Robert Clark

Robert William Clark (born 11 March 1957) is an Australian former politician. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 2018, representing the electorates of Balwyn (1988–1992) and Box Hill (1992–2018). He served as Attorney-General and Minister for Finance in the Baillieu Ministry and Napthine Ministry from 2010 to 2014, and also served as Minister for Industrial Relations under Napthine from 2013 to 2014. He had previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (1992–1996) and Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury and Multimedia (1996–1999) during the Kennett government.

Early life

Having attended both St. Albans High School and University High School, Clark undertook his tertiary education at the University of Melbourne, obtaining his BCom (Hons) in 1980, an LLB in 1982 and a BA in 1986. It was further ruled that the University of Melbourne was a "public authority exercising legislative powers", in that the university was unduly exercising a power in the absence of legislative approval from Parliament. Clark's instrumental role in these actions resulted in significant changes to the law relating to student unionism in Victoria.

Entry into politics

Clark joined the Liberal Party in 1976. He was an executive member of the Victorian Young Liberal Movement in 1986 and was vice-chairman of the Deakin Electorate Committee from 1986 to 1988. He has also been a member of the Party's Constitutional Committee since 1987.

Member of Victorian State Parliament

After working as a solicitor practicing in commercial, financial and labour law from 1983 to 1988, Clark was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Balwyn on 1 October 1988.

Clark lost his seat in the 2018 election, suffering a nearly 8-point swing against him. Clark had held the seat or its predecessor for three decades. Shortly after his defeat, the Victorian branch of the Liberal Party elected him as its president, succeeding Michael Kroger.

Clark led a group of party moderates dedicated to stamping out religious right influences on the party and accused them of branch stacking. Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett indicated that there were widespread internal issues within the Victorian Liberal Party under Clark's presidency. In response to Kennett's move against him, Clark's supporters attempted to talk up his standing in the party.