Martin Pakula

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Martin Pakula

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image =

| office = Minister for Industry Support and Recovery

| premier = Daniel Andrews

| term_start = 22 June 2020

| term_end = 27 June 2022

| predecessor = New position

| successor = Ben Carroll

| office1 = Minister for Trade

| premier1 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start1 = 22 June 2020

| term_end1 = 27 June 2022

| predecessor1 = Himself

| successor1 = Tim Pallas

| office2 = Minister for Business Precincts

| premier2 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start2 = 22 June 2020

| term_end2 = 27 June 2022

| predecessor2 = Jacinta Allan

| successor2 = Ben Carroll

| office3 = Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events

| premier3 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start3 = 29 November 2018

| term_end3 = 27 June 2022

| predecessor3 = John Eren

| successor3 = Steve Dimopoulos

| office4 = Minister for Racing

| premier4 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start4 = 4 December 2014

| term_end4 = 27 June 2022

| predecessor4 = Denis Napthine

| successor4 = Anthony Carbines

| office5 = 53rd Attorney-General of Victoria

| premier5 = Daniel Andrews

| term_start5 = 4 December 2014

| term_end5 = 29 November 2018

| predecessor5 = Robert Clark

| successor5 = Jill Hennessy

| constituency_AM6 = Keysborough

| assembly6 = Victorian Legislative

| term_start6 = 29 November 2014

| term_end6 = 26 November 2022

| predecessor6 = New seat

| successor6 = Seat abolished

| constituency_AM7 = Lyndhurst

| assembly7 = Victorian Legislative

| term_start7 = 27 April 2013

| term_end7 = 29 November 2014

| predecessor7 = Tim Holding

| successor7 = Seat abolished

| office8 = Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region

| term_start8 = 25 November 2006

| term_end8 = 26 March 2013

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1969|1|7}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Labor

| residence =

| university =

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

}}

Martin Philip Pakula (born 7 January 1969) is an Australian former politician. He has been a Labor Party member of the Parliament of Victoria from 2006 to 2022: in the Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region from 2006 to 2013, and then in the Legislative Assembly for Lyndhurst (2013–2014) and Keysborough (2014–2022).

Pakula has served as a minister in the First Andrews Ministry and Second Andrews Ministry. Most recently until June 2022, Pakula was the Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Minister for Trade, Minister for Business Precincts from June 2020, the Minister for Tourism, Sport & Major Events from November 2018, and the Minister for Racing from December 2014. He previously served as the Minister for Jobs, Innovation & Trade (2018–2020), Attorney-General (2014–2018). He also served as Minister for Industrial Relations (2008–2010), Minister for Industry and Trade (2008–2010) and Minister for Public Transport (2010) in the Brumby Ministry.{{Cite Parliament of Victoria Member Profile | id=martin-pakula | title=The Hon. Martin Philip Pakula | access-date=25 March 2024}}

Early life

Pakula was born in Melbourne in 1969, the son of immigrants from Poland who were deported during World War II to Uzbekistan.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} Pakula's mother, a school teacher, arrived in Australia as a 6 year old with no knowledge of English, while his father, a lawyer, spoke no English at home.{{cite tweet|number=965885949027614720|archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240324112847/https://twitter.com/MartinPakula/status/965885949027614720|url-status=live|user=MartinPakula|first=Martin|last=Pakula|date=20 February 2018 |title=My mum arrived here as a 6 year old. No English. Ended up being a school teacher for decades. Dad was born here but spoke no English at home. Became a lawyer. I'm the Attorney General of Victoria, and you - mate - can get stuffed. Australian enough for you?}} He attended Ormond Primary School and then Haileybury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.martinpakula.com.au/details/about/ |quote=Martin was educated at Ormond Primary School, Haileybury College and Monash University and joined the Australian Labor Party in 1987. At Monash, Martin completed an economics degree (1989), and an Honours degree in Law (1991) winning the Industrial Relations Law Prize in his final year. In 1993, Martin joined the National Union of Workers, where he served as an Industrial Officer (1993 – 2000), Assistant State Secretary (2000 – 2004) and State Secretary and National Vice President (2004 – 2006). He also served as a Director of LUCRF Super. In 2006, Martin was elected to the Legislative Council as the member for Western Metropolitan Region As well as holding various Shadow Ministries in Opposition, Martin has held the following portfolios in Government: Parliamentary Secretary for Transport (2006-07)|title = About Martin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330021917/https://www.martinpakula.com.au/details/about/ |archive-date=30 March 2022 |url-status=dead}} Following this, he was accepted to study economics and law at Monash University. During his time at Monash he became a leading member of Victorian Young Labor, joining the Labor Party in 1987. He completed his Bachelor of Economics in 1989 and an Honours Degree in Law in 1991. In his final year, he won the Industrial Relations Law prize.

Professional career

After graduating from university, Pakula began work at Macpherson and Kelley Solicitors. In 1993, he became an Industrial Officer at the National Union of Workers. He went on to become State Secretary and National Vice President.

In 2005, Pakula unsuccessfully challenged Simon Crean in the ALP preselection for the seat of Hotham. Pakula was then preselected for ALP's third spot for the Western Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council and was elected at the 2006 Victorian state election. Following the election, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Ports under Tim Pallas.

