Martin Pakula

The Honourable Martin Pakula MP
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Keysborough
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 November 2014
Preceded by	New seat
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Lyndhurst
In office 27 April 2013 – 29 November 2014
Preceded by	Tim Holding
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region
In office 25 November 2006 – 26 March 2013
Personal details
Born	7 January 1969 Melbourne
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Religion	Judaism

Martin Philip Pakula (born 7 January 1969) is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Parliament of Victoria since 2006: in the Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region from 2006 to 2010, and then in the Legislative Assembly for Lyndhurst (2013–2014) and Keysborough (2014–present). He has been Attorney-General and Minister for Racing in the Andrews Ministry since December 2014. He previously 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.^[1]

Early life

Pakula was born in Melbourne in 1969, the son of immigrants from Poland and Uzbekistan in the USSR. He attended Ormond Primary School and then Haileybury College. 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 Australian 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 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.^[2][3]

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.^[4] 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.

Personal life

Pakula is married with two children and is a supporter of the Carlton Football Club.^[5] He lives in Black Rock.

References

1. "Hon Martin Pakula". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
2. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ministers/martin-pakula-mlc.html
3. Pakula to inherit transport troubles, The Age, 20 January 2010.
4. Willingham, Richard (19 March 2013). "Pakula for safe seat". The Age. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
5. "Martin Pakula MLC". Premier of Victoria. Retrieved 28 October 2010.

External links

• Parliamentary profile
• Martin Pakula in Victorian Hansard