Ian Taylor

Who is Ian Taylor?

Ian Taylor is a former Australian politician and Western Australian Deputy Premier and Opposition Leader.

Taylor was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 1981 as the Labor member for Kalgoorlie. In 1986 he was appointed Minister for Health and also held the Aged Care, Lands and Consumer Affairs portfolios at various times. Following Brian Burke's resignation in 1988 he became Minister for Police in Peter Dowding's ministry and on Carmen Lawrence's ascension to the premiership in 1990 he became Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance. Labor was defeated at the 1993 state election and Taylor became Leader of the Opposition in February 1994 when Lawrence resigned to enter federal parliament. He was succeeded by Jim McGinty in October. In 1996 he resigned to contest the federal seat of Kalgoorlie against Labor rebel Graeme Campbell, who defeated him as an independent.