Alan Carpenter
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Alan Carpenter (born January 4, 1957), Australian politician, is the 28th Premier of Western Australia. He took office on 25 January 2006 following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop. A member of the Australian Labor Party, he represents the Electoral district of Willagee in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Prior to becoming Premier of the Government of Western Australia he was Minister for State Development and Minister for Energy (2005-2006), Minister for Education and Training (2003-2005) and Minister for Education and Indigenous Affairs (2001-2003).
Education
Carpenter was born in Albany, Western Australia, and educated at Mt Lockyer Primary School and Albany Senior High School. After graduating in 1974, he travelled Australia, working a variety of different jobs before returning in 1977 to study political science at the University of Western Australia and graduated in 1979.Media Career
Alan began working for the Albany Advertiser as a journalist. In 1982 he travelled overseas, spending a year in Asia then moving on to Europe, where he worked in various jobs for three years. He returned to Australia in 1986, and began working for the Perth television station TVW-7 as a reporter on politics within the state. In 1990 Carpenter moved to the ABC, continuing his role as state political reporter in his new job. He moved up through the ranks in the ABC, acting as the Western Australian presenter of The 7.30 Report in 1992, and moving on to become the first presenter of Stateline in 1995.Politics
He resigned from the ABC in 1996 to begin a career in politics, and was preselected by the ALP to run for the new District of Willagee, which he won. During his time in parliament he has held many portfolios, including (as Shadow Minister) Disability Services, Sport & Recreation, Family & Children's Services, Education, Drugs, and (as Government Minister) Education, Sport & Recreation, Indigenous Affairs, Education and Training, State Development, and Energy.Carpenter was a prominent minister in the Gallop government, and when Gallop suddenly resigned as a result of depression in January 2006, he instantly emerged as a leading candidate to succeed him. With the decisions of potential rivals Jim McGinty and Michelle Roberts to withdraw from the race, he was elected unopposed as Premier by the Labor caucus on January 24.
Carpenter is married to Annmarie de Costa, and has four daughters, Grace, Claudia, Isabelle and Ava.
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| Premiers of Western Australia |
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|---|---|
| Forrest | Throssell | Leake | Morgans | James | Daglish | Rason | Moore | Wilson | Scaddan | Lefroy | Colebatch | Mitchell | Collier | Willcock | Wise | McLarty | Hawke | Brand | Tonkin | C. Court | O'Connor | Burke | Dowding | Lawrence | R. Court | Gallop | Carpenter | |
External links
- [The Premier's website]
- [Western Australian ALP biography]
- ["Gallop's colleagues shocked at announcement"], Maxine McKew, The 7.30 Report interview transcript, 2006-01-16
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