Chris Bourke

Christopher John Bourke is an Australian politician, a Labor member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Ginninderra from 2011 to 2016. He was the first Indigenous Australian elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly.[1] He filled the casual vacancy created by the resignation of former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.[2]

Chris Bourke
Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly
In office
1 June 2011 – 15 October 2016
Preceded byJon Stanhope
ConstituencyGinninderra
Personal details
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor Party
Alma materMelbourne University
ProfessionDentist
Websitechrisbourke.com.au

Bourke grew up in country Australia.[3] He graduated from Melbourne University in 1982, where he was the first Indigenous Australian to complete a dentistry degree.[4] He undertook graduate studies at Adelaide University and Sydney University.[3] Prior to being elected in 2011, Bourke worked as a dentist, performing locum dentistry work in remote areas of Australia after a period of private practice in Canberra. He is President of the Indigenous Dentists' Association of Australia.[5]

Political career

Bourke was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly following the resignation of former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.[2] His election was the result of a countback of ballots cast for Stanhope in the 2008 Australian Capital Territory election.[6] Following his election, Mr Bourke was made Minister of Education, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations, and Minister for Corrections until the 2012 election, when he was not reappointed as a minister.[7]

On 22 January 2016, Bourke was reappointed as a minister, and was made Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Disability, Minister for Small Business and the Arts and Minister for Veterans and Seniors.[8] Bourke was defeated at the 2016 election in October.

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References
  1. "Bourke to be first indigenous MLA". The Canberra Times. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  2. "Dr Chris Bourke officially declared elected to fill the casual vacancy". ACT Electoral Commission. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  3. "Dr Christopher Bourke". Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  4. "Congratulations Chris Bourke". Regional Development Australia, ACT. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011.
  5. "Indigenous Dentists' Association of Australia". Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  6. "Casual vacancy countback result: Mr Chris Bourke to be elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly". ACT Electoral Commission. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  8. "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Ministerial Appointment 2016 (No 1)" (PDF).
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