Steve Martin (Australian politician)

Senator
Steve Martin
Senator for Tasmania
Assumed office
9 February 2018
Preceded by Jacqui Lambie
Personal details
Born Steven Leigh Martin
(1960-10-03) 3 October 1960
Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
Political party Nationals (28 May 2018 - )
Independent (2018)
Jacqui Lambie Network (until 2018)
Spouse(s) Susanne
Children 2
Website www.stevemartin.com.au

Steven Leigh Martin (born 3 October 1960)[1] is an Senator for Tasmania since February 2018 and a member of the National Party of Australia since 28 May 2018.[2] Prior to that date he sat as an independent. He was previously the mayor of the City of Devonport from 2011 to 2018.

In 2009, Martin was an unsuccessful candidate for Mersey in the Tasmanian Legislative Council elections, though he was elected as an Alderman to the Devonport City Council. He was involved in the campaign to save the Mersey Community Hospital.[3] Martin began his mayoral term in 2011, survived a non-binding motion of no confidence in 2013, and was reelected to a four-year term as Mayor in 2014.[4][5]

Martin ran as a Senate candidate for the newly formed Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) in the 2016 federal election,[6] second on the JLN ticket behind party founder and incumbent Senator Jacqui Lambie. The party won enough votes for Lambie to be reelected. However, she resigned in November 2017 during the parliamentary eligibility crisis after discovering that she held dual British-Australian citizenship and was thus ineligible under section 44 of the Constitution of Australia. Due to Lambie being found ineligible by the High Court, the High Court ordered a countback be conducted to fill the seat. After JLN votes above the line flowed to Martin, he was declared elected. Kate McCulloch, an unsuccessful Tasmanian Senate candidate at the 2016 federal election for One Nation, argued that Martin was also constitutionally ineligible because his mayoral role amounted to an "office of profit under the Crown", but the High Court of Australia rejected this challenge and confirmed Martin's eligibility on 6 February 2018.[7][8]

Later that week, Lambie expelled Martin from the JLN when Martin refused to resign in her favour. Had Martin resigned, it would have created a casual vacancy that would have allowed Lambie to return to the Senate.[9] He resigned as Mayor of Devonport on 9 March 2018.[10]

Martin joined the Nationals on 28 May 2018.[2] Martin became the first Tasmanian Nationals Senator and the first Tasmanian National member of parliament since first Country Party leader, William McWilliams.[11] Martin wants to reestablish a Nationals branch in Tasmania, where the party has historically not done well; it has only existed sporadically since Federation, and lost its registration in 2014.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Steve Martin flags intention to take Jacqui Lambie's seat". ABC News. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Tasmanian independent senator Steve Martin joins the Nationals". SBS News. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  3. ↑ Tasmanian Legislative Council 2009 Elections Mersey
  4. ↑ "Meet Steve". Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  5. ↑ Bingham, Libby (22 January 2013). "Motion of no confidence in mayor passed". The Advocate. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Devonport Mayor Steve Martin to contest Senate seat for Jacqui Lambie Network". ABC News (Australia). 12 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Grattan, Michelle (6 February 2018). "Lambie's Senate replacement Steve Martin flags that he won't stand aside". The Conversation. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  8. ↑ Re Lambie [2018] HCA 6
  9. ↑ Maloney, Matt (8 February 2018). "Jacqui Lambie expels senator Steve Martin from party for denying her return to Parliament". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  10. ↑ Zwartz, Henry (9 March 2018). "Former Jacqui Lambie Network senator Steve Martin resigns as Devonport Mayor". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  11. ↑ http://theconversation.com/independent-crossbencher-steve-martin-joins-nationals-giving-the-party-a-tasmanian-presence-97320
  12. ↑ Sue Bailey (2018-05-29). "Senator Steve Martin will struggle to get elected at the next poll says a Tasmanian academic". Examiner. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  • "Senator Steve Martin". Senators and members. Parliament of Australia.
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