Bert James Explained

Albert James
Constituency Mp:Hunter
Parliament:Australian
Predecessor:H. V. Evatt
Successor:Bob Brown
Term Start:9 April 1960
Term End:19 September 1980
Birth Date:1914 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Collie, Western Australia
Death Place:Booragul, New South Wales
Nationality:Australian
Party:Australian Labor Party
Relations:Rowley James (father)
Occupation:Policeman

Albert William James (22 September 1914 – 30 September 2006) was an Australian politician. He was born in Collie, Western Australia, the son of Rowley James, a future Labor member for Hunter in the Australian House of Representatives. Albert was educated at state schools in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales. He was a policeman from 1940 to 1960, when he contested the by-election for his father's old seat of Hunter that followed H. V. Evatt's resignation. He held Hunter until his retirement in 1980. James died in 2006.[1]

Links with the KGB

In 2014 newly released Russian intelligence archives revealed that James had been in regular contact with the Soviet embassy in Canberra in the early 1970s, although it was unclear what information he had passed on.[2] ASIO files have confirmed the KGB connection.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carr. Adam. Australian Election Archive. Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. 2008. 2008-05-22.
  2. Web site: Dorling. Philip. Agent Albert: MP listed as secret KGB informant in Russian archives. Canberra Times. Fairfax Digital. 11 August 2014.
  3. Web site: Dorling. Philip. ASIO spy case file on Labor MP Albert James reveals KGB meetings. The Age. 26 December 2014. Fairfax Digital. 27 December 2014.