   kelvin john thomson (born 1 may 1955) is an australian politician. since march 1996 thomson has been an australian labor party member of the australian house of representatives, representing the division of wills in victoria. in february 2013, thomson was appointed the parliamentary secretary for trade in the second gillard ministry. ==early life== thomson was born in coburg, victoria. he has been active in improving the local environment of pascoe vale and north-western melbourne from a young age. he received a bachelor of arts and bachelor of laws from the university of melbourne and, finishing first in his class, he was awarded the supreme court prize for law. he joined the australian labor party in 1975 and was a public servant and electorate secretary to senator gareth evans before entering local politics serving as a councillor in the coburg city council from 1981 to 1988. he was the deputy mayor from 1983 to 1984 and 1987 to 1988. kelvin thomson was married to victorian labor mp marsha thomson until they separated in 2003. they have two children. ==politics== ===state parliament=== in october 1988, thomson was elected to the victorian legislative assembly as the member for the electoral district of pascoe vale. he was a member of the opposition shadow ministry from 1992 to 1994, and in 1994 he served as the manager of opposition business.parliamentary library. mr kelvin thomson mp, member for wills ===federal parliament=== in 1996, thomson was elected to the seat of wills, formerly a blue-ribbon labor seat that had been held by bob hawke. however it had become less safe for labor. in 1992 the independent phil cleary won a by-election; and in 1993, although labor retained government, cleary again defeated the labor candidate who received only 41.9% of the primary vote. in the 1996 election, in which laborâs support slumped badly and paul keatingâs government was
1955_births Australian_Labor_Party_politicians Living_people Members_of_the_Australian_House_of_Representatives Members_of_the_Australian_House_of_Representatives_for_Wills Members_of_the_Victorian_Legislative_Assembly Public_servants_from_Melbourne