Bob Carr

Robert John Carr (born September 28 1947), Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales from 25 March 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as Premier of New South Wales. Only Sir Henry Parkes has served longer, but he held the office on five separate occasions.

Leader of the Opposition

Carr's long-term ambition was to enter federal politics and be Minister for Foreign Affairs in a federal Labor government. But following the defeat of the New South Wales Labor government, Carr was pressured by the party organisation and his own Right faction to stand for the leadership. Carr reluctantly agreed, and became Leader of the Opposition. His diary entries from the time reveal "I spent today like a doomed man, taking phone calls and drafting a statement, still saying to the press I wasn't shifting. I feel a jolt in my stomach about what I'm getting myself in for. I will destroy my career in four years. Everything's altered. It's my fate ? So, for better or for worse, I become leader of the party next week."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Despite this reluctance, Carr performed well as opposition leader and only narrowly lost a tight election to Nick Greiner's coalition government in 1991, an election in which no one expected Labor to come close to victory.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~