Former Foreign Minister Bob Carr is also the longest continuously serving Premier in New South Wales history.
Current Work
Following his resignation from the Senate on October 24, 2013, the University of Technology, Sydney appointed him to lead the Australia-China Relations Institute - a think tank dedicated to Australia-China relations, serving for five years. In May 2019 he was appointed Professor of Industry in Climate and Business at the University of Technology Sydney.
Bob Carr is a Director of The Lysicrates Foundation and a Committee Member of the UNSW Matraville Education Program Advisory Council.
Previous Experience
Politics: He served as Minister for Planning and Environment 1984 to 1988 and as Leader of the Opposition from 1988 until his election as Premier in March 1995. He was re-elected in 1999 and 2003 securing an historic third four-year term.
State Government: During his 10 years the State Government set new records for spending on infrastructure, became the first government in the State’s history to retire debt, hosted the world’s best Olympics in 2000 and achieved the nation’s best school literacy levels. Forbes magazine called Bob Carr a “dragon slayer” for his landmark tort law reforms.
Premier: As Premier he received the World Conservation Union International Parks Merit Award for creating 350 new national parks. He introduced the world’s first carbon trading scheme and curbed the clearing of native vegetation, both anti-greenhouse measures. He was a member of the International Task Force on Climate Change convened by Tony Blair, and was made a life member of the Wilderness Society in 2003.
Minister: In March 2012 he was designated by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as Australia’s Foreign Minister, elected to the Australian Senate to fill a casual Senate vacancy and sworn in to the Senate and Cabinet on March 13, 2012.
As Foreign Minister, Bob Carr fostered stronger relations between Australia and Southeast Asia, lifted sanctions on Myanmar, campaigned for the passage of a global Arms Trade Treaty and led the final stages of Australia’s successful bid for Australia’s seat on the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member. His plan for a Syrian medical pact was backed at the G20. He assisted Prime Minister Gillard in achieving a strategic partnership with China.
Author: He is the author of Thoughtlines, What Australia Means to Me, My Reading Life, Diary of a Foreign Minister and Run for Your Life.
Honours and Accolades: Bob Carr has received the Fulbright Distinguished Fellow Award Scholarship. He has served as Honorary Scholar of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue.
Talking Points
Global Warming - the Most Serious Challenge of our Time
Global Warming - the Most Serious Challenge of our Time
America's Future: How Its Strengths and Weaknesses Affect Your Business
America's Future: How Its Strengths and Weaknesses Affect Your Business
Greenhouse, Terrorism and Proliferation
Greenhouse, Terrorism and Proliferation
Imagining Catastrophe
Imagining Catastrophe
Leadership: An Australian Looks at the Careers of Lincoln and FDR
Leadership: An Australian Looks at the Careers of Lincoln and FDR
Lessons For Today From the World's Greatest Leaders
Lessons For Today From the World's Greatest Leaders
The 10 Decisions Australia Got Right
The 10 Decisions Australia Got Right
The Australia of 1942 and the Fall of Singapore
The Australia of 1942 and the Fall of Singapore
The Case for Medical Research
The Case for Medical Research
The Roman Empire and its Lessons for Us
The Roman Empire and its Lessons for Us
The Terrorist Threat: How to Survive as a Business in the New climate
The Terrorist Threat: How to Survive as a Business in the New climate
Lessons from the Presidents
No one in Australia knows more about US political history and America’s Presidents than Bob Carr, the longest serving Premier of New South Wales and former Foreign Minister. Mr Carr has made a lifetime study of the US political system and in particular it’s Presidents; writing articles, reviewing books, commenting on campaigns. He is the founding president of the Chester A. Arthur Society devoted to US presidential trivia. He gives a riveting address on two and a quarter centuries of the US presidency and lessons about leadership relevant to you.
Lessons from the Presidents
Geopolitics
Nobody can offer greater insights and promote better understanding of the current tense international environment- and what it might mean for your business and for Australia. Bob Carr served as Australian foreign minister when Donald Trump was shaping his bid for power and Xi Jinping emerging as China’s new, assertive leader. For five years running a university think tank he led examination of the Australian-China relationship. And for three more worked in climate change and business. Bob Carr can analyse possible changes in American power projection and how they might expose Australia- for example, more American political polarisation and dysfunction; the prospect of more aggressive economic decoupling between US and China; a retreat from global leadership by a different president; the nature of the conflict over Taiwan and likelihood of war. Geopolitics
Also the prospects of a shift in Chinese policies and leadership; and the prospects for South East Asia. Energy as well- he analyses the chances of the long-discussed nuclear Renaissance or a lift in global targets on decarbonisation. Bob Carr has met Putin and knows Russian history and can speculate about the Russian leader’s next moves in a more unpredictable global setting where even the taboos on nuclear war seem to being eroded.
Video
Bob Carr with Tracey Curro - Up Close And Personal
One of Australia's most popular and respected political leaders, Bob Carr made his political reputation through public speaking. "There is no doubt Carr is a master orator," according to Simon Benson, political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. "Carr is a smart speaker, a colourful orator with a carefully trained voice," wrote Gerard Noonan of The Sydney Morning Herald. Dominating the floor of the rough house New South Wales Parliament -- known as the "bear pit" -- or giving a highly acclaimed speech of welcome to Margaret Thatcher in 1988, Bob Carr has spoken about far more than the narrow political agenda. His annual addresses at Australia Day lunches or at Anzac commemorations were widely appreciated.Carr is a smart speaker, a colourful orator with a carefully trained voice. ... keep reading Gerard Noonan, The Sydney Morning Herald.
Carr is the most consistently effective, engaging and entertaining speaker with whom I have collaborated.
Mr. Carr is an exceptional speaker with an amazing ability of truly capturing the audience. The presentation was scored as one of the best at the conference.
The Hon Bob Carr delivered an informative and thought provoking presentation. Our client ACCA, the event sponsor KPMG and other headline speakers all agreed that he set a high level for the event.
Both the afternoon event and the awards night went really well. Bob was a great speaker and I know our management team found the meeting with him very valuable.
