Bob Carr

Bob Carr holds the record as the longest continuously serving Premier of New South Wales (1995 – 2005). He was Foreign Minister under Julia Gillard’s Labor government, a role which drew on his deep fascination with, and knowledge of, international politics and relations.

Following a long career in politics, Bob Carr took up the role as Professor in International Relations at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI), the only Australian think tank devoted to illuminating the Australia-China relationship.

Generally recognised as one of Australia’s very best public communicators, no former Australian leader offers Bob Carr’s mix of erudition, insight, succinctness and authority.

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Bob Carr served as Leader of the Opposition from 1988 until his election as Premier in March 1995. He was re-elected in 1999 and again in March 2003 securing an historic third four-year term. He retired from State politics in 2005 after over 10 years as Premier.

During these 10 years the State Government set new records for spending on infrastructure, became the first government in the State’s history to retire debt, hosted the world’s best Olympics in 2000 and achieved the nation’s best school literacy levels. Forbes magazine called Bob Carr a ‘dragon slayer’ for his landmark tort law reforms.

As Premier he introduced the world’s first carbon trading scheme and curbed the clearing of native vegetation as anti-greenhouse measures. He was a member of the International Task Force on Climate Change convened by Tony Blair, and was made a life member of the Wilderness Society in 2003. He has also received the World Conservation Union International Parks Merit Award for creating 350 new national parks.

Bob Carr entered federal politics in 2012 at the urging of Prime Minister Julie Gillard and served as foreign minister under both Ms Gillard and Kevin Rudd, retiring after following Labor’s defeat at the 2013 federal election.

Bob Carr has devoted a lifetime of study to American politics and in particular, its Presidents. He is the founding president of the Chester A. Arthur Society, which is devoted to US presidential trivia, and has written articles, reviewed books, and commented on US campaigns. Mr Carr has met leaders of America including former Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, senior figures in the Senate including John McCain and, on numerous occasions, the legendary former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Bob Carr has received the Fulbright Distinguished Fellow Award Scholarship. He has served as Honorary Scholar of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. He is the author of Thoughtlines (2002), What Australia Means to Me (2003), and My Reading Life (2008).

Bob Carr speaks about:

Drawing on his experiences in politics, Bob Carr offers a humorous and enlightened account of what it’s like to be a member of the Foreign Minister’s club, to shape opinion, and to win and lose arguments in world forums.

As Professor in International Relations at UTS and the Director of the ACRI, he is eminently qualified to talk about how the phenomenon of China and how international developments can shape your business. In fact, he can give unrivalled insights into the 10 nations of South East Asia and the opportunity they offer as their growth forges.

With an unbeatable knowledge of the US political system and in particular, its Presidents, Bob Carr gives a riveting address on two and a quarter centuries of the US presidency and lessons about leadership relevant to you.

• America’s Future: How Its Strengths and Weaknesses Affect Your Business
• Global Warming – the Most Serious Challenge of our Time
• Greenhouse, Terrorism and Proliferation
• Imagining Catastrophe
• Leadership: An Australian Looks at the Careers of Lincoln and FDR
• Lessons For Today From the World’s Greatest Leaders
• Lessons from the Presidents
• The 10 Decisions Australia Got Right
• The Australia of 1942 and the Fall of Singapore
• The Case for Medical Research
• The Roman Empire and its Lessons for Us
• The Terrorist Threat: How to Survive as a Business in the New climate

Bob Carr talks China

Bob Carr served as Foreign Minister and experienced first-hand the challenge of managing relations with China across the barriers of politics, interests and culture.  He visited China and continued to research it for five years as chair of the only think tank devoted to Australia-China relations. He also cultivates a deep interest in American history and politics and has thought as deeply as any Australian about the triangle of relationships: China US Australia, and how it is reshaping our country.

Bob Carr and Greg Sheridan in conversation

Former New South Wales Premier and Foreign Minister Bob Carr has had a lifelong interest in American politics and has interpreted US elections for many years. Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor of The Australian, has written on international relations for 40 years and has enjoyed unrivalled access as a journalist to leaders on both sides of US politics. Bob and Greg were colleagues writing in the pages of The Bulletin magazine in the 70s and 80s before Bob entered politics and Greg joined The Australian. They will conduct a lively conversation with a lot of give and take, some diverging views full of rich anecdotes and plenty of compelling arguments, disagreements and surprising common ground.