Mark Buttigieg Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Mark Buttigieg
Honorific-Suffix:MLC
Nationality:Australian
Office:Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations, Work Health and Safety, and Multiculturalism
Term Start:26 April 2023[1]
Minister:Sophie Cotsis (Industrial Relations, Work Health and Safety)
Steve Kamper (Multiculturalism)
Office1:Opposition Whip in the New South Wales Legislative Council
Term Start1:2 July 2019
Term End1:28 March 2023
Predecessor1:Shaoquett Moselmane
Successor1:Chris Rath
Office2:Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
Termstart2:23 March 2019
Office3:Member of Sutherland Shire Council
for C Ward
Term Start3:13 September 2008
Term End3:7 September 2012
Predecessor3:Scott Docherty
Successor3:Peter Scaysbrook
Party:Labor Party
Birth Date:1966 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, Australia
Spouse:Anna Lignou
Children:1 (Gerard)
Occupation:Trade unionist, electrician

Mark Robert Buttigieg (born 11 June 1966) is an Australian politician and trade unionist, currently serving Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations, Work Health and Safety, and Multiculturalism in the Labor Government of New South Wales. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council at the 2019 New South Wales state election.

Early life

Buttigieg was born in Sydney to Maltese parents who immigrated to Australia in the 1950s.[2] At fifteen, Mark began an electrical apprenticeship with Sydney County Council and later became an electrical systems operator then training manager for Energy Australia. He has a certificate in electrical engineering and an electrical trade certificate. He also holds an arts degree in political science and an economics degree with first-class honours.[3]

Politics

Buttigieg stood for the Labor Party in the Division of Cook at the 2004 and 2007 federal elections.[4] In 2008, he was elected as a councillor on the Sutherland Shire Council, representing C Ward and serving a single term. He did not seek re-election in 2012.[5]

He later moved to Kyeemagh and became Secretary of the Rockdale branch of the Labor Party. He also worked as an organiser for the Electrical Trades Union of Australia (ETU).[6]

In 2015, Buttigieg criticised calls from Kogarah MP, Chris Minns to reduce union influence in the Labor Party.[7] In 2016, Buttigieg sought Labor preselection for the federal seat of Barton.[8] Ultimately, Linda Burney was preselected and won the seat.

He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council at the 2019 New South Wales state election.[6] He was appointed Opposition Legislative Council Whip and as Deputy Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee on 2 July 2019. In 2021, he was appointed as Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Issues. He served in these roles until the 2023 election.[9]

Following the election of the Minns government, Buttigieg was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations, Work Health and Safety, and Multiculturalism.

On 19 October 2023, Buttigieg signed an open letter which condemned attacks against Israeli and Palestinian civilians during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Minns Labor Government Parliamentary Secretaries announced NSW Government . 21 November 2023. Department of Premier and Cabinet . 26 April 2023 . en-AU.
  2. Web site: About Mark . https://web.archive.org/web/20231123094231/https://www.markbuttigieg.com.au/about . 23 November 2023 . 2022-08-11 . Mark Buttigieg MLC . en-US.
  3. News: Cook - Federal Election 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211010030748/https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/cook.htm . 10 October 2021 . 21 November 2023 . . en-AU.
  4. News: Cook - Federal Election 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041010084011/https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2004/guide/cook.htm . 10 October 2004 . 15 April 2019 . ABC News .
  5. Web site: Historical list of mayors and councillors . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704220258/https://cms.ssc.nsw.gov.au/files/sharedassets/website/document-library/governance/councillors/historical-list-of-mayors-and-councillors-pdf.pdf?11092018 . 4 July 2022 . 21 November 2023 . Sutherland Shire Council .
  6. News: Stewart . Selby . Coleman . Oscar . 15 April 2019 . Leyonhjelm fails in NSW Upper House bid, Animal Justice Party claims seat . https://web.archive.org/web/20240418213700/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-15/nsw-election-results-david-leyonhjelm-misses-out-on-seat/11002814 . 18 April 2024 . 15 April 2019 . ABC News . en-AU.
  7. News: Patty . Anna . 28 May 2015 . Backlash grows over ALP's Chris Minns' anti-union push . https://web.archive.org/web/20240105132907/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/backlash-grows-over-alps-chris-minns-antiunion-push-20150528-ghbf0u.html . 5 January 2024 . 21 November 2023 . . . en.
  8. News: Trembath . Murray . 12 February 2016 . Mark Buttigieg cites ‘runs on board’ in Barton bid . https://web.archive.org/web/20231121143249/https://www.theleader.com.au/story/3724212/mark-buttigieg-cites-runs-on-board-in-barton-bid/ . 21 November 2023 . 21 November 2023 . . . en-AU.
  9. 2253 . The Hon. Mark Robert Buttigieg, MLC . 30 June 2020.
  10. News: Houlbrook-Walk . Myles . 2023-10-19 . 'Catastrophic crisis': NSW politicians release open letter supporting Palestinian communities . https://web.archive.org/web/20240222012614/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-19/nsw-politicians-release-open-letter-supporting-palestinians/102999304 . 22 February 2024 . 2023-11-30 . ABC News . en-AU.