John Cain (1931 – )

1When John Cain was born in 1931 his father was the Labor Deputy Opposition Leader of Victoria. John Cain Senior went onto to lead Victoria as Premier on three separate occasions before his death in 1957.

With such a strong political presence in his life it was no surprise when John Cain followed his father into politics. He joined the Australian Labor party whilst still at school. Rising through the ranks of the Labor Party Cain campaigned for and won selection as the Member for Bundoora in 1992, a seat he was to hold until his retirement in 1992.

After holding a succession of Shadow ministries, he became the State Opposition Leader in 1981. Under the leadership of Sir Henry Bolte and Dick Hamer Victoria had been a Liberal strong hold since the defeat of John Cain Senior in 1955. In 1982 John Cain gained some measure of revenge for his father’s defeat by becoming the first Labor Premier of Victoria in 27 years.

The Cain government was to last through three elections and 3047 days before he stepped down in favour of Joan Kirner in August 1992. Cain had become Victoria’s longest serving Labor Premier but the collapse of the State Bank of Victoria and the Pyramid Building Society cost his administration dearly and in 1992 Jeff Kennett defeated Joan Kirner to become the new Premier of Victoria.

Cain has remained active since leaving politics in 1992 and has served as Chairman and President of the Victorian Law Institute, served as a member in both the Law Council of Victoria and Australian Law Reform Commission, and is a Professorial Associate in the Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne.

Sources

Cain, John. John Cain’s years: power, parties and politics. University of Melbourne Press, Melbourne. 1995