Robert Francis Ray (born 8 April 1947) is an Australian former politician who was a Labor Party senator from 1981 to 2008, representing the state of Victoria.

He worked as a teacher in government schools and as a taxi-driver before entering politics.

A leading member of the right-wing faction of the ALP, Ray defeated a left-wing senator, Jean Melzer, in a ballot for a place on the party's Senate ticket.

After the defeat of the Keating government in 1996 election, Ray did not seek election to the Opposition Shadow Ministry, but remained a powerful figure in the Labor Party, acting as a key factional supporter of Opposition Leader Kim Beazley 1996–2001.

He did not stand for re-election at the 2007 election, which meant that his Senate term was due to expire on 30 June 2008.