Paul Marek

Paul Marek (born 25 July 1964) is an Australian politician. He was National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1996 until 1998, representing the regional Queensland-based seat of Capricornia.

Paul Marek
Member of the Australian Parliament for Capricornia
In office 2 March 1996 – 3 October 1998
Preceded by	Marjorie Henzell
Succeeded by	Kirsten Livermore
Personal details
Born	25 July 1964 Mount Isa, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	National Party of Australia

Paul Marek was born at Mount Isa. He was a fitter and turner by trade, working at the Blair Athol coal mine at the time of his election, and operated his own smash repair business at Clermont. He was also a Shire of Belyando councillor, a local vice-president of the Australian Metal Workers' Union, and held a pilot's license.[1][2]

Paul Marek was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1996 federal election, winning the marginal seat of Capricornia from Labor MP Marjorie Henzell in the major Liberal victory that year. During the campaign, he said that he "did not support the gay and lesbian movement" and "would prefer if they were back over the border where they were some 10, 15 years ago."[1][3] In November 1996, it emerged in parliament that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority had decided not to prosecute the newly-elected Marek for unauthorised and substandard plane maintenance, leading to opposition allegations of "special treatment".[4][5]

Marek became one of three outspoken right-wing Queensland Nationals MPs (along with De-Anne Kelly and Bob Katter) who broke with their own government's line on numerous occasions.[6] In October 1997, the three MPs crossed the floor to support "about 40" amendments to the government's native title legislation after the Wik High Court case, with the intent of further restricting native title beyond the government's bill; however, Marek voted for the final bill after their amendments were voted down.[7][8][9] In November, Marek stated that he wanted all Indigenous services to be abolished after the Wik legislation passed and said that land should have been bought from Indigenous people in earlier years, stating "all we would have to give them is 20 bucks and a box of Jatz". The Labor opposition attacked the remarks in parliament as "disgraceful" and "appalling and contemptible" and called for an apology, but senior colleagues Ron Boswell and John Herron refused to criticise him.[10][11][12][13][14]

During the 1998 federal election campaign, Marek spoke of the challenges of selling Coalition policy in his electorate amidst the rise of the new One Nation Party and broke with his party on two major policies.[15] He stated that there was "no guarantee" that he would support his government's flagship goods and services tax proposal, noting that he believed "about 40 percent" of Australians opposed the GST altogether. He suggested that he would cross the floor to vote against it if his electorate opposed it, and requested that fruit and vegetables be granted an exemption from the tax.[16][17][18][19][20] Marek was also resistant to the privatisation of Telstra, stating that he would not support the sale of any more than 49% of it.[21][22] Along with Kelly and Katter, he broke with his national colleagues and directed preferences to One Nation above Labor at the election.[23][24] The Sydney Morning Herald suggested during the campaign that Marek had "managed to neutralise much of the One Nation" insurrection" through his renegade policy stances and preference decisions.[25] However, he was resoundingly defeated at the 1998 election by Labor candidate Kirsten Livermore.[26][27]

In 1999, he was the Townsville organiser of the "No" campaign in the 1999 Australian republic referendum.[28]

References

1. "Biography for MAREK, Paul". Australian Parliamentary Library. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
2. "Nats select panel beater". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 June 1995. p. 3. Retrieved 12 March 2020 – via Trove.
3. "Racism row distracts Liberals". The Age. 28 February 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
4. "Air crash: Sharp demands answers". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 November 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
5. "'Urgent' inquiry on safety of airline". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 November 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
6. "Hanslide absolves Nats doomsayers". The Australian. 17 June 1998.
7. "Renegade MPs show Wik is fair: PM". The Age. 30 October 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
8. "Blow to Coalition as renegades cross floor over Wik". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 October 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
9. "Wik Bill Passes House To Face Hostile Senate". The Canberra Times. 30 October 1997.
10. "The House reveals its ugliest faces". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 November 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
11. "Wraps come off the race debate". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 November 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
12. "Sunset clause beyond the pale, says Harradine". Sydney Morning Herald. 2 December 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
13. "The great dividing range". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 December 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
14. "Racing towards an election". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 April 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
15. "Nationals seek changes in policy". The Age. 16 June 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
16. "They came, they saw and they loved it". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 August 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
17. "Howard's glowing picture of reform". The Age. 16 August 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
18. "GST doubts nag Nationals MPs". The Age. 24 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
19. "Now Nats fight GST on food". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
20. "GST jitters / Government MPs warn John Howard". Daily Telegraph. 14 June 1998.
21. "Coalition Telstra split deepens". The Age. 29 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
22. "Nationals pledge to fight complete Telstra sell-off". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
23. "Nationals split over One Nation preferences". The Age. 12 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
24. "The Brand new chance for Kim". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
25. "Back on track". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 September 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
26. "Result of the poll of the century". The Age. 4 October 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
27. "Fischer praises NP result". The Age. 4 October 1998. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
28. "Time to rally to the flag Republican model faulty and risky says opponent". Townsville Bulletin. 6 November 1999.