Mark Coulton
Assistant Minister for Trade and Investment[1] | |
|---|---|
| In office 5 March 2018 – 6 February 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Malcolm Turnbull Scott Morrison |
| Preceded by | Luke Hartsuyker |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Gee (Minister Assisting) |
| Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives | |
| In office 30 August 2016 – 26 February 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Bruce Scott |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Hogan |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Parkes | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2007 | |
| Preceded by | John Cobb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 February 1958 Sydney, Australia |
| Political party | National |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Website | markcoulton |
Mark Maclean Coulton (born 3 February 1958) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the
Early life
Coulton was born in Sydney on 3 February 1958,[2] the son of Jack and Nancy Coulton. He grew up on the family's property in Gravesend, New South Wales. He was educated at Warialda Public School and Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, where he was a boarder. He returned to the family farm after leaving school and later acquired a property of his own.[3]
Prior to entering parliament, Coulton was involved in various community organisations, including the Warialda Pony Club, the Warialda Rotary Club, and the local Bush Fire Brigade.[3] He served as president of the Warialda Pastoral and Agricultural Association, which organised the local agricultural show.[4] In September 2004, Coulton was elected as the inaugural mayor of Gwydir Shire, a new local government area created from three smaller councils.[5]
Politics
Coulton announced in November 2006 that he would seek National Party preselection for the Division of Parkes. He had previously been the chairman of the party's electoral council for the Division of Gwydir, which was abolished and merged into Parkes.[6] The incumbent Gwydir MP John Anderson was retiring, while the incumbent Parkes MP John Cobb chose to contest the Division of Calare.[7]
Coulton was elected to parliament at the
Government minister
In March 2018, Coulton resigned as Deputy Speaker to take up the position of Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in the
Coulton repeated his endorsement of Michael McCormack for his party's leadership at the February 2020 leadership spill, describing it as an "unfortunate distraction".[10] After McCormack was defeated by Joyce in the 2021 Nationals leadership spill, Joyce stripped Coulton of his ministerial portfolios.[11]
Positions
In November 2020, Coulton stated in a parliamentary speech that Israel was engaged in "a level of apartheid" with regard to Palestinians.[12] As of November 2023[update], he was co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine.[13]
Personal life
Coulton married schoolteacher Robyn Redford in 1981, with whom he had three children. He also has two brothers, one of whom − John Coulton − is a Gwydir Shire councillor.[5][3][14]
References
- ^ Titled "Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment" until 29 May 2019
- ^ a b c "Mr Mark Coulton MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hon Mark Coulton MP". NSW Nationals. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "CV". Mark Coulton MP. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Maiden speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Gwydir Mayor to seek Nationals' preselection for Parkes". ABC News. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ Humphries, David (7 July 2006). "Nats issue call to arms to save Gwydir". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ Hoar, Jennifer (23 February 2018). "Mark Coulton backs Michael McCormack to replace Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader". Daily Liberal. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Government of Australia. Archived from the originalon 5 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
Mark Coulton MP will join the Ministry as Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.
- ^ Worboys, Jessica (4 February 2020). "Parkes MP Mark Coulton happy with leadership spill results". Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Concerns about contentious water ministry punted from Cabinet, and Veterans Minister dumped as royal commission looms". ABC News. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
- ^ "'There is a form of apartheid': LNP backbencher urges PM to face facts on Israel". Guardian Australia. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ Grattan, Michelle (17 November 2023). "View from The Hill: as war rages in the Middle East, Australian parliamentarians try to promote understanding". The Conversation. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ "CV". Mark Coulton MP.
External links
- Search or browse Hansard for Mark Coulton at OpenAustralia.org