http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/mike-rann/ Mike Rann is Australia’s longest-serving incumbent Premier. He was elected as South Australia’s 44th Premier in March 2002, and was re-elected with an increased majority four years later. As well as serving as Premier, Mr Rann holds the strategic portfolios of Economic Development, Social Inclusion, the Arts, and Sustainability and Climate Change. He is Chair of The Climate Group’s International States and Regions Network. In 2008, he was National President of the Australian Labor Party, and is currently Vice President.  In 2006-2007, Mr Rann was Chair of the Council for the Australian Federation. He was born in Sidcup, Kent, in 1953. His father was an electrician who fought at El Alamein, and his mother worked in an armaments factory during World War II, making parts for Spitfires. In 1962, his family left London for New Zealand. He completed a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies at Auckland University, and was prominent in the New Zealand campaign against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. After graduating, he worked as a political journalist for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, before moving to South Australia in 1977 to become a press secretary, speechwriter and adviser to three South Australian Labor Premiers, including the late Don Dunstan. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia and has been honoured by the Governments of Poland, Greece and New Zealand. Mr Rann is married to Sasha Carruozzo.  He has two children, and is involved in soccer and the arts. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/making-our-cities-better-by-design/ Former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, has long been a champion of better architecture and planning. Most recently, he caused a stir by describing our national capital as “a great mistake”. Keating also lamented the bulldozing of much of Melbourne’s heritage in the 1970s, but even had a shot at some of the Victorian buildings that remained. “I used to call it Whorehouse Rococo and Bordello Baroque”, he said. And he teased Australia’s “heritage mafia” for making a crust out of pretending that old buildings are of significance. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/making-our-cities-better-by-design/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/making-our-cities-better-by-design/#item2170 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:30:09 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/let-2010-be-the-year-of-mary-mackillop/ A second miracle has been confirmed for Mary MacKillop, and she is now on her way to becoming Australia’s first saint in 2010. But who was she? Mary MacKillop’s was a life of struggle and passion that was underpinned by integrity. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/let-2010-be-the-year-of-mary-mackillop/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/let-2010-be-the-year-of-mary-mackillop/#item2081 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:45:01 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/copenhagen-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow/ It’s snowing here in Copenhagen, as leaders feel the heat over climate change. In the winter gloom, the flashing lights of police motorcades snake through the city. Is it Obama, Gordon Brown, or Kevin Rudd? It’s certainly not the President of the tiny, vulnerable Maldives, the shock troops of rising sea levels. Walkouts by developing nations, angry clashes between protesters and police, people dressed as polar bears, Greenpeace ships moored in the canal not far from The Little Mermaid statue, business leaders selling wind power, electric vehicles, even shoes with recycled rubber soles. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/copenhagen-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/copenhagen-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow/#item2017 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:40:53 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-bear-facts-on-pandas/ I never thought I would be writing about pandas. But this weekend - following millions of dollars and high-level diplomacy – a Chinese couple from Szechuan Province will settle into their new air-conditioned home in sunny Adelaide. They are arriving by plane, not by boat. There will be no problems at either customs, or passport control. After a year where there’s been a few tensions between two old friends, the Adelaide connection will help build a new bridge between China and Australia. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-bear-facts-on-pandas/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-bear-facts-on-pandas/#item1865 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:50:55 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-dismissal-our-greatest-act-of-political-infamy/ This Wednesday, as we commemorate the sacrifice of countless Australians in war, we will also no doubt be reminded that November 11 has other significance in Australia’s journey. It will be the 34th anniversary of the Dismissal, an act of infamy against a democratically-elected Government that is burned into our national consciousness, and into the ALP’s soul. So each year, in addition to the Last Post played at war memorials around Australia, we see the TV replays of the famous scenes on Parliament steps, which have become almost a mantra for an era of change and conflict in Australian politics.  feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-dismissal-our-greatest-act-of-political-infamy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-dismissal-our-greatest-act-of-political-infamy/#item1673 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:45:33 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Our-most-important-investment/ Politicians talk and write about a range of subjects. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve spoken about the defence industry, mining, renewable energy and climate change, universities, infrastructure, investment and exports, science, law and order, arts, and multiculturalism. But a few months ago, a pre-school educator said to me that we seldom hear our male politicians talking about early childhood education and development. She was right. So here goes. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Our-most-important-investment/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Our-most-important-investment/#item1569 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:30:36 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/thinkers-are-doing-more-than-navel-gazing/ My previous Punch piece talked about the new Royal Institution of Australia, which was formally opened by the Duke of Kent last Thursday. The RiAus is housed in our new Science Exchange, along with the Australian Science Media Centre. This national initiative is about encouraging a greater understanding of the importance of science to our nation’s future. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/thinkers-are-doing-more-than-navel-gazing/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/thinkers-are-doing-more-than-navel-gazing/#item1452 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:20:23 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/science-is-too-importanat-to-leave-in-the-lab/ Australia has a desperate shortage of young people enrolling in science and maths at our schools and universities. Encouraging kids to embrace careers in science will be critical to Australia’s economic and social development. Improving the scientific literacy of Australians – as well as the science savvy of business and political leaders - will also be crucial if our nation is to compete and prosper. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/science-is-too-importanat-to-leave-in-the-lab/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/science-is-too-importanat-to-leave-in-the-lab/#item1322 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:25:56 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-priest-with-punch-social-inclusion-explained/ David Cappo is a priest. But he is one of the most powerful South Australians. Sure, he’s Vicar-General of the Catholic Church, a Monsignor and Dean of the Cathedral. He’s also our State’s Social Inclusion Commissioner, with a free range over social policy. Monsignor Cappo is a member of our powerful Economic Development Board, and - most importantly - sits on “Ex-Com”, the Executive Committee of Cabinet, which includes me, the Deputy-Premier, and senior Ministers. Cappo has clout, and in order to get things done he sometimes has to act more like the Inquisition than a confessor. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-priest-with-punch-social-inclusion-explained/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-priest-with-punch-social-inclusion-explained/#item1193 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:35:40 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-toast-to-don-bradman/ As Australia’s cricketers started their colossal – and ultimately futile –chase of 546 runs for an Ashes victory at The Oval, it was accepted that the team’s only hope was for someone to play a ‘Bradmanesque’ innings. Given that it’s more than 60 years since Sir Donald Bradman played his final Test on that same strip of dirt in south London, why is it that his name remains the benchmark against which all cricketers are still measured? It’s because for more than a century, Test match cricket has seen Don Bradman – born 101 years ago today – separated by a colossal gap from everyone else in the game. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Mike Rann) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-toast-to-don-bradman/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-toast-to-don-bradman/#item1007 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:40:38 +0000 Mike Rann | Author bios | The Punch