest achievement". The staging of the 2006 Commonwealth Games , generally viewed as a success (albeit an expensive one), was viewed as a plus for Bracks and the government. With times reasonably good, a perception arguably reinforced by an extensive government advertising campaign selling the virtues of Victoria to Victorians, polls indicated little interest in change, although towards
4818-496: Was born in Ballarat , where his family owns a fashion business. He is a Lebanese Australian ; his paternal grandfather came to Australia as a child from Zahlé in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon in the 1890s. His family were Melkite Catholic before migrating and became Latin Catholic . Bracks was educated in Ballarat at St Patrick's College and the Ballarat College of Advanced Education (now Federation University ), where he graduated in business studies and education. He became
4891-447: Was characteristic of the Kennett years. The talents of some of the more junior ministers in the government were also questioned. Nevertheless, Bracks got through his first term without major mishaps, and his popularity undiminished. Labor won the 2002 election in a landslide, taking 62 seats out of 88 in the Legislative Assembly—only the third time in Victoria's history that a Labor government had been reelected. In another first, Labor won
4964-412: Was cited as a possible candidate for her safe Labor seat of Gellibrand , but he ruled out running for the seat. Bracks was appointed to the role of Australian Consul-General in New York in May 2013, by the Federal ALP Government of Julia Gillard . At the time, the shadow Foreign Minister, the Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop , described the appointment as "inappropriate" because of the proximity to
5037-699: Was elected leader. The Coalition arrangement was maintained while the Liberals and Nationals were in opposition. The coalition lost the 2018 election and suffered a significant swing against it, leading to the resignation of Guy as leader of the Liberal Party. He was replaced by Michael O'Brien as party leader. Branch stacking allegations in the party had been linked to conservative powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan since 2016. In late August 2020, his activities in branch stacking were revealed by Nine/The Age, which included directing taxpayer-funded electorate staff working for federal MP Kevin Andrews to be involved with party activities such as recruitment of party members, which
5110-421: Was elected unopposed by the Victorian Labor Caucus as Premier, while Attorney-General Rob Hulls was elected Deputy Premier. One consequence of Bracks leaving politics may have been the introduction of abortion law reform in Victoria. It has been suggested that the resignation of Premier Bracks sowed the seeds for abortion law reform by legislation that parliamentarians previously had refused to support, fearing
5183-403: Was later overturned by his successor, Ted Baillieu . In 2005, following extensive independent studies it was found that cattle had created extensive damage to the high country National Park and their continued presence in the Park was incompatible with the values of National Parks. Bracks backed the environment and his environment minister, John Thwaites and announced that Victoria would follow
5256-461: Was quoted as saying that Bracks had killed " The Man from Snowy River " (although the poem was about mustering horses, not cattle – a practice which was stopped in the high country just after World War 2.) Bracks' second government achieved one of Victorian Labor's longest-held goals with a complete reform of the state's system for electing its upper house. It saw the introduction of proportional representation , with eight five-member regions replacing
5329-412: Was the 44th Premier of Victoria . He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Labor Party and was party leader and premier from 1999 to 2007. Bracks led Labor in Victoria to minority government at the 1999 election , defeating the incumbent Jeff Kennett Liberal and National coalition government. Labor was returned with a majority government after a landslide win at
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