Richard Marles
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Richard Marles (born 13 July 1967), Australian trade unionist, is the endorsed Australian Labor Party candidate for the Victorian federal seat of Corio, based on Geelong, for the 2007 federal election.
Marles is the son of Donald Marles, a former headmaster of Trinity Grammar School, and Faye Marles, Victoria's first Equal Opportunity Commissioner and later Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. He was educated at Geelong Grammar School, and has an honours degree in Law and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne. On graduation he worked as a solicitor with Melbourne industrial law firm Slater and Gordon until 1994, when he became legal officer for the national office of the Transport Workers' Union (TWU). In 1998 he was elected TWU National Assistant Secretary. In 2000 he joined Australia's peak national union body, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), as Assistant Secretary. He has been a member of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission since 2002.
In March 2006 Marles nominated for the Labor preselection against the sitting member for Corio, Gavan O'Connor, as part of a challenge to several sitting members organised by the Labor Unity faction of the party. In the local ballot Marles polled 57% of the vote, and his endorsement was then confirmed by the party's public office selection committee.
