Richard Marles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Marles
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Marles in 2024
|
|
| Deputy Prime Minister of Australia | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Barnaby Joyce |
| Minister for Defence | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Peter Dutton |
| Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
| Assumed office 30 May 2019 |
|
| Leader | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Tanya Plibersek |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 30 May 2019 – 23 May 2022 |
|
| Leader | Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Tanya Plibersek |
| Succeeded by | Sussan Ley |
| Minister for Trade | |
| In office 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013 |
|
| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Craig Emerson |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Robb |
| Member of the House of Representatives for Corio | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Gavan O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Donald Marles
13 July 1967 Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouses | Rachel Schutze Lisa Neville |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | Donald Marles Fay Marles |
| Residences | East Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
| Education | Geelong Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Melbourne University (BSc, LLB) |
| Occupation |
|
Richard Donald Marles, born on 13 July 1967, is an Australian politician and lawyer. He currently serves as the 19th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and the Minister for Defence. He has held these important roles since May 2022.
Mr. Marles has also been the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party since 2019. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Corio in Victoria since 2007.
He grew up in Geelong, Victoria, and first worked as a lawyer. Before entering politics, he was a senior leader at the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 2000 to 2007. He was elected to the House of Representatives in the 2007 Australian federal election.
After the Labor Party won the 2022 Australian federal election, Richard Marles became the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Marles was born in Geelong, Victoria, on 13 July 1967. His father, Donald Marles, was a headmaster, and his mother, Fay Marles, was Victoria's first Equal Opportunity Commissioner. She later became the leader of the University of Melbourne.
Marles went to Geelong Grammar School and then studied at the University of Melbourne. While at university, he was very involved in student politics. He was the president of the University of Melbourne Student Union in 1988 and the general secretary of the National Union of Students in 1989. He earned degrees in Science and Law.
After university, he worked as a lawyer, focusing on industrial law. He then became a legal officer for the Transport Workers Union (TWU). In 2000, he joined the Australian Council of Trade Unions, which is a major group for workers' unions in Australia. He worked there until 2007.
Political Journey
.jpg)
Starting in Parliament
In 2006, Richard Marles was chosen by the Labor Party to run for the seat of Corio. He won the election on 24 November 2007, which was the same election that brought the Labor Party back into power.
From 2008 to 2009, he led a special committee in the House of Representatives that focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.
Key Roles in Government
In June 2009, Marles was appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry. This role helps a minister with their duties. After the 2010 election, he became the Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs. In this role, he visited several Pacific islands, including Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia.
In 2012, he also took on the role of Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs. In 2013, he briefly served as the Minister for Trade. This meant he was in charge of Australia's international trade relationships.
Working in Opposition
.jpg)
After the Labor Party lost the 2013 Australian federal election, Marles became a "shadow minister." A shadow minister is a member of the opposition party who is responsible for a specific area, like immigration or defence, and challenges the government's policies in that area. He was the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.
From 2016, he became the Shadow Minister for Defence. In this role, he focused on Australia's military and security matters. He is known for having strong views that support Australia's alliance with the United States.
Becoming Deputy Leader
In May 2019, after the Labor Party lost the 2019 Australian federal election, Richard Marles was chosen as the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party. This made him the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, working closely with the party leader, Anthony Albanese. He continued to be the Shadow Minister for Defence.
In January 2021, he was given a new "super portfolio" to help Australia recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This role covered areas like national rebuilding, jobs, skills, small businesses, and science.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister
After the Labor Party won the 2022 Australian federal election, Richard Marles was sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence on 1 June 2022. When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travels overseas, Marles steps in as the Acting Prime Minister.
As Defence Minister, he has made several important decisions:
- He announced that 500 Australian troops would move to Townsville over six years starting in 2025. This move aims to make the Australian Army stronger for operations in the Pacific.
- In September 2023, he announced that the Australian Defence Force would stop using its MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. This decision followed a helicopter crash in July 2023 that killed four military personnel.
- In February 2024, Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with New Zealand's Foreign and Defence Ministers. They discussed how Australia would share information with New Zealand about AUKUS Pillar Two, which focuses on advanced military technology.
- In May 2024, Marles spoke out about an incident where a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near an Australian helicopter. The Australian helicopter was in international waters, helping to enforce United Nations rules against North Korea.
- In June 2024, Marles visited Papua New Guinea and confirmed Australia's plans to sign a security agreement with the country.
- In July 2024, he announced that Australia would provide Ukraine with $250 million in military help. This was the largest single military package from Australia to Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022.
- In September 2024, Marles removed distinguished service medals from nine commanding officers who served in the War in Afghanistan. This action followed a report that found serious issues with the conduct of some Australian soldiers.
- In February 2025, Marles and his New Zealand counterpart confirmed they were watching three Chinese warships sailing near Sydney. Marles criticized China for not giving notice about live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea.
- In July 2025, Marles and the UK Defense Minister signed a fifty-year treaty about nuclear submarines.
Political Views
.jpg)
Richard Marles is a key member of the "Labor Right" group within his party.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Marles supports policies that involve turning back boats carrying asylum seekers who try to reach Australia. He also supports the "Pacific Solution," which means refugees are settled in other countries in the Pacific region.
National Defence
As Shadow Defence Minister in 2020, Marles criticized the government's handling of a plan to buy French submarines. He believed it put Australia's national security at risk. However, he generally supports the main agreements between both major parties on national defence issues.
Energy and Resources
In 2019, Marles made comments about the coal market in Australia. He later clarified his views, stating that public money should not be used to support coal-fired power. He believes the market should decide, but also that if a private company follows all rules to open a mine, the Labor Party would not stop them.
Personal Life
Richard Marles lives in Geelong with his wife, Rachel Schutze. He has four children: three from his current marriage and one from his first marriage to Lisa Neville. Lisa Neville was also a politician, serving as a state minister in Victoria.
Marles is a big fan and member of the Geelong Football Club.
