Bob Sercombe

Who is Bob Sercombe?

Robert Charles Grant "Bob" Sercombe is a former Australian politician who represented the Division of Maribyrnong, Victoria for the Australian Labor Party from March 1996 until his retirement at the 2007 federal election.

He was born in Melbourne, Victoria, and was educated at the University of Melbourne. He was a public servant, social planner, and administrator before entering politics. He was an adviser to Clyde Holding, a former Victorian opposition leader and a minister in the Hawke government from 1983 until 1988. Sercombe was a member of the Essendon City Council in 1983 and 1984.

Sercombe was the Member for Niddrie in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1988 until 1996. He was Deputy Leader of the Opposition 1993-94 and a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1992-94.

In State politics, he became well known for attempting a leadership challenge on behalf of Ian Baker who attempted to topple then Leader John Brumby in 1994. Brumby asked him to leave the front-bench after the abortive bid.

In the federal Parliament, Sercombe was an Opposition Whip from 1998 until 2001. He was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry after the 2004 election and appointed Shadow Minister for Pacific Islands. His rather limited portfolio responsibilities were slightly expanded some time later by Beazley to include Overseas Development. As Shadow Minister, despite not having a direct Ministerial opponent, Sercombe put out a series of policy announcements about expanding Australia's relationship with that region.