40 Facts About Richard Marles

Richard Donald Marles was born on 13 July 1967 and is an Australian politician and lawyer serving as the 19th and current deputy prime minister of Australia and the Minister for Defence since May 2022.

Richard Marles has been the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party since 2019, having served as the member of Parliament for the division of Corio since 2007.

Richard Marles was assistant secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 2000 to 2007.

Richard Marles was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 federal election, after defeating incumbent Labor MP Gavan O'Connor for preselection in the seat of Corio.

Richard Marles was made a parliamentary secretary in 2009 and briefly served as Minister for Trade in 2013, having supported Kevin Rudd's return as prime minister.

Richard Marles was appointed to shadow cabinet after the ALP's defeat at the 2013 election and became a senior figure in the Labor Right faction.

Richard Marles was elected deputy leader to Anthony Albanese after the 2019 election, becoming deputy opposition leader.

Richard Marles became deputy prime minister following the ALP's victory at the 2022 election.

Richard Marles was born on 13 July 1967 in Geelong, Victoria.

Richard Marles graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws with Honours.

Richard Marles joined the Melbourne University Labor Club in his first week at university and served as president of the Melbourne University Student Union in 1988.

Richard Marles was the General Secretary of the National Union of Students in 1989.

Richard Marles started his career as a solicitor with Melbourne industrial law firm Slater and Gordon.

Richard Marles was elected TWU National Assistant Secretary four years later.

In March 2006, Richard Marles nominated for Labor preselection against the sitting member for Corio, Gavan O'Connor, as part of a challenge to several sitting members organised by the right-wing Labor Unity faction of the party.

Richard Marles was elected member for Corio on 24 November 2007 in the election that returned the Labor Party to office under the leadership of Kevin Rudd.

In June 2009 Richard Marles was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry.

Richard Marles retained his seat in the 2010 election and was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs in the First Gillard Ministry on 14 September 2010.

In July 2011, Richard Marles became the first Australian member of parliament to visit Wallis and Futuna.

Richard Marles arrived in Wallis and Futuna to attend a ceremony with King Kapiliele Faupala in Mata-Utu marking the 50th anniversary of the islands' status as a French Overseas collectivity.

Richard Marles had previously visited New Caledonia in October 2010 and French Polynesia in March 2011.

Richard Marles had his portfolio changed after the 2016 election, becoming Shadow Minister for Defence.

Richard Marles has been cited as holding pro-US views and as "somewhat of a hawk".

In May 2019, after Labor lost the 2019 federal election, it was reported that Richard Marles would stand for the deputy leadership of the party, and would likely be elected unopposed following Clare O'Neil's decision not to run.

Richard Marles continues to return to the role whenever Albanese leaves the country.

On 1 June 2022, Richard Marles was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Defence.

Richard Marles refused to give passenger or destination details for his VIP flights, citing security concerns.

On 28 September 2023, Richard Marles confirmed that 500 Australian troops would be relocated to Townsville over the course of six years from 2025 to strengthen the Australian Army's ability to conduct operations missions in the Pacific.

On 29 September 2023, Richard Marles announced that the Australian Defence Force would retire its fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters following a fatal crash during Exercise Talisman Sabre in July 2023 which killed four military personnel.

Richard Marles confirmed that Australia would send officials to brief their New Zealand counterparts about AUKUS Pillar Two, which would focus on advanced military technology including quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

On 6 May 2024, Richard Marles denounced an incident in which a Chinese J-10 fighter jet dropped flares in close proximity to an Australian MH60R Seahawk helicopter.

On 11 July 2024, Richard Marles announced that Australia would provide Ukraine with $250 million in military assistance, the largest single military package from Australia to Ukraine since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

On 12 September 2024, Richard Marles stripped nine commanding officers who served in the War in Afghanistan of their distinguished service medals, implementing the final recommendation of the Brereton Report which had found "credible evidence" that Australian soldiers had unlawfully killed 39 people.

Richard Marles is a senior figure in his state's Labor Right faction.

Richard Marles was supportive of an Australian War Memorial commemorating Operation Sovereign Borders navy personnel who undertook activities to stop asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat.

In 2020, as shadow defence minister, Richard Marles was critical of the Morrison government's handling of the programme to purchase French submarines, which, he said, had "profoundly compromised" Australia's national security.

Richard Marles otherwise supported the bipartisan consensus on national defence matters.

Richard Marles later back-tracked on this statement, saying that his "attack on coal was tone-deaf".

Richard Marles has three children from his current marriage and one from his first marriage to Lisa Neville, who was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2002 and later became a state minister.

Richard Marles is a supporter and member of the Geelong Football Club.