Brown, Robert (Bob) James, 1933 –

Robert James (Bob) Brown (1933- ), teacher and parliamentarian, was born at Pelaw Main in the Hunter Valley and educated at Maitland Boys High School, the University of Sydney, Sydney Teachers' College and the University of New England. He was an economics teacher and deputy school principal between 1956 and 1978.

Bob Brown stood as the Labor candidate in the federal elections of 1961 (Paterson) and 1963 (Robertson) without success. He served on the Cessnock City Council as mayor and alderman from 1968 -1980 and was elected ALP member of the NSW Legislative Assembly in the seat of Cessnock in 1978. He resigned from State Parliament in September 1980 and the following month was elected to Federal Parliament as MHR for Hunter; after the 1984 redistribution he was member for Charlton until retiring from parliament in 1998. After Labor came to power in 1983, Brown was Chairman of the Government's Economic Policy Committee and Minister for Land Transport and Shipping, 1988-1993.