Martin Pakula

Martin Pakula MLC
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 November 2006
Personal details
Born	7 January 1969 (1969-01-07) (age 42)
Political party	Australian Labor Party

Martin Philip Pakula (born 7 January 1969) is an Australian politician, and a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. He was Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Public Transport in the Labor Government of Premier John Brumby.^[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. Instead, Pakula was third spot in the ALP ticket for Western Metropolitan Region and was elected in 2006 Victorian State Election. After his 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 Industrial Relations. In January 2010, he replaced Lynne Kosky as Minister for Public Transport following her resignation.^[2]

Personal life

Pakula is married with two children and is a supporter of the Carlton Football Club.^[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ministers/martin-pakula-mlc.html
2. ^ Pakula to inherit transport troubles, The Age, 20 January 2010.
3. ^ "Martin Pakula MLC". Premier of Victoria. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/ministers.html?task=view&id=21. Retrieved 28 October 2010. 

External links

• Parliamentary profile
• Martin Pakula in Victorian Hansard

Victorian Legislative Council
New division	Member for Western Metropolitan 2006–present Served alongside: Justin Madden Bernie Finn Khalil Eideh	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Theo Theophanous	Minister for Industrial Relations (Victoria) 2008–2010	Succeeded by Richard Dalla-Riva
	Minister for Industry and Trade (Victoria) 2008–2010	Succeeded by Jacinta Allan
Preceded by Lynne Kosky	Minister for Public Transport (Victoria) 2010	Succeeded by Terry Mulder

Persondata
Name	Pakula, Martin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 January 1969
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death