Biography of Hon Mark Dreyfus KC, MP

Parliamentary service

  • Elected to the House of Representatives for Isaacs, Victoria, 2007. Re-elected 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025.

Ministerial appointments

  • Cabinet Secretary from 14.9.2010 to 4.2.2013.
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency from 14.9.2010 to 4.2.2013.
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation from 14.12.2011 to 4.2.2013.
  • Attorney-General from 4.2.2013 to 18.9.2013.
  • Minister for Emergency Management from 4.2.2013 to 18.9.2013.
  • Cabinet Minister from 14.2.2013 to 18.9.2013.
  • Special Minister of State from 25.3.2013 to 18.9.2013.
  • Minister for the Public Service and Integrity from 25.3.2013 to 18.9.2013.
  • Cabinet Minister from 1.6.2022 to 13.5.2025.
  • Attorney-General from 1.6.2022 to 13.5.2025.
  • Cabinet Secretary from 1.6.2022 to 13.5.2025.

Committee service

  • House of Representatives Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Chair from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Environment served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016
  • Joint Statutory: Intelligence and Security served from 12.3.2008 to 19.7.2010; Intelligence and Security served from 25.11.2014 to 9.5.2016; Intelligence and Security served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2022

Parliamentary party positions

  • Australian Labor Party. Served: 24.11.2007 to present
  • Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 18.10.2013 to 2.6.2019.
  • Shadow Minister for the Arts from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
  • Shadow Attorney-General from 18.10.2013 to 1.6.2022.
  • Shadow Cabinet Minister from 18.10.2013 to 23.5.2022.
  • Shadow Minister for National Security from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
  • Shadow Minister for Constitutional Reform from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.

Party positions

  • Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1979.
  • President of the Australian Labor Party Collingwood Branch (Vic.), 1985.
  • Chair of the Australian Labor Party Review Panel (Vic.), 1998.
  • Chair of the Australian Labor Party National Policy Committee from 2008 to 2009.

Other positions

Appointed Queen's Counsel from 1999.

Personal

  • Born: 3.10.1956, Perth, Australia
  • Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

  • BA (University of Melbourne).
  • LLB (University of Melbourne).
  • Field officer of the Northern Land Council, Darwin, from 1979 to 1981.
  • Research Fellow at the National Research Institute of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 1982.
  • Solicitor from 1982 to 1985.
  • Ministerial adviser to the Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Minister for Corrections (Vic.) from 1985 to 1987.
  • Barrister from 1987 to 2007.

Information sourced from Parliament of Australia website