Keith Wright (Australian politician)

Keith Webb Wright (9 January 1942 – 13 January 2015) was an Australian politician, teacher, and Baptist preacher who was Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland and Leader of the Opposition in Queensland between 1982–1984. Following his career in state politics, Wright sat in federal parliament for Labor between 1984–1993 in the seat of Capricornia.[1]

Keith Wright
Leader of the Opposition in Queensland
Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland
Elections: 1983
In office
20 October 1982 – 29 August 1984
DeputyNev Warburton
Preceded byEd Casey
Succeeded byNev Warburton
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Rockhampton
Rockhampton South (1969–1972)
In office
17 May 1969 – 5 November 1984
Preceded byRex Pilbeam
Succeeded byPaul Braddy
Federal politics
Member of the Australian Parliament for Capricornia
In office
1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993
Preceded byDoug Everingham
Succeeded byMarjorie Henzell
Personal details
Born
Keith Webb Wright

9 January 1942
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died13 January 2015(2015-01-13) (aged 73)
Vietnam
Political party
Spouse(s)Jenifer Mary Dawson
Barbara
Domestic partnerAllison Donohue (1987–1992)
Children1
Parent(s)Lindsay Gilbert Wright
Pauline Lizette
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Teacher
  • Politician

In 1993, while a member of parliament, Wright was jailed for eight years for indecent dealing and child rape.[2]

Biography

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Wright was educated at the University of Queensland and Kelvin Grove Teachers College[1] in Brisbane before becoming a Rockhampton teacher and Baptist preacher.[3]

On 17 May 1969, Wright was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Labor member for Rockhampton South and after a seat redistribution, represented Rockhampton (1972–1984).[4] 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, Wright was charged with indecently dealing and child rape,[2] 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][3]

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.[2]

References
  1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  2. "Disgraced former Queensland Labor leader Keith Wright dies in Vietnam". Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. Keith Wright, former Queensland Labor leader jailed for paedophilia, dies aged 72 | Australia news | The Guardian
  4. "Part 2.15 – Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860–2017 and the Legislative Council 1860–1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2015–2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. Carr, Adam. "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  6. "Keith Wright says sorry for sexual sins that landed him in jail". The Courier-Mail. 18 December 2009.
  7. "International Language Academy Australia".
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