Representative Mark Butler Contact information

Mark Christopher Butler is an Australian politician who has made a significant impact in the political landscape of his country. Born in Canberra on July 8, 1970, Butler grew up in Adelaide with his mother and brother after his parents’ divorce. He attended Unley High School and later enrolled at the University of Adelaide, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Laws with first-class honours.

Butler’s interest in politics was sparked during his time at university, where he was active in student politics and developed close friendships with future politicians such as Jay Weatherill, Penny Wong, and Patrick Conlon. Butler’s passion for social justice led him to join the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union (LHMU) in 1992, and he later became its state secretary in 1996.

Butler’s close working relationship with Anthony Albanese, his NSW counterpart in the LHMU, led him to become Albanese’s campaign manager during the Federal ALP Leadership election in October 2013. His constructive relationship with the Labor Right faction in South Australia, particularly with Don Farrell, then-secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, also helped to cement his position within the party.

Butler’s political career began as a delegate to the state conference of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in South Australia in 1993. He later became the youngest president of the ALP’s South Australian branch from 1997 to 1998, and in 2000, he was elected to the national executive representing the Left faction.

In 2007, Butler was elected as the Labor member for the electoral division of Port Adelaide in the House of Representatives. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health in 2009 and was later appointed as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing in the Second Gillard Ministry in 2010. He was also given the additional responsibility of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform in 2011. Butler’s ministry was renamed Mental Health and Aged Care in 2011, and he became a member of Cabinet. In the following years, he held portfolios such as Social Inclusion, Housing and Homelessness, Environment and Water, and Climate Change.

After the ALP’s defeat in the 2013 election, Butler was named the Shadow Minister for the Environment by Bill Shorten. He became the National President of the Australian Labor Party in 2015, a position he held until 2018, when he became senior vice-president to Wayne Swan. In 2021, he was moved from shadow Climate Change spokesperson to shadow spokesperson for Health in a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle.

Following the ALP’s victory in the 2022 Australian federal election, Butler was appointed as the Minister for Health and Aged Care and also became the Deputy Leader of the House. Butler’s political journey has been marked by his dedication to social justice and his commitment to advancing the interests of his constituents and the Australian people.