Robert Edwin Charles (24 July 193617 April 2016) was an American-born Australian politician. He was a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

member of the

Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Australian Senate, Senate. Its composition and powers are set out in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. ...

from March 1990 to October 2004, representing the

Division of La Trobe The Division of La Trobe is an Electorates of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in the States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. , it is a semi-urban electorate that cove ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. Charles was born in

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking rivers, across from Cincinnati to the north ...

and educated at

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

BSc (MechEng). He was an engineer before entering politics. He was a foreman, supervisor, International Marketing Manager and Managing Director of an instrument company and Chairman and Managing Director of a construction company. He moved to Australia in 1969, became a citizen of Australia in 1974, and was first elected to the La Trobe seat in 1990. Charles was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry 1994–96. He retired at the

2004 election The following elections occurred in the year 2004. Africa * 2004 Algerian presidential election * 2004 Botswana general election * 2004 Cameroonian presidential election * 2004 Comorian legislative election * 2004 Equatorial Guinean legislativ ...

. In 2005, Charles was appointed as the Australian Consul-General in Chicago. Charles died on 17 April 2016, aged 79.Hansard, 19 April 2016
Retrieved 20 April 2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Bob 1936 births 2016 deaths Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives Members of the Australian House of Representatives for La Trobe Politicians from Covington, Kentucky Purdue University College of Engineering alumni American emigrants to Australia Consuls-general for Australia in Chicago Australian MPs 1990–1993 Australian MPs 1993–1996 Australian MPs 1996–1998 Australian MPs 1998–2001 Australian MPs 2001–2004