Richard Marles

The Honourable
 Richard Marles
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Corio
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 November 2007
Preceded by Gavan O'Connor
Personal details
Born 13 July 1967 (1967-07-13) (age 44)
Geelong, Victoria
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Alma mater University of Melbourne
Occupation Union lawyer

Richard Donald Marles (born 13 July 1967) is the Australian Labor Party member for the Victorian federal seat of Corio, based on Geelong. 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. He started his career as a solicitor with Melbourne industrial law firm Slater and Gordon. In 1994, he became legal officer for the national office of the Transport Workers' Union (TWU). He was elected TWU National Assistant Secretary four years later. In 2000 he joined Australia's peak national union body, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), as Assistant Secretary. In March 2006 Marles nominated for 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.[1][2]

Marles was elected member for Corio on 24 November 2007 in the election that returned the Labor party to office under the leadership of Kevin Rudd. From February 2008 to June 2009 he was chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. In June 2009 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry.

Marles retained his seat in the 2010 election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs in the Gillard Government on 14 September 2010.[3] In July 2011, Marles became the first Australian member of parliament to visit Wallis and Futuna.[4] Marles arrived in Wallis and Funtuna to attend a ceremony with King Kapiliele Faupala in Mata-Utu marking the 50th anniversary of the islands' status as a French Overseas collectivity.[4] Marles had previously visited New Caledonia in October 2010 and French Polynesia in March 2011.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Two more fall in faction battles - National". Melbourne: theage.com.au. 10 March 2006. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/two-more-fall-in-faction-battles/2006/03/10/1141701659360.html. Retrieved 2008-03-09. 
  2. ^ McManus, Gerard (19 October 2007). "Gavan O'Connor targets Labor party". Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22610705-2862,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-09. 
  3. ^ http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/parl/43/ministry/ministry.htm
  4. ^ a b c "Australia reaffirms cooperation with France in Pacific". Tahitipresse. 2011-08-01. http://www.webcitation.org/64LPB3dE6. Retrieved 2011-12-31. 

External links

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Gavan O'Connor		 Member for Corio
2007–present		 Incumbent