Karl Bitar

{{Short description|Australian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Karl Bitar | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image =  | alt = | caption = | order = | office = National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party | term_start = 17 October 2008 | term_end = 8 April 2011 | alongside =  | monarch = | president = | governor_general = | taoiseach = | chancellor = | governor = | deputy = | lieutenant = | succeeding =  | constituency = | predecessor = Tim Gartrell | successor = George Wright | majority = | prior_term = | birth_date =  | birth_place = | death_date =  | death_place = | citizenship = | party = Labor | other_party =  | partner =  | relations = | children = | parents = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | known_for = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio =  | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | footnotes = }} '''Karl Bitar''' is an Australian politician who was the ninth National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party and former General Secretary of NSW Labor. He now works as an executive for Crown Limited.<ref name="smh2011c">{{cite news|last1=Coorey|first1=Phillip|title=Bitar says casino role is to promote tourism|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/bitar-says-casino-role-is-to-promote-tourism-20110525-1f4hv.html|accessdate=1 November 2016|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 May 2011}}</ref>

== Political career == Between 1999 and 2004, Bitar worked as an organiser for NSW Labor.{{Citation needed|date=November 2016}}

He was then elevated to Assistant General Secretary of NSW Labor in 2004 before becoming General Secretary in 2007.{{Citation needed|date=March 2016}} In his role as General Secretary, Bitar acted as NSW Campaign Director at the 2007 federal election.

Bitar then succeeded Tim Gartrell as National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party in 2008.<ref name="smh2011b">{{cite news|last1=Coorey|first1=Phillip|title=Karl Bitar to quit Labor top job|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/karl-bitar--to-quit-labor-top-job-20110315-1bwgu.html|accessdate=1 November 2016|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 March 2011}}</ref> As National Secretary, he oversaw the 2010 Australian federal election campaign which left Labor in minority government. Several sources at the time credited Bitar for the poor result.<ref name="crikey2011">{{cite news|last1=Keane|first1=Bernard|title=Bitar's reign of mayhem comes to an end|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2011/03/16/bitars-reign-of-mayhem-comes-to-an-end-too-late-for-nsw-and-fed-labor/|accessdate=1 November 2016|publisher=Crikey|date=16 March 2011}}</ref><ref name="smh2011b" /><ref name="abc2011">{{cite news|last1=Thompson|first1=Jeremy|title=Labor secretary Karl Bitar stepping down|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-03-16/labor-secretary-karl-bitar-stepping-down/2654918|accessdate=1 November 2016|publisher=ABC News|date=16 March 2011}}</ref> However, Bitar largely cited other factors, including expectations of a Labor win, the media's failure to properly scrutinise Tony Abbott, the leaks and Mark Latham, as issues that led to the result.<ref name="crikey2011" /> The campaign review found his specific efforts in NSW largely helped Labor gain victory.<ref name="smh2011b" /> Bitar resigned as National Secretary in 2011.<ref name="smh2011">{{cite news|title=Labor's Karl Bitar quits top job|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/labors-karl-bitar-quits-top-job-20110316-1bwl7.html|accessdate=1 November 2016|agency=AAP|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 March 2011}}</ref>

He is a member of the right faction.<ref name="smh2011b" />

== Personal life == Bitar is of Lebanese descent and is a Melkite Catholic.<ref name="LTaylorAus">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/karl-bitar-labor-campaign-director-20100719-10hzf.html |last=Taylor|first=Lenore|title=Karl Bitar: Labor Campaign Director |work=Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=20 July 2010 |accessdate=9 November 2010}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{S-start}} {{S-ppo}} {{S-bef|before=Mark Arbib}} {{S-ttl|title=General Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)|years=2007–2008}} {{S-aft|after=Matt Thistlethwaite}} {{S-bef|before=Tim Gartrell}} {{S-ttl|title=National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party|years=2008–2011}} {{S-aft|after=George Wright}} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bitar, Karl}} Category:Australian people of Lebanese descent Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian Labor Party officials