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 and 1984. Following his career in state politics, Wright sat in federal parliament for Labor between 1984 and 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
Preceded by	Ed Casey
Succeeded by	Nev Warburton
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Rockhampton Rockhampton South (1969–1972)
In office 17 May 1969 – 5 November 1984
Preceded by	Rex Pilbeam
Succeeded by	Paul Braddy
Federal politics Member of the Australian Parliament for Capricornia In office 1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993 Preceded by Doug Everingham Succeeded by Marjorie Henzell
Personal details
Born	Keith Webb Wright 9 January 1942 Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died	13 January 2015(2015-01-13) (aged 73) Vietnam
Political party	Independent (since 1993) Labor (until 1993)
Spouse(s)	Allison Donohue (1987–1992) Barbara Mitchell
Children	1
Alma mater	Kelvin Grove Teachers College University of Queensland
Occupation	Teacher Politician

In 1993, while a member of parliament, Wright was jailed for eight years for indecent dealing and 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 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]