Preceded by Sir Charles Court Preceded by Edward Oldfield Preceded by Stan Lapham | Succeeded by Brian Burke Succeeded by George Cash Succeeded by Seat abolished | |
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Died 25 February 2013, Perth, Australia Party Liberal Party of Australia | ||
Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor (6 March 1926 – 25 February 2013) was an Australian politician. He served as the 22nd Premier of Western Australia, from 1982 to 1983. He also played Australian rules football for the South Fremantle and East Perth Football Clubs in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL). In 1991, he was convicted of fraud as part of the WA Inc scandal, and served a six-month jail term.
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Pre-political life
O'Connor was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth. He enlisted in the Australian Army and served in the 61st Battalion of the Second Australian Imperial Force between 1944 and 1947. His first attempt to enter Parliament failed when he stood as an Independent Liberal candidate for the Metropolitan Province in the Legislative Council. O'Connor also played several senior matches of Australian rules football: two matches for South Fremantle in 1944 in the war-time under-age competition, and later 14 matches for East Perth from 1948 to 1950.
Political career
O'Connor joined the Liberal Party in 1957 and in the general election of 1959 he was elected MLA for North Perth, defeating Stan Lapham, a Labor member who had held the seat for 6 years. O'Connor became Premier on the resignation of Sir Charles Court. He was defeated at the polls after just over a year in office in 1983.
A Western Australian Royal Commission into business dealings by the Government was conducted during 1991 and 1992. He was tried in 1995 on charges of stealing a A$25,000 cheque from the Bond Corporation and was given a six-month jail sentence. As a result, his 1989 appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia was rescinded in 1995.
Death
Ray O'Connor died in 2013 at the age of 86.