10 Facts About Ray Thorburn

Raymond William Thorburn was an Australian politician.

Ray Thorburn was a member of the Australian Labor Party and held the New South Wales seat of Cook in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1975.

Ray Thorburn completed a certificate in electrical engineering at Sydney Technical College and subsequently worked as an engineering officer.

Ray Thorburn served on the Sutherland Shire Council from 1964 to 1973, including as shire president from 1971 to 1972.

Ray Thorburn was vice-president of the Cronulla branch of the ALP from 1956 to 1970.

At the 1972 federal election, Ray Thorburn defeated the incumbent Liberal MP Don Dobie in the seat of Cook.

Ray Thorburn was re-elected in 1974 but lost his seat to Dobie in the ALP's landslide defeat at the 1975 election.

Ray Thorburn made three unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the seat from Dobie, and remains the only member of the ALP to have held Cook.

Ray Thorburn was a member of the House Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs from 1973 to 1975 and was a parliamentary representative on the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.

Ray Thorburn died on 30 January 1986 at the age of 55.