Who is Tom Roper? Long-serving Victorian Labor politician ‘Snappy’ dies at 78

Tom Roper, a well-known member of the Australian Labor Party and a former Victoria state treasurer, died at the age of 78. Roper transitioned to working in environmental policy after serving as a minister in the administrations of John Cain and Joan Kirner.

After serving in the Victorian legislature for 21 years—10 of them as a senior government minister—he retired from the position of member of parliament for the Coburg constituency in 1994.

Who is Tom Roper?

The March 6, 1945, birthdate of former Australian politician Thomas William Roper. He went to North Sydney Boys High School and was raised in Chatswood, Australia. Later, he graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

He served as the National Union of Australian University Students’ officer for Aboriginal affairs from 1967 to 1968. From 1968 until 1970, he served as vice president of education. He began working as a tutor at La Trobe University’s School of Education in 1970. He was hired as a consultant by the federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in 1973.

Roper, a Labor Party member, was chosen to serve in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1973 as a representative of Brunswick West until relocating to Brunswick in 1976.

He was designated Shadow Minister for Health in 1976. Later, in 1982, he was appointed minister, and between 1985 and 1987, he held a number of responsibilities, including planning, environment, aboriginal, and consumer affairs. He held the position of Treasurer between 1990 to 1992.

Roper was appointed the Shadow Minister for Health, Sport, Recreation, Racing, and Gaming following Labor’s defeat in the 1992 state election. He did, however, give up that position in 1993 and leave the Assembly in 1994.

He accepted various advisory and board roles after leaving politics. From 1994 to 1996, he served on the Australian Government Advisory Council on Environment and Employment Opportunities.