Mark Dreyfus

{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1956)}}

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Mark Dreyfus

| honorific-suffix = KC MP

| image = Mark Dreyfus (2025) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Dreyfus in 2025

| office2 = Cabinet Secretary

| primeminister2 = Anthony Albanese

| term_start2 = 1 June 2022

| term_end2 = 13 May 2025

| predecessor2 = Position re-established

| successor2 = Andrew Charlton

| primeminister3 = Julia Gillard

| term_start3 = 14 September 2010

| term_end3 = 4 February 2013

| predecessor3 = Joe Ludwig

| successor3 = Jason Clare

| office = Attorney-General of Australia

| primeminister = Anthony Albanese

| term_start = 1 June 2022

| term_end = 13 May 2025

| predecessor = Michaelia Cash

| successor = Michelle Rowland

| primeminister1 = Julia Gillard
Kevin Rudd

| term_start1 = 4 February 2013

| term_end1 = 18 September 2013

| predecessor1 = Nicola Roxon

| successor1 = George Brandis

| office4 = Special Minister of State

| primeminister4 = Kevin Rudd

| term_start4 = 1 July 2013

| term_end4 = 18 September 2013

| predecessor4 = Gary Gray

| successor4 = Michael Ronaldson

| office5 = Minister for the Public Service and Integrity

| primeminister5 = Kevin Rudd

| term_start5 = 1 July 2013

| term_end5 = 18 September 2013

| predecessor5 = Gary Gray

| successor5 = Eric Abetz

| office6 = Member of the Australian Parliament for Isaacs

| term_start6 = 24 November 2007

| term_end6 =

| predecessor6 = Ann Corcoran

| successor6 =

| birth_name = Mark Alfred Dreyfus

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|10|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Perth, Western Australia, Australia

| residence = Malvern, Victoria, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Labor

| alma_mater = University of Melbourne

| profession = Lawyer

| website = {{URL|https://www.markdreyfus.com/}}

| spouse = {{marriage |Deborah Chemke|1983 |1 November 2023 |end=died}}

| children = 3

}}

Mark Alfred Dreyfus {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KC}} (born 3 October 1956) is an Australian politician and lawyer. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), and has been the MP for Isaacs since the 2007 election. Dreyfus served as the attorney-general of Australia in 2013 and then 2022 to 2025, and as cabinet secretary from 2010 to 2013 and then 2022 to 2025.

Before beginning his political career, Dreyfus worked as a barrister for two decades, specialising in constitutional, commercial and environmental law. After winning the seat of Isaacs in 2007, Dreyfus was appointed to the Cabinet in September 2010 by Julia Gillard as Cabinet Secretary. In February 2013, following the resignation of Nicola Roxon, he was moved to become Attorney-General for the first time. After Kevin Rudd replaced Gillard as Prime Minister in June 2013, Dreyfus was retained as Attorney-General and given the additional roles of Special Minister of State and Minister for the Public Service and Integrity. He would hold these positions for less than three months, as Labor was defeated in the 2013 election.

Throughout Labor's subsequent nine years in opposition, Dreyfus served as shadow attorney-general under both Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese. Following Labor's victory in the 2022 election, he was appointed to the positions of Attorney-General and Cabinet Secretary for the second time within the first Albanese ministry. During his second tenure as attorney-general, he oversaw the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the creation of the Administrative Review Tribunal in place of the abolished Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and the establishment of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. He also ordered the discontinuation of the prosecution of whistleblower Bernard Collaery. He was removed as attorney-general following a cabinet reshuffle after the 2025 election.

Early life and education

Dreyfus was born in Perth, Western Australia, the son of George Dreyfus, a noted composer who came to Australia from Nazi Germany. Three of Mark's great-grandparents perished during The Holocaust. Mark's father was moved to Australia when he was eleven years old. Many Jewish children in Australia were cared for throughout the war, including Mark's father, who had no idea if they would ever see their parents again.

