Mark Vaile
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| Mark Vaile | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2005 |
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| Preceded by | John Anderson |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | 18 April 1956 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Constituency | Lyne |
| Political party | National Party of Australia |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Mark Anthony James Vaile (born 18 April 1956), Australian politician, is Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the National Party of Australia. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Lyne, New South Wales.
Vaile was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and worked as a farm machinery retailer and stock and station and real estate agent before entering politics. He has never farmed his own land. He was a member of the Greater Taree City Council 1985-93, including three years as Deputy Mayor.
Vaile is married with three daughters and lives on a 40 ha (approx 99 acres) rural property [1] outside Taree, New South Wales.
Vaile was Assistant National Party Whip 1994-96 and National Party Whip 1996-97. In 1997 he was appointed Minister for Transport and Regional Development, and in 1998 he became Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. In July 1999, following the resignation of Tim Fischer and the election of John Anderson as National Party leader, he was elected the party's Deputy Leader and became Minister for Trade. When John Anderson resigned in 2005, Vaile was elected Leader unopposed. On 6 July 2005 he was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister.
As Trade Minister, Vaile was involved in the negotiation of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which was opposed by some traditional National Party constituencies such as the sugar industry. During 2005 he also conducted negotiations for the proposed Australia-China Free Trade Agreement.
Since taking on the leadership of the Nationals in 2005 there have been increasing suggestions for Vaile to take on a domestic portfolio as the trade portfolio requires frequent overseas travel. Throughout 2006, Vaile's position in the Trade portfolio came under increasing scrutiny due to his handling of the AWB kickbacks scandal and Australia's worsening trade performance. He has also faced the difficult task of placating his back bench, with Queensland Senator Barnaby Joyce having crossed the floor on more than one occasion.
It was announced on 24 September 2006 that he would switch portfolios with his deputy Nationals leader Warren Truss and become Minister for Transport and Regional Services. His new position has a greater focus on regional Australia, the Nationals party's main constituency.
[edit] See also
- Trade Minister Website
- Mark Vaile's Maiden Speech in the House of Representatives
- newspaper article on melanoma operation
- Trademark Thoughts, Aurora: (Roman Catholic) Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, Tracey Edstein, December 2005-January 2006.
| Preceded by: John Anderson |
Leader of the National Party of Australia 2005– |
Succeeded by: (incumbent) |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Australia 2005– |
| Current Cabinet of Australia |  |
|---|---|
| Abbott | Andrews | Bishop | Brough | Campbell | Coonan | Costello | Downer | Howard | Macfarlane | McGauran | Minchin | Nelson | Ruddock | Truss | Vaile | Vanstone | |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Vaile, Mark Anthony James |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Australian politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 18 April 1956 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| DATE OF DEATH | living |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
