Robert Ivan Lucas (born 7 June 1953) is an Australian former politician and a former member of the South Australian Legislative Council between the 1982 election and the 2022 election, representing the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia. Lucas served as the Treasurer of South Australia between 2018 and 2022 in the Marshall government, and previously served in the role between 1997 and 2002 in the Olsen and Kerin governments. Lucas was the Father of the Parliament until his retirement at the 2022 election.

Rob Lucas
Treasurer of South Australia
In office
19 March 2018 – 21 March 2022 (2022-03-21)
PremierSteven Marshall
Preceded byTom Koutsantonis
Succeeded byStephen Mullighan
In office
20 October 1997 – 5 March 2002
PremierJohn Olsen (1997–2001)
Rob Kerin (2001–2002)
Preceded byStephen Baker
Succeeded byKevin Foley
Father of the
Parliament of South Australia
In office
20 March 2010 – 19 March 2022 (2022-03-19)
Preceded byGraham Gunn
Succeeded byTom Koutsantonis
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
In office
22 March 2018 – 21 March 2022
PremierSteven Marshall
Preceded byKyam Maher
Succeeded byKyam Maher
In office
14 February 1993 – 5 March 2002
PremierDean Brown (1993–1996)
John Olsen (1996–2001)
Rob Kerin (2001–2002)
Succeeded byPaul Holloway
Minister for Government Enterprises
In office
4 December 2001 – 5 March 2002
PremierRob Kerin
Preceded byIain Evans
Succeeded byKevin Foley
Minister for Industry & Trade
In office
14 February 2000 – 5 March 2002
PremierJohn Olsen (2000–2001)
Rob Kerin (2001–2002)
Preceded byIain Evans
Succeeded byKevin Foley
Minister for Education
and Children's Services
In office
14 December 1993 – 20 October 1997
PremierDean Brown
Preceded bySusan Lenehan
Succeeded byMalcolm Buckby
Member of the
Legislative Council of South Australia
In office
6 November 1982 (1982-11-06) – 19 March 2022 (2022-03-19)
Personal details
Born
Robert Ivan Lucas

(1953-06-07) 7 June 1953 (age 71)
Kure, Hiroshima, Japan
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia (SA)
Alma materUniversity of Adelaide

Career

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Before his entry into politics, Lucas graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Economics, and a MBA.[1]

In office, Lucas has been a Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Industry and Trade and Minister for Government Enterprises. He also served as Treasurer from the 1997 election until his party's defeat at the 2002 election. During this time (1993 to 2002), he was the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.[2] The appointment of Lucas, a member of the upper house Legislative Council, as Treasurer was a break in convention as previous Treasurers had been members of the lower house the House of Assembly. The precedence in appointing a member of the upper house as Treasurer was in New South Wales with the appointment of Michael Egan in 1995.

From 2002 until April 2007, Lucas served as Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Industry and Trade and Police, and between 2005 and 2006 was also Shadow Minister for Economic Development and Science and Information Economy. During this time (2002 to 2007), Lucas was the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.

In 2014 Lucas returned to the Treasury portfolio albeit as Shadow Treasurer following the retirement of the previous portfolio holder and former Liberal leader Iain Evans. He became treasurer and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council again on 19 March 2018 following his party winning government at the 2018 election.[3]

Two days after the election, he announced on 19 March 2018 that he would be serving his final term in parliament, with an intention to leave parliament at the 2022 election.[4]

Personal life

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Lucas's mother Yoshiko was a "war bride"[5] who met his father, Bob, who was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "About Rob". The Hon. Bob Lucas, MLC. Liberal Party of Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Rob Lucas MLC". Premier of South Australia. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019.
  3. ^ "The South Australian Government Gazette, 19 March 2018, No. 18, Supplementary Gazette" (PDF). Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Re-elected Liberal Treasurer Rob Lucas says this is his final term in State Parliament". The Advertiser. 19 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Will settle here". News. Vol. 62, no. 9, 488. South Australia. 7 January 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 8 September 2020 – via Trove.
  6. ^ Richardson, Tom (27 February 2015). "Tears flow as Lucas tells of mother's journey". InDaily.
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South Australian Legislative Council
Preceded by Member of the Legislative Council
1982–2022
Served alongside: Multiple Members
Next:
TBD
Preceded by
Preceded by
Preceded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Leader of the Government in the South Australian Legislative Council
1993–2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Education and Children's Services
1993–1997
Succeeded by
Preceded by Treasurer of South Australia
1997–2002
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Industry & Trade
2000–2002
Minister for Government Enterprises
2001–2002
Preceded by Father of the Parliament of South Australia
2010–2022
Succeeded by
Preceded by Treasurer of South Australia
2018–2022
Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Government in the South Australian Legislative Council
2018–2022
Succeeded by