Adem Somyurek

Adem Kubilay Somyurek (born 25 September 1967 in Izmir, Turkey) is an Australian politician who served as Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Small Business in the Second Andrews Ministry until 2020. Prior to 2020, he served as a member of the Australian Labor Party.

The Honourable Adem Somyurek MLC
Somyurek in 2015
Member of the Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 November 2002
Constituency	South Eastern Metropolitan (Eumemmerring Province until 25 November 2006)
Minister for Local Government
In office 29 November 2018 – 15 June 2020
Premier	Daniel Andrews
Preceded by	Marlene Kairouz
Succeeded by	Danny Pearson
Minister for Small Business
In office 29 November 2018 – 15 June 2020
Premier	Daniel Andrews
Preceded by	Philip Dalidakis
Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade
In office 3 December 2014 – 27 July 2015
Premier	Daniel Andrews
Preceded by	Louise Asher
Succeeded by	Philip Dalidakis
Personal details
Born	Adem Kubilay Somyurek 25 September 1967 Izmir, Turkey
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Independent (2020–present)
Other political affiliations	Labor (until 2020)
Alma mater	Deakin University (MPol&Policy) Monash University (BA) Chisholm (CertBus(Acc)
Occupation	Electorate Officer Anthony Byrne Jacinta Collins
Profession	Politician
Website	Personal Twitter Facebook

He has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for South Eastern Metropolitan Region since 2002,[1] and had previously held the role of Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade in the First Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to July 2015.

In June 2020, Somyurek became the subject of major corruption allegations including branch stacking during the 48th Victorian Parliament.[2]

Personal life

Born in 1967 in Izmir, Turkey, Somyurek moved to Australia with his parents when he was 18 months old. He is of turkish ethnicity. Prior to entering the Victorian Parliament, Somyurek worked as a taxi driver, as a staffer for Labor Senator Jacinta Collins in 1996 and later in the office of federal MP Anthony Byrne.[3]

Somyurek holds a Master of Arts in Policy and Politics, a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Sociology and an Associate Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting).

Political career

Somyurek first entered parliament after winning the Legislative Council province of Eumemmerring at the 2002 election.[4] Somyürek made his inaugural speech to the Victorian Legislative Council as the new member for Eumemmerring on 27 February 2003.[5] After the reforms that introduced proportional representation into the Legislative Council, Somyurek won a safe spot on the Labor ticket for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region and was easily re-elected at the 2006 election.[4] Somyurek was elected in the 2010 and 2014 State elections.

In his first term (2002–2006) Somyurek served on the Outer Suburban and Interface Committee, and the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. In his second term (2006–2010) Somyurek was elected the first chair of the newly constituted Electoral Matters Committee but lost the position in December 2009 as a result of being convicted for driving while disqualified.[6] The conviction brought to light that Somyurek had been driving whilst disqualified for at least 12 months prior to this conviction, the original disqualification resulting from losing all demerit points on his license for a variety of driving offences.[6]

In his third term (2010–2014) Somyurek was promoted into the Shadow Ministry of the Daniel Andrews-led Labor opposition.[7] Upon election to his fourth term (2014–2018) and the election of the Labor Party in Victoria, Somyurek was sworn in as Minister for Small Business, Innovation, and Trade.[8]

Mr Somyurek stood down from his ministerial role in May 2015 following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, and later resigned on 28 July 2015 after an investigation by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet found he had bullied his chief of staff, Dimity Paul.[9][10][11] He was succeeded by Philip Dalidakis in the Andrews Ministry.

At the 2018 Victorian election Somyurek was returned to his seat in the Upper House.[12] On 27 November 2018 Premier Daniel Andrews announced that Somyurek would be rejoining the Cabinet in the new Andrews Ministry.[13] On 29 November 2018 it was revealed that Somyurek was to handle the portfolios of Local Government and Small Business within the re-elected Andrews Government.[14]

The Age/Nine recordings

On 14 June 2020, The Age and Nine Network released covert recordings purporting to show Somyurek organising branch stacking. In its investigation, Somyurek is alleged to have registered local party members with false details, taking funds from business owners to pay for party membership fees, and directing ministerial staffers with branch stacking activities.[15]

Included in the numerous covert recordings, are several sections where Somyurek is heard making derogatory comments towards MPs Gabrielle Williams and Marlene Kairouz and ministerial staffers, which have been described as sexist and homophobic.[15]

“This is going to be relentless; we're just going to go fuck them. We're just going to go to town. This is fucking war. We've got fucking massive numbers, we've got about thirty going in every week...”

— [15], Covert audio recording of Somyurek

Following the release of recordings, on 15 June 2020, Premier Andrews sacked Somyurek from his cabinet and referred Somyurek's conduct to Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission for further investigation.[16] Andrews also wrote to the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to seek the termination of Somyurek's party membership. Later that day, the Labor Party's national president, Wayne Swan, confirmed that Somyurek had resigned his membership, adding that Labor's National Executive Committee had taken further steps to ensure there would "never be a place for Somyurek in the ALP ever again".[17]

References

1. "Parliament of Victoria Electoral Matters Committee" (PDF). 2 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
2. "Adem Somyurek quits Victorian Labor Party after 60 Minutes airs allegations of branch stacking, offensive language". ABC News. ABC News. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
3. "'F**k the premier': Labor's secret tapes reveal industrial scale stackathon". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
4. "Adem Somyürek". Labor ALP People. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
5. A Somyurek, 'Inaugural Speech to Parliament', 2003, Parliament of Victoria, retrieved 8 October 2017.
6. Aaron Langmaid (10 December 2009). "Premier John Brumby says no excuses for MP caught driving while disqualified". Herald Sun.
7. Rood, David (6 December 2010). "New look for Labor's shadow team". The Age.
8. Australian Broadcasting Corporation,Daniel Andrews sworn in as Victorian Premier, unveils ministerial portfolios, 2014, retrieved 28 October 2017.
9. Tomazin, Farrah (23 May 2015). "Minister stood down over allegations of misconduct made by chief of staff". The Age. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
10. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/adem-somyurek-resigns-as-small-business-minister-after-bullying-investigation-20150728-gilzxb.html Adem Somyurek resigns as Small Business Minister after bullying investigation
11. "Small Business Minister Adem Somyurek resigns from Victorian Cabinet following bullying probe". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
12. "State Election 2018: South-Eastern Metropolitan Region". VEC. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
13. R Baxendale, 'Women spearhead Daniel Andrews’ new-look cabinet', The Australian, 27 November 2018, retrieved 28 November 2018.
14. M Hore & J Dowling, 'Premier Daniel Andrews unveils fresh Cabinet and government department shake-up', Herald Sun, 29 November 2018, retrieved 30 November 2018.
15. Llanbey, Sumeyya; McKenzie, Nick; Tozer, Joel (14 June 2020). "Calls for investigation into factional powerbroker Adem Somyurek". The Age. Nine Entetainment Co. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
16. "'Terminated': Andrews sacks Somyurek, Albanese moves to kick him out of party". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
17. "Adem Somyurek quits Labor Party after 60 Minutes airs allegations of branch stacking, offensive language". ABC News. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.

External links

• Parliament of Victoria – Legislative Council – The Hon Adem Somyurek MP
• Parliamentary voting record of Adem Somyurek at Victorian Parliament Tracker