Mark was elected to the Federal Parliament in 2007 representing the Electorate of Port Adelaide. In 2009, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
Before entering parliament Mark worked in the South Australian Branch of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU). During this period Mark led campaigns in industries including hospitals, cleaning, child care, aged care, the wine industry and hotels.
Mark served as the youngest ever President of the ALP in South Australia in 1997/1998 and has been a member of the ALP National Executive and Executive Committee since 2000.
Mark holds a First Class Honours Law degree, an Arts degree from Adelaide University and a Masters Degree in International Relations.
Mark has recently served as a Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission, as a Member of the Premier’s Wine Industry Council, a Member of the Premier’s Social Inclusion Board, Chair of the Gaming Care Advisory Committee and the University of South Australia’s Centre for Work and Life Advisory Committee.
Mark lives in Woodville Park with his wife and children, and is a keen supporter of the best football team in Australia – Port Power.
Click here to download your Australian Labor How to Vote card for the Federal Electorate of Port Adelaide.
Electorate Profile
Port Adelaide
State:
SA
Name Derivation:
Named after the locality which was discovered by Collet Barker in 1831.
Area and Location Description:
Port Adelaide covers an area of approximately 253 sq km from Buckland Park in the north down to Grange Road in the south whilst its eastern boundary takes in parts of Salisbury. The area also includes Torrens Island and Garden Island. Other suburbs in this division are Alberton, Beverley, Birkenhead, Cheltenham, Findon, Kilkenny, Largs Bay, Mansfield Park, Mawson Lakes, North Haven, Ottoway, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Pennington, Port Adelaide, Queenstown, Rosewater, Salisbury Downs, Seaton (part), Semaphore, Woodville and West Croydon.
Products/Industries of the Area:
Cement, electricity, flour mills, live sheep export, manufacturing industry, motion pictures, petroleum storage, police academy, salt, sewerage treatment, stevedoring, submarine construction, waste disposal/scrap metal merchants and wool stores.
First Proclaimed/Election:
1949
Demographic Rating:
Inner Metropolitan
Members:
- Butler, M (ALP) 2007-
- Sawford, R (ALP) 1988-2007
- Young, M J (ALP) 1974-1988
- Birrell, F R (ALP) 1963-1974
- Thompson, A V (ALP) 1949-1963