{{Cite Hansard

|jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia

|house=House of Representatives

|title=Maiden Speech |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2008-02-18%2F0072%22

|date=18 February 2008

|page= 541

|speaker=Mark Dreyfus

|position=Attorney General}}

{{cite web |last=Swan |first=Jonathan |date=30 January 2013 |title=Jewish MP to put religion before politics |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/jewish-mp-to-put-religion-before-politics-20130130-2dkmr.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{cite web |date=6 July 2016 |title=Record number of Jews elected |url=https://www.jewishnews.net.au/elected-record-number-jews/54641 |website=The Australian Jewish News}}

Dreyfus was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne on a full scholarship and the University of Melbourne, where he resided at Ormond College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws.{{cite news |author=Green, Shane |date=13 October 2011 |title=The man in the hot seat |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-man-in-the-hot-seat-20111012-1ll1v.html |access-date=14 March 2015 |work=The Age |location=Melbourne}}

Legal career

Before entering parliament, Dreyfus worked as a barrister for twenty years, with an extensive practice in commercial, defamation, constitutional and environmental law. He appeared before the High Court in the leading implied freedom of political communication cases of Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd (1994) and Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997). He also represented Michael Danby in a defamation suit against the LaRouche movement. In 1999 he was appointed Queen's Counsel.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/260926063|title=Dreyfus named QC|newspaper=The Australian Jewish News|date=24 December 1999}}

Dreyfus also served as a director of the Law Council of Australia and on the Victorian Bar Council and Victorian Bar Ethics Committee.

Since his first professional role as a Field Officer for the Northern Land Council, Dreyfus has worked closely with Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, including representing a number of the claimants in the landmark Stolen Generations litigation.{{cite web|url=http://www.jwire.com.au/news/new-attorney-general-to-be-sworn-in-tomorrow/32083 |title=New Attorney-General to be sworn in tomorrow |access-date=3 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206215704/http://www.jwire.com.au/news/new-attorney-general-to-be-sworn-in-tomorrow/32083 |archive-date=6 February 2013 |newspaper=J-Wire}}

Parliamentary career

File:Dreyfus2016.jpg

In March 2006, Dreyfus successfully challenged the sitting Labor member for the Division of Isaacs, Ann Corcoran, for the Labor candidacy in the 2007 election.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263325649|title=Dreyfus scores narrow preselection win|newspaper=The Australian Jewish News|date=17 March 2006}} At the 2007 election, he defeated the Liberal candidate, Ross Fox, gaining a 5.9-point swing to Labor.{{cite web| url = https://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/isaa.htm| title = Isaacs - Federal Election 2007 - ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)| website = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date = 14 February 2024}}

Following Labor's victory at the 2007 Australian federal election, Dreyfus was appointed the Chair of the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. At the 2010 Australian federal election, Dreyfus was re-elected, gaining a further 3.33-point swing to Labor.

In September 2010, Dreyfus was appointed as Cabinet Secretary as well as Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in the Second Gillard Ministry.{{cite web|url=http://152.91.15.12/portal/govgazonline.nsf/E941C77C0B7A1DF4CA2577A0001D84C1/$file/S162.pdf |title=Special Gazette No. S162 |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=16 September 2010 }} {{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Dreyfus took on additional responsibilities in December 2011 when he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation.

At the 2013 Australian federal election, Dreyfus was re-elected with a reduced margin of 3.9%, which was extended to 5.9% at the 2016 Australian federal election.{{cite web| url = https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/isaa/| title = Isaacs - Federal Electorate, Candidates, Results - ABC News| website = Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

Dreyfus had an easier run at the 2019 Australian federal election after his Liberal Party of Australia opponent was disendorsed for an earlier 'anti-Muslim rant',{{cite web|url= https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-politics-2019-election-jeremy-hearn-isaacs-anti-muslim-candidate-dumped-australian-election-news/05a551cd-4813-438c-80e6-cc69d500da48|title=Liberals to sack anti-Muslim candidate Jeremy Hearn|date=May 2019 }} Dreyfus was re-elected with a 3.45 percent swing in his favour.{{Cite web|url=https://results.aec.gov.au/24310/Website/HouseDivisionPage-24310-219.htm|title=House of Representatives division information}}

