Mark Butler


Mark Christopher Butler is an Australian politician and a member of the Australian Labor Party, representing the electoral division of Hindmarsh in the Australian House of Representatives since 2019, and previously the division of Port Adelaide from 2007 to 2019.
Before entering parliament, Butler was the South Australian secretary of the Liquour, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union.
Butler served as Minister for Climate Change and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water in the Second Rudd Ministry. At the change of government following the 2013 Federal Election he became Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, and after the 2016 Federal Election the Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
In July 2018, a Labor factional deal saw Butler move to the seat of Hindmarsh for the next federal election due to the abolition of his seat of Port Adelaide in a federal redistribution. The redistributed Hindmarsh absorbed most of Port Adelaide's former territory. The member for Hindmarsh, Steve Georganas, moved to the seat of Adelaide in place of retiring MP Kate Ellis.

Early life

Butler was born in Canberra on 8 July 1970 to Lindsay Nicholson, who worked on the campaign for Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, and David Butler, a Vietnam conscript. He is the great-great-grandson and great-grandson respectively of conservative Premiers of South Australia, Sir Richard B. Butler and Sir Richard L. Butler.
Butler was educated at Unley High School in Netherby, South Australia, completing his senior year in 1986, and then attended the University of Adelaide, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours. He later completed a Master of International Relations degree at Deakin University.
Butler was active in student politics while at university and became friends with future South Australian Labor Party leaders including Penny Wong and Jay Weatherill.

Trade union career

In 1996 Butler became the Secretary of the South Australian branch of the Liquour, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, and in 1997 he was elected the youngest-ever President of the Labor Party in South Australia.
Butler was a key figure in the Labor Left faction. He developed a close working relationship with his NSW counterpart Anthony Albanese and represented the faction on the ALP National Executive since 2000. He would later serve as Albanese's campaign manager in the October 2013 election for the Federal ALP Leadership.
Butler was also noted for his constructive relationship with the Labor Right faction in South Australia, particularly then-Secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Don Farrell.

Political career

Butler was elected as the Labor member for the electoral division of Port Adelaide at the 2007 Federal Election.
In a 2009 First Rudd Ministry reshuffle, Butler was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health. On 14 September 2010, he was sworn in as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing in the Second Gillard Ministry. On 12 September 2011 he was given the additional responsibility of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform. On 14 December 2011, Butler's ministry was renamed Mental Health and Aged Care, and he became a member of Cabinet.
After the 2013 election, Bill Shorten named Butler as the Shadow Minister for the Environment.
On 17 June 2015, Butler was elected National President of the Australian Labor Party and was succeeded by Wayne Swan on 18 June 2018, becoming Senior Vice-President to Swan.

Personal life

Butler was previously married to Suzanne Critchley, with whom he has two children. His current partner is former SBS, BBC World News and ABC journalist Daniela Ritorto. Butler supports the Port Adelaide Football Club.