36 Facts About Steve Bracks

Stephen Phillip Bracks was born on 15 October 1954 and is a former Australian politician and was the 44th Premier of Victoria.

Steve Bracks first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Labor Party and was party leader and premier from 1999 to 2007.

Steve Bracks led Labor in Victoria to minority government at the 1999 election, defeating the incumbent Jeff Kennett Liberal and National coalition government.

The treasurer, John Brumby, became Labor leader and premier in 2007 when Steve Bracks retired from politics.

Steve Bracks is the third-longest-serving Labor premier in Victorian history, surpassed only by John Cain Jr.

Steve Bracks has served as the 6th Chancellor of Victoria University since 2021.

Steve Bracks was born in Ballarat, where his family owns a fashion business.

Steve Bracks is a Lebanese Australian; his paternal grandfather came to Australia as a child from Zahle in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon in the 1890s.

Steve Bracks's family were Melkite Catholic before migrating and became Latin Catholic.

Steve Bracks was educated in Ballarat at St Patrick's College and the Ballarat College of Advanced Education, where he graduated in business studies and education.

Steve Bracks became a keen follower of Australian rules football, supporting the Geelong Football Club.

From 1976 to 1981 Steve Bracks was a school commerce teacher at Sacred Heart College, Ballarat.

In 1989 Steve Bracks was appointed statewide manager of Victorian state government employment programs, under the Labor government of John Cain Jr.

Steve Bracks then became an adviser to both Cain and Cain's successor as Premier, Joan Kirner.

Kirner resigned from parliament in 1994, and Steve Bracks was elected to Kirner's seat of Williamstown in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Steve Bracks was immediately elected to Labor's front bench, as Shadow Minister for Employment, Industrial Relations and Tourism.

In March 1999, when it became apparent that Labor was headed for another defeat under Brumby's leadership, Brumby resigned and Steve Bracks was elected Opposition Leader.

Steve Bracks then advised the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, that he could form a government, which was duly sworn in later that day.

Steve Bracks became the first Catholic Labor Premier of Victoria since 1932.

On 14 December 2000, Steve Bracks released a document outlining his government's intent to introduce the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001.

Steve Bracks, according to critics, achieved little, and lost the excitement of constant change that was characteristic of the Kennett years.

Nevertheless, Steve Bracks got through his first term without major mishaps, and his popularity undiminished.

In May 2003 Steve Bracks broke an election promise and announced that the proposed Scoresby Freeway in Melbourne's eastern suburbs would be a tollway rather than a freeway, as promised at the 2002 elections.

Steve Bracks has broken his promise, hoping the odium will wear off before the next State election.

Steve Bracks was unmoved, even when Faulkner put it right on him.

Steve Bracks backed the environment and his environment minister, John Thwaites and announced that Victoria would follow the NSW example and cattlemen would be banned from using the "High Plains" in Victoria's National Parks to graze cattle.

The election campaign was a relatively low-key affair, with the Government and Steve Bracks largely running on their record, as well as their plans to tackle infrastructure issues in their third term.

On 25 November 2006, Steve Bracks won his third election, comfortably defeating Baillieu to secure a third term, with a slightly reduced majority in the Lower House.

Steve Bracks announced his resignation as Premier on 27 July 2007, saying this was to spend more time with his family.

Steve Bracks told a media conference he could no longer give a 100 per cent commitment to politics:.

Steve Bracks was to spend a year travelling between Melbourne and Dili helping with the establishment of Gusmao's administration, the key departments that would need to be involved, and advising on how they would be accountable and reportable to the legislature.

In 2010, Steve Bracks was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for services to the community and the Parliament of Victoria.

Steve Bracks was appointed to the Honorary Chair of the Deakin University Foundation.

In February 2013 after the announcement that Nicola Roxon would retire from federal politics, Steve Bracks was cited as a possible candidate for her safe Labor seat of Gellibrand, but he ruled out running for the seat.

Steve Bracks was appointed to the role of Australian Consul-General in New York in May 2013, by the Federal ALP Government of Julia Gillard.

In March 2019, it was announced that Steve Bracks will serve as the 6th Chancellor of Victoria University from 2021.