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Robert Francis "Bob" McMullan (born 10 December 1947), Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 1996-98 and the Division of Fraser, Australian Capital Territory, since 1998. He was born in Perth, Western Australia, and educated at the University of Western Australia, studying economics and arts. Active in the movement against the Vietnam War, McMullan was conscripted for military service in 1968 but successfully argued that he was a conscientious objector in court. McMullan became an industrial advocate, joining the Labor Party in 1973.

In 1975, McMullan became the Labor Party's Western Australian State Secretary. In 1981 he became National Secretary, moving to Canberra, where he has lived since. He played a major role in the 1983 election at which Bob Hawke was elected. In 1988, McMullan was chosen to fill a vacancy in the Senate. McMullan is not a member of any Labor faction, which is a rarity for Labor politicians in Australia.

McMullan was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer 1990-93, Minister for the Arts and Administrative Services 1993-94, Minister for Administrative Services 1994 and Minister for Trade 1994-96 in the government of Paul Keating.

In 1996 McMullan was elected to the House of Representatives as MP for Canberra. The Keating government having been defeated, he was elected as a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry. In 1998, following a redistribution, McMullan moved to the neighbouring seat of Fraser.

McMullan became Manager of Opposition Business (opposite number to the Leader of the House) in 1998, and following Labor's 2001 electoral defeat he was made Shadow Treasurer (finance minister) and took a senior role in Labor affairs. In July 2003 McMullan was replaced as Shadow Treasurer by Mark Latham and relegated to the post of Shadow Minister for Finance, taking on additional responsibility for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs. When Simon Crean was elected Leader in 2001, and again when Latham replaced Crean in 2003, there was some speculation McMullan would stand for the deputy leadership, but he did not do so.

When Latham became Leader he made his predecessor, Crean, Shadow Treasurer, despite having promised the job to McMullan.^{[citation needed]} McMullan then became Shadow Minister for Finance and Shadow Minister for Small Business.

In question time in Parliament, McMullan has gained a reputation for repeatedly asking the same question in different words if he does not get a direct answer. This tactic was responsible for Peter Costello's denial that he would challenge John Howard for the leadership.^{[citation needed]} After several days of refusing to give an answer, he announced that he would not challenge after being placed under pressure by McMullan.^{[citation needed]}

After the 2004 election, McMullan did not stand for election to the Shadow Cabinet, in what was widely seen as an expression of no confidence in the leadership of Mark Latham.

Following the election of Kevin Rudd on 4 December 2006 as Opposition Leader, in place of Kim Beazley, McMullan returned to the frontbench as Labor spokesperson on Federal-State Relations,^[1] the reform of which is one of Rudd's declared priorities.

In the 2007 federal election McMullan will face the Liberal Party's Troy Williams in the seat of Fraser.

• 1. ^ See Federalism in Australia and Federation of Australia