Bob Carr was the Labor member for the New South Wales seat of Maroubra from 1983 to 2005. Carr became Premier of New South Wales in 1999, having been Leader of the Opposition from April 1988 to March 1995. He remained Premier until his retirement from politics in 2005.
In 2012, Carr was selected to fill a Senate vacancy in the federal parliament. He was sworn in as Senator and Minister for Foreign Affairs on 13 March 2012.