Hon Mike Rann AC CNZM

Michael (Mike) David Rann AC CNZM

Australian Labor Party

Former Member

Ramsay

House of Assembly

07 December 1985

BA University of Auckland;
MA (Hons) (Political Studies) University of Auckland

Principal Press Secretary to the Premier of SA

Mike Rann was born in the United Kingdom and emigrated to New Zealand with his family, where he studied at the University of Auckland. He then moved to South Australia to serve on the staff of the then Premier Don Dunstan.

Mr Rann entered the House of Assembly of the South Australian Parliament on 7 December 1985 as the Labor Member for Briggs, later Ramsay (covering the Adelaide Metropolitan area of Salisbury). In December 1989 he was appointed to the Bannon Government Cabinet as Minister for Employment and Further Education, Minister of Youth Affairs, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Minister assisting in Ethnic Affairs. In September 1992 he became Minister for Business and Regional Development, Minister of Tourism and Minister of State Services.

The change of government in 1993 saw Mr Rann elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition for a brief period and become Leader of the Opposition in late 1994.

At the February 2002 State Election the result provided neither major party with a majority of seats and therefore unable to form a government without the support of one or more of the four independent members.

With the public support of the independent Member for Hammond, Mr Peter Lewis, and the subsequent confirmation of the support of the majority of the Members of the House at the first sitting of the new Parliament on 5 March 2002. The Labor Party formed Government on 6 March 2002 with Mike Rann as Premier, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for the Arts.

Mr Rann resigned as Premier on 21 October 2011, and was succeeded by Jay Weatherill. He subsequently resigned as Member for Ramsay on 13 January 2012.

Mr Rann was appointed by the Australian Government as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in 2013, serving until 2014 when he was appointed Ambassador to Italy, Albania, Libya and San Marino (serving until 2016).