Background
Butler, Mark was born on July 12, 1970 in Carrollton, Georgia, United States.
politician Member of the Australian House of Representatives
Butler, Mark was born on July 12, 1970 in Carrollton, Georgia, United States.
Butler was educated at the University of Adelaide, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. He later completed a Masters Degree in International Relations at Deakin University.
Before entering parliament, Butler was the South Australian secretary of the Liquour, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU). Butler served as Minister for Climate Change and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water in the Second Rudd Ministry. Since the 2013 Federal Election he has been the Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water.
He is the great-great-grandson and great-grandson respectively of conservative Premiers of South Australia, Sir Richard B. Butler and Sir Richard L. Butler. In 1996 Butler became the Secretary of the South Australian branch of the Liquour, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), and in 1997 he was elected the youngest-ever President of the Labor Party in South Australia. Butler was a key figure in the Labor Left faction.
He developed a close working relationship with his NSW counterpart Anthony Albanese and represented the faction on the ALP National Executive since 2000. He would later serve as Albanese's campaign manager in the October 2013 election for the Federal ALP Leadership. Butler was also noted for his constructive relationship with the Labor Right faction in South Australia, particularly then-Secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Don Farrell.
Butler was elected as the Labor member for the electoral division of Port Adelaide at the 2007 Federal Election. In a 2009 First Rudd Ministry reshuffle, Butler was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health. On 14 September 2010, he was sworn in as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing in the Second Gillard Ministry.
On 12 September 2011 he was given the additional responsibility of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform. After the 2013 election, Bill Shorten named Butler as the Shadow Minister for the Environment. On 17 June 2015, Butler was named National President of the Australian Labor Party.
Capital punishment be administered only when the pursuit of truth and justice result in clear and overwhelming evidence of guilt.
The family has its own complex identity as a small community of covenant love and trust.
He is a member of the Australian Labor Party. On 14 December 2011, Butler's ministry was renamed Mental Health and Aged Care, and he became a member of Cabinet.
Children: Blake, Sydney.