After the resignation of Minister Theo Theophanous in December 2008, Pakula was appointed Minister for Industry and Trade and Minister for Industrial Relations. In January 2010, he replaced Lynne Kosky as Minister for Public Transport following her resignation.{{cite web |url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ministers/martin-pakula-mlc.html |title=Martin Pakula MLC - Premier of Victoria, Australia |website=www.premier.vic.gov.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206011402/http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ministers/martin-pakula-mlc.html |archive-date=2009-02-06}}[http://www.theage.com.au/national/pakula-to-inherit-transport-troubles-20100119-mj3p.html Pakula to inherit transport troubles], The Age, 20 January 2010.

On 18 March 2013 he was endorsed as the Labor candidate for the Lyndhurst by-election held on 27 April, caused by the February 2013 resignation of shadow treasurer Tim Holding.{{cite news|last=Willingham|first=Richard|title=Pakula for safe seat|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/pakula-for-safe-seat-20130318-2gb95.html#ixzz2PjtKsg6F|access-date=2013-04-07|newspaper=The Age|date=19 March 2013}} Pakula resigned from the Legislative Council on 26 March 2013 to contest Lyndhurst and was successful in retaining the seat for Labor.

On 4 December 2014 he was sworn in as the Victorian Attorney-General, and was replaced by Jill Hennessy following the 2018 Victorian state election. He continued to be a minister in a number of portfolios, with the racing portfolio being held the longest since 2014.

In June 2022, Pakula announced he would retire at the November state election.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-24/labor-party-andrews-government-ministers-resign/101178976|title=Victorian ministers confirm resignations from Andrews government ahead of November election|publisher=ABC News|date=24 June 2022}} He stepped down from his ministerial roles on 27 June 2022.

In November 2022 Pakula was appointed to the board of helloworld travel as a non-executive director. Pakula was currently serving in this role as of March 2024{{cite web |url=https://www.helloworldlimited.com.au/board-profiles/ |archive-date=25 March 2024 |access-date=25 March 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325001150/https://www.helloworldlimited.com.au/board-profiles/ |at=Hon. Martin Pakula |title=Board Profiles |website=helloworldlimited.com.au}} In January 2023 Pakula accepted a part-time role as an advisor to the Australian Football League.{{cite news |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/former-victorian-sports-minister-martin-pakula-joins-afl/news-story/1e9db423393ee4ef5526c1dcb6e1eca0 |title=Former Victorian sports minister Martin Pakula joins AFL |url-status=live |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324120258/https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/former-victorian-sports-minister-martin-pakula-joins-afl/news-story/1e9db423393ee4ef5526c1dcb6e1eca0 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=news.com.au |date=31 January 2023 |first=Ed |last=Bourke}} In October 2023 Pakula was appointed as the chair of the board of the Australian Grand Prix.{{cite news |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-cabinet-endorses-martin-pakula-to-be-new-grand-prix-chair-20231010-p5eb7t.html |work=The Age |title=Martin Pakula to take wheel as new Australian Grand Prix chair |date=10 October 2023 |access-date=25 March 2024 |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324113331/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-cabinet-endorses-martin-pakula-to-be-new-grand-prix-chair-20231010-p5eb7t.html |url-status=live |first=Kieran |last=Rooney |url-access=registration}}

Personal life

Pakula is married with two children and is a supporter of the Carlton Football Club.{{cite web |url=https://ttf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Bio-Martin-Pakula-as-at-18012019.pdf |access-date=25 March 2024 |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324114754/https://ttf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Bio-Martin-Pakula-as-at-18012019.pdf |title=The Hon Martin Pakula MP |url-status=live |website=ttf.org.au |quote=A keen football and racing fan, Martin has been a member of the Carlton Football Club for more than 40 years and is a member of the Victorian Racing Club. His other passions include music and running. Martin is married with two children.}} He lives in Black Rock.{{cite news |last1=Smethurst |first1=Annika |title=Parachuting pollies into safe seats fuels political cynicism |quote=But it becomes a little more difficult to argue that Disability Minister Luke Donnellan’s home base in Fitzroy North is reflective of the south-eastern electorate of Narre Warren North where he is the local member. So too Jobs Minister Martin Pakula who is the member for Keysborough but lives in the idyllic bayside suburb of Black Rock. |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324114505/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/parachuting-pollies-into-safe-seats-fuels-political-cynicism-20210916-p58s7y.html |url-access=registration |url-status=live|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/parachuting-pollies-into-safe-seats-fuels-political-cynicism-20210916-p58s7y.html |website=The Age |date=16 September 2021 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=8 October 2021}} Pakula is Jewish.{{cite web |last1=Douglas |first1=Carly |title=Southwick, Pakula seats at risk |url=https://www.australianjewishnews.com/southwick-pakula-seats-at-risk/ |quote=Pakula, who holds a range of ministerial positions, told The AJN, “The Jewish community has been well represented in the State Labor caucus in recent years by MPs such as Marsha Thompson, Philip Dalidakis, Paul Hamer and myself. Hopefully the community – and the party – sees some value in that.” |website=The Australian Jewish News |archive-date=24 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324115414/https://www.australianjewishnews.com/southwick-pakula-seats-at-risk/ |url-status=live |access-date=23 November 2021 |date=9 July 2021}}

References

External links

[http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/id/1620 Parliamentary profile]
[http://tex.parliament.vic.gov.au/bin/texhtmlt?form=VicHansard.dumpall&startpage=95&origquery=true+and+(+data+contains+'PAKULA'+)+and+(+members+contains+'PAKULA'+)&query=true+and+(+data+contains+'PAKULA'+)+and+(+members+contains+'PAKULA'+)&db=hansard91&dodraft=0&speech=55299&mem_selected=PAKULA&activity=Governors+Speech&title=Address-in-reply&date1=20&date2=December&date3=2006 Martin Pakula in Victorian Hansard]