Dreyfus was again comfortably re-elected in the 2022 Australian federal election,{{cite web | url=https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-27966-219.htm | title=House of Representatives division information }} though his campaign was assisted when his Liberal Party opponent was referred to the Australian Federal Police for investigation after admitting that, though he was enrolled to vote at a pub in the Isaacs electorate, he actually lived in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell, some 20 km away.{{cite web | url=https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/election-2022-lnp-candidate-robbie-beaton-referred-to-australian-federal-police/news-story/b47866a769cbb639fe781f587fef4f9f?amp | title= LNP candidate Robbie Beaton referred to Australian Federal Police }}{{cite web | url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/i-live-in-camberwell-victorian-liberal-candidate-admits-to-listing-false-address-20220428-p5agwm.html | title=Election 2022: Liberal candidate for Isaacs put wrong address on enrolment form | date=28 April 2022 }}

Dreyfus had a further swing in his favour - his sixth in seven elections - to comfortably hold the seat at the 2025 Australian federal election.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2025/guide/isaa

Dreyfus is a member of Labor Right faction.{{cite web |title=Labor's new-look shadow ministry |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/labor-s-new-look-shadow-ministry/e1629c15-7e65-4aec-aa27-3ee6a1cea0bb |website=SBS News |publisher=Special Broadcasting Service |access-date=31 October 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Rob |title='The idiot for Hunter': Labor colleagues trade insults in energy split |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dreyfus-labels-frontbench-colleague-idiot-for-hunter-in-heated-energy-debate-20200924-p55ywq.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=24 September 2020 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=24 September 2020}} He is a strong advocate for action on climate change{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/fitzgibbon-out-of-step-with-community-on-climate-dreyfus-20201111-p56djw.html|title=Fitzgibbon 'out of step' with community on climate: Dreyfus|date=11 November 2020}} and for the establishment a federal anti-corruption agency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/21/labor-says-scandals-are-behind-federal-icac-delay-as-coalition-blames-covid|title = Labor says scandals are behind federal Icac delay as Coalition blames Covid| website=TheGuardian.com |date = 21 October 2020}} Dreyfus was a vocal supporter of the 'yes' campaign during the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey{{Cite web|url=http://baysidenews.com.au/2017/11/22/marriage-equalitys-big-yes/|title = Marriage equality's big 'yes'|date = 21 November 2017}} and a vocal opponent against Abbott government era funding reductions to climate science research at the CSIRO.{{Cite web|url=http://baysidenews.com.au/2016/06/01/science-lab-cut-core/|title = Science lab 'cut to the core'|date = June 2016}}

=Attorney-General in Gillard-Rudd government=

On 2 February 2013, Dreyfus was promoted to Attorney-General and as Minister for Emergency Management after the resignation of Nicola Roxon.{{cite news|first =Sid |last=Maher |title=Dreyfus, Bowen promoted in Gillard cabinet reshuffle |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/dreyfus-to-replace-roxon-in-gillard-cabinet-reshuffle/story-fn59niix-1226567236724 |date=2 February 2013|work=The Australian | access-date=2 February 2013}} Dreyfus was given additional responsibilities on 1 July 2013 as Special Minister of State and Minister for the Public Service and Integrity following the decision by Gary Gray to resign from the ministry following the June 2013 Labor leadership spill.{{cite web|url=http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_20130701.pdf |title=Second Rudd Ministry |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |date=1 July 2013 |access-date=2 July 2013 |work=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet }} {{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

