| Marcus Bastiaan | |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Smallimage: | File:Marcus Bastiaan Businessman b.jpg |
| Caption: | Bastiaan in the 2020s |
| Birth Place: | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Party: | Liberal Party (until 2020) |
| Spouse: | Stephanie Bastiaan |
Marcus Bastiaan (born 1990)[1] is an Australian businessman and political power broker. He is a former vice-president of the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia.[2] [3]
Bastiaan joined the Liberal Party in Victoria in 2010.[4] In 2012 he stood unsuccessfully for Bayside Council in Melbourne's inner south local government election. Bastiaan polled the third highest primary among 16 candidates and lost on preferences.[5] Bastiaan later became chair of the party's Goldstein branch and Brighton branch.[6] Between 2015 and 2018 Bastiaan was elected to the Liberal Party's Administrative Committee and served as Chairman of the Party's Membership and Training Committee.[7]
He has been seen by some as a protégé of former Victorian state Liberal president and fellow Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger. Bastiaan has written in the Herald Sun and Spectator advocating for democratisation and greater parliamentary renewal within the Liberal Party.[8] [9] Bastiaan has been critical of lobbyist and union involvement within the political parties, stating "Union or lobbyist domination of governments leads to broad-based supporter disenchantment, political cronyism and widespread voter disillusionment.”[10] Bastiaan was a supporter of the NSW Liberal Party Democratic Reform, speaking alongside former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.[11] [12]
In 2017, Four Corners reported that the Kroger/Bastiaan group had taken control of the Liberal Victorian Administrative Committee.[13]
In April 2018, Bastiaan was elected metropolitan male vice-president of the Liberal Party (Victorian Division) at the annual State Council.[14] [15] In September 2018 Bastiaan announced that, due to the serious illness of an immediate family member, he and his wife Stephanie would step down from their voluntary roles within the party.[2] [3]
The Age newspaper reported leaked text and Facebook messages allegedly from Liberal Party administrative committee members Paul Mitchell and Bastiaan that used homophobic and racist terms.[16] Both Bastiaan and Mitchell were cleared of detrimental conduct by the Liberal Party and an independent investigation.[17]
Bastiaan has been accused of branch stacking since 2015.[18] [19] He was alleged to be involved in drawing people from religious groups, especially Mormons,[20] to the Liberal Party.[21] Bastiaan was also accused of installing factional operatives in Michael Sukkar and Kevin Andrews' electorate offices.[22] [23] [24]
In August 2020, allegations were made by Channel Nine's 60 Minutes and The Age that Bastiaan was involved in branch stacking activities, allegedly endorsed by Andrews and Sukkar.[25] [26] [27]
In August 2020, Bastiaan vehemently rejected allegations aired in the media from within the party that he was involved in branch stacking activities. He stated that his role as Chair of the Membership and Training Committee was to recruit and train members. Bastiaan however decided to resign his party membership, stating that the ongoing leaking was an unnecessary distraction for the Liberal Party.[7] [28]
Bastiaan launched legal proceedings against Nine Entertainment (the owner of the Nine Network, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald) following the 60 Minutes program. Nine Entertainment settled a defamation lawsuit with Bastiaan, leading to the removal of dozens of articles and social media posts.[29] [30] Following his legal win, Bastiaan appeared on Sky News with conservative former MP Cory Bernardi stating that "until the party can work out how it's going to govern itself it will never govern in this state". Bastiaan urged the party to return to its fundamental values set, reducing the size and cost of government.[31]
Bastiaan rejected branch stacking allegations, arguing recruitment was necessary to renew the diminishing membership and blaming long serving members of parliament for undertaking a "sustained campaign to ridicule new members, attacking their legitimacy as branch stacks". Despite leaving the party, Bastiaan has still been interested in internal Liberal Party politics and advocating for change, writing and appearing in the media.[32] [33]
Bastiaan runs a major door manufacturing business across Australia with strong links to the timber and building industries.[34] [35] [36] He engages in political advocacy for the manufacturing, timber and building industry in Australia.[37] [38] Bastiaan pursued a previous business with help from his father.[39]
Bastiaan has published a range of opinion pieces and appeared the media advocating the timber industry.[40] [41] [42]
Bastiaan has been critical of government led forestry closures in Victoria and NSW, due to the impact on businesses within the sector and regional communities. He has advocated for forestry policy that transitions timber production from native forests to plantations.[43] [44] [45]
Bastiaan has opposed the Labor government's legislation aiming at closing apparent loopholes, believing that "The bill typifies Labor's worst instincts on industrial relations and unmasks the union movement's power within Canberra" and encouraged employers to join industry associations to counter the bill.[46] [47]
Bastiaan graduated from Brighton Grammar in 2008. He has run several successful technology businesses, including e-commerce and logistics start-ups. Bastiaan is currently running a door manufacturing business.[48] [49]
Bastiaan married Stephanie Ross in May 2017 at Our Lady of Victories Basilica Catholic church in Camberwell. His wife is a journalist with The Spectator, Australia.[50] They have four daughters.