Richard Donald Marles(born 13 July 1967) is an Australian politician and lawyer serving as the 19th and currentdeputy prime minister of Australiaand theMinister for Defencesince May 2022. He has been the deputy leader of theAustralian Labor Party(ALP) since 2019, having served as themember of Parliament(MP) for the division of Corio since 2007.
Richard Marles | |
|---|---|
 Marles in 2024 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Australia | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Barnaby Joyce |
| Minister for Defence | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Peter Dutton |
| Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
| Assumed office 30 May 2019 | |
| Leader | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Tanya Plibersek |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 23 May 2022 | |
| Leader | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Tanya Plibersek |
| Succeeded by | Sussan Ley |
| Minister for Trade | |
| In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013 | |
| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Craig Emerson |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Robb |
| Member of theHouse of RepresentativesforCorio | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Gavan O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Donald Marles 13 July 1967 Geelong,Victoria,Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Schutze Lisa Neville |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Donald Marles Fay Marles |
| Residence(s) | East Geelong,Victoria, Australia |
| Education | Geelong Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Melbourne University(BSc,LLB) |
| Occupation |
|
| Website | richardmarles |
Marles grew up inGeelong,Victoria, and is a lawyer by profession. He was assistant secretary of theAustralian Council of Trade Unionsfrom 2000 to 2007. He was elected to theHouse of Representativesat the2007 federal election,after defeating incumbent Labor MPGavan O'Connorfor preselection in the seat ofCorio.Marles was made aparliamentary secretaryin 2009 and briefly served asMinister for Tradein 2013, having supportedKevin Rudd's return as prime minister. He was appointed toshadow cabinetafter the ALP's defeat at the2013 electionand became a senior figure in theLabor Rightfaction. Marles was elected deputy leader toAnthony Albaneseafter the2019 election,becoming deputyopposition leader.He became deputy prime minister following the ALP's victory at the2022 election.
Early life
editMarles was born on 13 July 1967 inGeelong,Victoria.[1]He is the son of Donald Marles,[2]a former headmaster ofTrinity Grammar School,andFay Marles(néePearce), Victoria's firstEqual Opportunity Commissionerand laterChancellorof theUniversity of Melbourne.[3]
Marles was educated atGeelong Grammar Schooland theUniversity of Melbournewhere he resided atOrmond College.He graduated with aBachelor of ScienceandBachelor of Lawswith Honours. He joined the Melbourne University Labor Club in his first week at university[3]and served as president of theMelbourne University Student Unionin 1988.[4]He was also the General Secretary of the National Union of Students in 1989. He started his career as a solicitor with Melbourne industrial law firmSlater and Gordon.In 1994, he became legal officer for theTransport Workers Union(TWU). He was elected TWU National Assistant Secretary four years later. In 2000 he joined Australia's peak national union body, theAustralian Council of Trade Unions,as assistant secretary, remaining in the position until 2007.[3]
Politics
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Early career
editIn 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 right-wingLabor Unityfaction 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.[5][6]
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.
Parliamentary secretary and Minister for Trade
edit
In June 2009 Marles was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry. He retained his seat in the 2010 election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs in theFirst Gillard Ministryon 14 September 2010.[7]In July 2011, Marles became the first Australian member of parliament to visitWallis and Futuna.[8]Marles arrived in Wallis and Futuna to attend a ceremony with KingKapiliele FaupalainMata-Utumarking the 50th anniversary of the islands' status as a FrenchOverseas collectivity.[8]Marles had previously visitedNew Caledoniain October 2010 andFrench Polynesiain March 2011.[8]
In theministerial reshuffle of 2 March 2012,Marles was given the additional role of Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs.[9]On 21 March 2013 he resigned these roles after expressing support forKevin Ruddto challenge Julia Gillard for the leadership; a challenge that did not eventuate.[10]
In June 2013, he was appointed the Minister for Trade and a member of theCabinet,[11]succeedingCraig Emerson,who resigned following theJune 2013 leadership spillthat saw Kevin Rudd defeat Julia Gillard for leadership of the Labor Party.