As Attorney-General, Dreyfus appeared before the International Court of Justice in The Hague as Counsel and Advocate for Australia in the case of Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v Japan; New Zealand intervening) in June and July 2013.[http://un.org.au/2013/06/27/icj-hears-case-of-whaling-in-antarctic-australia-vs-japan/ ICJ Hears Case of Whaling in Antarctic: Australia vs. Japan] United Nations Information Centre Canberra On 1 April 2014, the ICJ handed down its decision in favour of Australia that Japan cease whaling in the Southern Ocean.{{cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/04/australias-whaling-victory/|title=Australia's Whaling Victory |first=Dominic |last=Meoli |website=The Diplomat}}

=Shadow Attorney-General=

Dreyfus served as Labor's Shadow Attorney-General from 2013 to 2022, where he championed the establishment of a Federal Integrity Commission and greater funding for community legal centres.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2017/03/27/calls-government-reverse-funding-cuts-community-legal-centres|title = Calls for government to reverse funding cuts to Community Legal Centres| date=27 March 2017 }}

Dreyfus as shadow attorney general is the only person to hold the same portfolio in the entirety of Labor's nine years in opposition between 2013 and 2022 as well as being longest serving shadow attorney general.

===Attorney-General in Albanese government===

Following Labor's victory in the 2022 Australian federal election, Dreyfus was appointed as Attorney-General in the Albanese government on 31 May 2022.{{cite web | url=https://smh.com.au/politics/federal/meet-the-new-cabinet-who-s-who-in-albanese-s-new-ministry-20220531-p5aq02.html | title=Election 2022 results: Anthony Albanese's Labor cabinet announced | date=June 2022 }} In his first interview as Attorney-General he said legislating Labor's promised national anti-corruption commission by the end of 2022 was his "paramount priority", calling it a "nation-building" reform.{{cite web | url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/new-attorney-general-promises-national-corruption-watchdog-will-have-power-to-investigate-pork-barrelling-20220602-p5aqhr.html?btis | title=New Attorney-General promises national corruption watchdog will have power to investigate pork-barrelling | date=7 June 2022 }} In September 2022, Dreyfus presented the legislation to create a national anti-corruption commission to Parliament,{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/long-awaited-labor-icac-legislation-introduced-parliament/101480558|title=Long-awaited federal anti-corruption commission legislation introduced to parliament|work=ABC News|date=28 September 2022|accessdate=30 September 2022}} and the bill was passed on 30 November.{{cite web |last1=Karp |first1=Paul |title='Naccflip': National anti-corruption commission bill passes Senate after Greens backdown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/29/naccflip-greens-back-down-on-threat-to-block-national-anti-corruption-commission-bill |website=the Guardian |access-date=30 November 2022 |language=en |date=29 November 2022}}

On 7 July 2022 Dreyfus used his powers as Attorney-General to discontinue the prosecution of lawyer Bernard Collaery, which had been initiated by his predecessor Christian Porter.{{Cite web |last=Dreyfus QC MP |first=The Hon Mark |date=7 July 2022 |title=Discontinue the prosecution of Mr Bernard Collaery |url=https://ministers.ag.gov.au/media-centre/mr-bernard-collaery-07-07-2022 |website=Attorney-General}} Collaery had been charged with disclosing confidential intelligence information about the Australia–East Timor spying scandal, with many criticising his prosecution as unjust and unfair.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2022/jul/08/justice-for-bernard-collaery-must-be-the-beginning-of-decisive-action-on-whistleblowers|title=Justice for Bernard Collaery must be the beginning of decisive action on whistleblowers|work=The Guardian|first=Kieran|last=Pender|date=8 July 2022|accessdate=19 July 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/06/01/bernard-collaery-unjust-trial-mark-dreyfus/|title=More than halting the unjust Collaery trial awaits Mark Dreyfus|work=Crikey.com|first=Bernard|last=Keane|date=1 June 2022|accessdate=14 June 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hrlc.org.au/explainer-the-unjust-prosecution-of-bernard-collaery|title=The unjust prosecution of Bernard Collaery|publisher=Human Rights Law Council|accessdate=21 October 2022}}

