Nick Bolkus
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The Honourable Nick Bolkus |
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|---|---|
| Senator for South Australia | |
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In office 1 July 1981 – 30 June 2005 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
17 July 1950 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Patetsos |
| Relations | Married |
| Children | Three |
| Residence | Henley Beach, South Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Nick Bolkus (born 17 July 1950) is a former Australian Labor Party politician. He was a member of the Senate from July 1981 to 2005, representing the state of South Australia.
Bolkus was born in Adelaide and was educated at Adelaide High School and the University of Adelaide. He was very briefly a lawyer in 1974 and 1975. He moved into political advising and became a research officer for a number of Australian Labor Party (ALP) members including Clyde Cameron. He unsuccessfully ran for the State seat of Adelaide in 1976 and for the Senate 1977. He entered politics as a Senator for South Australia following the Australian federal election, 1980.
Bolkus stayed on the back bench for his first seven years in Parliament. Bolkus was eventually promoted to the outer Ministry as Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Treasurer for Prices (1988–90). Bolkus became a Cabinet Minister for five years, as Minister for Administrative Services (1990–93) (a Ministry which was later relegated out of Cabinet), and then Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Multicultural Affairs (1993–96).
After the end of the Keating Government (due to its election defeat in 1996), Bolkus was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from March 1996 to November 2001. He remained on the back bench for the final four years of his career in Parliament.
Bolkus was first elected to the Federal Ministry in February 1988 as Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Treasurer for Prices. In this portfolio he introduced world leading legislation to protect the privacy of individuals in their relationships with credit data agencies. He was also responsible for introducing the Banking Ombudsman, streamlining National Uniform Food Laws, introducing a series of Codes of Conduct protecting consumers, and initiating enquiries into the pricing practices of the computer software, music and book industries.
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