Shadow minister
editAfter the ALP's defeat at the2013 federal election,Marles was appointed Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection under opposition leaderBill Shorten.[1]In February 2016, he began co-hosting the weekly television programPyne & MarlesonSky News LivewithLiberalMPChristopher Pyne.[12]Marles had his portfolio changed after the2016 election,becoming Shadow Minister for Defence.[1]He has been cited as holding pro-U.S. views and as "somewhat of ahawk".[3][13]
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
editIn May 2019, after Labor lost the2019 federal election,it was reported that Marles would stand for the deputy leadership of the party, and would likely be elected unopposed followingClare O'Neil's decision not to run.[14]He was formally endorsed as deputy toAnthony Albaneseon 30 May, and selected the portfolio of Defence in the shadow cabinet.[15][16]
Following a shadow cabinet reshuffle in January 2021, Marles was placed in charge of a new "super portfolio" relating to recovery from theCOVID-19 pandemic,[17]encompassing a "broad brief across national reconstruction, jobs, skills, small business and science".[18]
Deputy Prime Minister
editTwo days after the2022 federal election,Albanese had himself, Marles and three other senior Labor frontbenchers sworn in as an interim five-person government. Although counting was still underway, it was apparent by this time that no other party could realistically form even a minority government. The transfer of power was expedited due to the upcomingQuadrilateral Security Dialogue,with the full ministry due to be sworn in after the Quad. As Albanese flew to Tokyo to take part in the Quad soon after being sworn in, Marles served as Acting Prime Minister until Albanese returned to lead the nation full-time. He continues to return to the role whenever Albanese leaves the country.[19]
News.com.aureported in August 2023 that the cost of Marles' VIP flights since the federal election was $3.6 million. Marles refused to give passenger or destination details for his VIP flights, citing security concerns. Since the Defence Department blocked access to information about Marles' VIP flights, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority cannot ask Marles' office to repay the cost of carrying electorate staff and family members on the flights.[20]
Political positions
editMarles is a senior figure in his state'sLabor Rightfaction.[13]
Refugees and asylum seekers
editMarles supports the turning back of asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat and a Pacific Solution for the resettlement of refugees.[21]
Marles was supportive of anAustralian War MemorialcommemoratingOperation Sovereign Bordersnavy personnel who undertook activities to stop asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat. That position was criticised by severalLabor LeftMPs as well as theGreens.[22]
National defence
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In 2020, as shadow defence minister, Marles was critical of the Morrison government's handling of the programme to purchase French submarines, which, he said, had "profoundly compromised" Australia's national security. Marles otherwise supported the bipartisan consensus on national defence matters.[23]
Fossil fuels and energy
editOn an interview on Sky News on 20 February 2019, Marles stated that it would be "a good thing" if the thermal coal market in Australia collapsed.[24]He later back-tracked on this statement, saying that his "attack on coal was tone-deaf".[25]
Following the 2019 Federal Election, Marles maintained that public funds should not be used to subsidise coal, saying "a Labor government is not going to put a cent into subsidising coal-fired power", and the market should be allowed to make its own decisions, while also saying that if a private company decided to push forward with a mine and gained the necessary approvals that Labor would not stand in its way.[26]
China
editIn June 2024 Richard was giving a speech in Singapore when he was confronted by Chinese military officers, even though they did not have any jurisdiction in Singapore. They did not like his comments about China and they confronted him.[27]
Personal life
editMarles lives in Geelong with his wife Rachel Schutze. He has three children from his current marriage and one from his first marriage toLisa Neville,who was elected to theVictorian Legislative Assemblyin 2002 and later became a state minister.[28]
Marles is a supporter and member of theGeelong Football Club.[29]
References
edit- Notes
- Footnotes
- ^abc"Hon Richard Marles MP".Senators and Members of theParliament of Australia.Retrieved10 November2021.