Dreyfus led the establishment of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, announcing the Letters Patent on 25 August 2022 alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.{{Cite web |last=Dreyfus QC MP |first=The Hon Mark |date=25 August 2022 |title=Establishment of the Royal Commission into Robodebt |url=https://ministers.ag.gov.au/media-centre/establishment-royal-commission-robodebt-25-08-2022 |website=Attorney-General}}

Dreyfus is a member of the Parliamentary Friends of the IHRA, which has been advocating for universities to adopt a controversial definition of antisemitism.{{Cite web |last=Cassidy |first=Caitlin |date=6 February 2023 |title=Australian universities split on decision to adopt controversial definition of antisemitism |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/06/australian-universities-split-on-decision-to-adopt-controversial-definition-of-antisemitism |website=The Guardian}}

In 2024, the Albanese government banned the display of Nazi symbols, as well as the symbols of proscribed terrorist organisations.{{Cite news |last=Jackson |first=Lewis |date=8 January 2024 |title=Australia bans Nazi salute and public display of terror group symbols |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-bans-nazi-salute-public-display-terror-group-symbols-2024-01-08/ |access-date=19 January 2024 |work=Reuters}}

After Labor's victory in the 2025 Australian federal election, Dreyfus was not re-nominated by the Labor caucus to return to the ministry, ending his tenure as Attorney-General.https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-two-ministers-and-the-nationals-discover-the-limits-of-loyalty-in-politics-255959

Personal life

Dreyfus married Chilean-born Deborah Chemke. The couple had three children, Joe, Tom and Laura.[http://www.liv.asn.au/PDF/younglawyers/interviewslifeinthelaw/MarkDreyusStrikingadifferentnoteYLJ45Winter2010 "Striking a different role" – Young Lawyers Journal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120054155/http://liv.asn.au/PDF/younglawyers/interviewslifeinthelaw/MarkDreyusStrikingadifferentnoteYLJ45Winter2010 |date=20 January 2013 }}[http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2008-02-18%2F0072%22 ParlInfo – GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH : Address-in-Reply]{{cite web|url=http://www.jwire.com.au/news/new-attorney-general-to-be-sworn-in-tomorrow/32083 |title=New Attorney-General to be sworn in tomorrow |author=J-Wire Staff |publisher=JWire |date=3 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206215704/http://www.jwire.com.au/news/new-attorney-general-to-be-sworn-in-tomorrow/32083 |archive-date=6 February 2013 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/qc-stands-out-among-labor-candidates-for-canberra/2006/02/06/1139074168703.html|title=QC stands out among Labor candidates for Canberra|first=Misha|last=Schubert|newspaper=The Age|date=7 February 2006|location=Melbourne}} Deborah died on 1 November 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-01 |title=Attorney-General's wife Deborah Chemke dies after illness |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8408004/attorney-generals-wife-deborah-chemke-dies-after-illness/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}

Dreyfus is a keen swimmer, cyclist and runner and is a frequent participant in open water swims and fun runs within his electorate.{{Cite web|url=http://baysidenews.com.au/2019/02/13/race-is-on-at-coast-guard/|title = Race is on at Coast Guard|date = 12 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://baysidenews.com.au/2018/03/21/run-rematch-for-fireys-cause/|title=Run rematch for fireys' cause|date=21 March 2018}}

Dreyfus speaks fluent Spanish and has stated that, had he not become a lawyer, he would have liked to become a park ranger in the Alpine National Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.justinian.com.au/featurettes/mark-dreyfus.html|title=Mark Dreyfus – Featurettes – Justinian|publisher=Justinian|date=17 March 2013}}

He is a supporter of the St Kilda Football Club.{{cite web | url=https://www.alp.org.au/our-people/our-people/mark-dreyfus/ | title=Mark Dreyfus – Labor for Isaacs }}

See also

References

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