Keith Wright (Australian politician)

Keith Wright
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Capricornia
In office
1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993
Preceded by Doug Everingham
Succeeded by Marjorie Henzell
Leader of the Opposition of Queensland
In office
20 October 1982 – 29 August 1984
Preceded by Ed Casey
Succeeded by Nev Warburton
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Rockhampton South
In office
17 May 1969 – 27 May 1972
Preceded by Rex Pilbeam
Succeeded by Seat abolished
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Rockhampton
In office
27 May 1972 – 5 November 1984
Preceded by New seat
Succeeded by Paul Braddy
Personal details
Born (1942-01-09)9 January 1942
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died 13 January 2015(2015-01-13) (aged 73)
Vietnam
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) 1. Jenifer Mary Dawson (1964)
2. Allison Donohue (1987)[1]
Alma mater University of Queensland
Occupation Teacher

Keith Webb Wright (9 January 1942 – 13 January 2015) was an Australian politician, educator and convicted child rapist.[1]

Biography

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, he was educated at the University of Queensland and Kelvin Grove Teachers College[1] in Brisbane before becoming a Rockhampton teacher and Baptist preacher.[2]

On 17 May 1969, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Labor member for Rockhampton South and after a seat redistribution, represented Rockhampton (1972–1984).[3] In 1982, he became Leader of the Opposition. Wright remained opposition leader until he left the Assembly in 1984, transferring to federal politics as the Labor MP for Capricornia in the Australian House of Representatives.

In 1993, he was charged with indecently dealing and child rape,[4] and as a result lost his Labor endorsement.[5] He contested the 1993 election as an independent, gaining 5.9% of the vote but losing to endorsed ALP candidate Marjorie Henzell. In December 1993 he was convicted and jailed for nine years for raping and indecently dealing with two young girls.[6][2]

After leaving jail, Wright moved to Vietnam and ran a company, International Language Academy Australia,[7] which trains TESOL teachers in Southeast Asia.[6]

Wright died in Vietnam on 13 January 2015, aged 73.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 Keith Wright, former Queensland Labor leader jailed for paedophilia, dies aged 72 | Australia news | The Guardian
  3. ↑ "Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860-2012 and of the Legislative Council 1860-1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Disgraced former Queensland Labor leader Keith Wright dies in Vietnam". Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Carr, Adam. "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Keith Wright says sorry for sexual sins that landed him in jail". The Courier-Mail. 18 December 2009.
  7. ↑ "International Language Academy Australia".
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by
Rex Pilbeam		 Member for Rockhampton South
1969–1972		 Seat abolished
Seat created Member for Rockhampton
1972–1984		 Succeeded by
Paul Braddy
Political offices
Preceded by
Ed Casey		 Leader of the Opposition in Queensland
1982–1984		 Succeeded by
Nev Warburton
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ed Casey		 Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland
1982–1984		 Succeeded by
Nev Warburton
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Doug Everingham		 Member for Capricornia
1984–1993		 Succeeded by
Marjorie Henzell

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