- ^Vale Don Marles OAMRetrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^abcdBramston, Troy (29 June 2019)."First grieve, then learn from election mistakes".The Weekend Australian.Retrieved22 December2019.
- ^"Crikey List: which MPs were involved in student politics?".Crikey.1 October 2010.Retrieved11 June2022.
- ^"Two more fall in faction battles".The Age.Melbourne. 10 March 2006.Retrieved9 March2008.
- ^McManus, Gerard (19 October 2007)."Gavan O'Connor targets Labor party".Herald Sun.Retrieved9 March2008.
- ^"Department of the Parliamentary Library - Ministry".Archived fromthe originalon 22 September 2010.Retrieved21 September2010.
- ^abc"Australia reaffirms cooperation with France in Pacific".Tahitipresse.1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 18 September 2011.Retrieved31 December2011.
- ^Gillard, Julia(2 March 2012)."Changes to the Ministry"(Press release). Prime Minister of Australia. Archived fromthe originalon 16 March 2012.Retrieved18 March2012.
- ^Best, Cameron (22 March 2013)."Corio MP backs the wrong side".Geelong Advertiser.Retrieved8 July2013.
- ^"Second Rudd Ministry"(PDF).Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.Commonwealth of Australia.3 July 2013.Retrieved6 July2013.
- ^Molloy, Shannon (28 January 2016)."Christopher Pyne... the TV star? The colourful MP lands his own weekly show, alongside rival Richard Marles".The Daily Telegraph.Sydney.Retrieved28 January2016.
- ^ab"The 12 Labor figures who will do the heavy lifting in government".The Australian Financial Review.14 December 2018.Retrieved22 December2019.
Marles is very pro-US and a touch hawkish on China
- ^"Clare O'Neil pulls out of Labor deputy race, paving the way for Richard Marles".The Sydney Morning Herald.26 May 2019.Retrieved26 May2019.
- ^"Labor factional boss steps aside to make way for gender balance in Anthony Albanese's ministry".Australia: ABC News. 30 May 2019.Retrieved30 May2019.
- ^"Labor leader Anthony Albanese announces frontbench in wake of federal election 2019".2 June 2019.Retrieved2 June2019.
- ^Murphy, Katharine (28 January 2021)."Labor reshuffle: Anthony Albanese elevates Richard Marles to new super portfolio".The Guardian Australia.Retrieved28 January2021.
- ^Snape, Jack (28 January 2021)."Labor set for climate change shift as architect of emissions target Mark Butler is moved on".Australia: ABC News.Retrieved28 January2021.
- ^"Five Labor MPs to be immediately sworn in first ahead of key Quad trip".Sky News.21 May 2022.Retrieved22 May2022.
- ^Maiden, Samantha (12 September 2023)."'Cover up': Defence Department fails to hand over VIP flight details for two years ".News.com.au.Retrieved12 September2023.
- ^"The Refugee Question That Richard Marles Couldn't Answer".New Matilda.27 July 2015.Retrieved11 November2021.
- ^"Richard Marles under attack for support of war memorial display honouring boat turnbacks".The Guardian.26 April 2018.Retrieved11 November2021.
- ^"Labor misses opportunity to offer new perspectives on Australia's defence policy".The Strategist.5 August 2020.Retrieved11 November2021.
- ^"Collapse of thermal coal market a 'good thing': Marles".20 February 2019.Retrieved11 November2021.
- ^Ferguson, Richard (27 May 2019)."Richard Marles admits attack on coal was 'tone deaf'".The Australian.Archived fromthe originalon 30 August 2021.
- ^"Labor's Richard Marles won't rule out supporting new coal developments".The Guardian.9 February 2020.Retrieved11 November2021.
- ^"Deputy PM Richard Marles confronted by Chinese PLA officers at security conference in Singapore".ABC News.June 2024.
- ^"Richard Marles".Q&A.Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 December 2018.Retrieved26 May2019.
- ^"The private interests of Zoe Daniel MP".
External links
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