Labor People - Kim Carr

Kim Carr

Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Electorate Office
62 Lygon Street
Carlton South, VIC, 3053
Postal Address:
62 Lygon Street
Carlton South, VIC, 3053
(03) 9639 2798
(03) 9639 3109

Parliament House
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
(02) 6277 7580
(02) 6273 4104
Email Kim

Biography

Senator Kim Carr was born at Tumut, New South Wales, in 1955.

He was educated at New South Wales and Victorian state schools and at the University of Melbourne, where he completed a B.A. (Hons), M.A. and Dip. Ed.

Before entering parliament he worked as a school teacher and policy adviser.

He was elected to the senate in 1993 and to Labor’s front bench in 1996, serving first as a parliamentary secretary and opposition spokesman on education in the senate (1996-01), and then as a shadow minister (2001-07). Between 1993 and 2007 he also worked on more than twenty senate committees.

His first shadow portfolio was science and research (2001-04), which was soon joined by industry and innovation (2003-04). After gaining valuable experience in several other portfolios, he returned to his original responsibilities in 2006.

Following Labor’s election victory in 2007, he was sworn in as Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research on 3 December that year.

This was the culmination of a thirty-year interest in these policy areas. The design of the portfolio reflects his longstanding belief that it is critical – as he said in his first speech to the senate (5 May 1993) – “to maintain a strong, innovative and diverse industrial base” in Australia.

Senator Carr is married, has four children, and enjoys reading history and fiction.

Electorate Profile: McMillan

State: Victoria

Name Derivation: Named after Angus McMillan 1810-65, pioneer and explorer who made several trips into Gippsland.

Area and Location Description: McMillan covers an area of approximately 8 328 sq km from Pakenham in the west to Newborough in the east to Noojee in the north and to Wilsons Promontory in the south. The main towns include Drouin, Erica, Moe, Neerim South, Pakenham (part), Thorpdale, Trafalgar, Walhalla, Warragul, Yarragon, Mirboo North, Korumburra, Leongatha, Foster and Wonthaggi.

Products/Industries of the Area: Dairy farming, fruit, forestry, potato growing, sawmilling, tourism and fishing.

First Proclaimed/Election: 1948/1949

Demographic Rating: Rural

Members:

Broadbent, R (LP) 2004-
Zahra, C (ALP) 1998-2004
Broadbent, R (LP) 1996-1998
Cunningham, B T (ALP) 1993-1996
Riggall, J P (LP) 1990-1993
Cunningham, B T (ALP) 1980-1990
Simon, B D (LP) 1975-1980
Hewson, H A (CP/NCP) 1972-1975
Buchanan, A A (LP) 1955-1972
Brown, G W (LP) 1949-1955

Electorate Profile: Wannon

State: Victoria

Name Derivation: Named after the Wannon River which was named by Major Mitchell in 1836.

Area and Location Description: Wannon covers an area of approximately 33 854 sq km from the southern coastline of Victoria, to the northern boundaries of Glenelg Shire, Southern Grampians Shire and Pyrenees Shire and takes in the southern part of the Northern Grampians Shire. From the South Australian border the division extends to the eastern boundaries of Pyrenees Shire and Corangamite Shire at which point it also includes a small section of the Colac-Otway Shire. The region is generally known as the 'Western District'. The main towns and areas of interest include Ararat, Avoca, Camperdown, Great Western, Halls Gap, Hamilton, Koroit, Port Campbell, Port Fairy, Portland, Stawell, Terang and Warrnambool.

Products/Industries of the Area: Shipping, including live sheep exports, grain, meat and dairy exports, fine wool, beef and dairy cattle, cropping, forestry, aluminium smelting, gold mining, mineral sand mining, textiles and clothing, tool manufacturing, wineries and tourism. Grampians National Park, the coastal rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles, the Southern Right whale nursery at Warrnambool, numerous wineries at Great Western and Avoca, gold mines at Stawell, Port Fairy township, coastal wind farm, and numerous extinct volcanoes, are significant tourist attractions within the division.

First Proclaimed/Election: 1900/1901

Demographic Rating: Rural

Members: