Mark Speakman


Mark Raymond Speakman , an Australian politician, is the New South Wales Attorney General since January 2017 and the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence in the second Berejiklian ministry since April 2019. Speakman is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Cronulla for the Liberal Party since 2011.
He has previously served as the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Heritage, and the Assistant Minister for Planning between April 2015 and January 2017 in the second Baird government.

Early years and background

Speakman attended government schools in Caringbah before studying law and economics at the University of Sydney and then the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with a master's degree. A practising lawyer, he was appointed to the bar in 1991, and was made senior counsel in 2004.

Political career

Preselected in November 2010, following announcement that the sitting member Malcolm Kerr would retire, Speakman overcame a challenge from Stephen Mutch, a former member for Cook. At the 2011 state election, Speakman was elected with a swing of 9.4 points and won the seat with 75.5 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis. Speakman's main opponent was Stefanie Jones, representing Labor. Premier O'Farrell considered immediately elevating Speakman to the ministry following the 2011 election; however he was not appointed to the ministry until April 2015 when, following the 2015 state election, he was appointed as the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Heritage, and the Assistant Minister for Planning in the second Baird ministry.
Following the resignation of Mike Baird as Premier, Gladys Berejiklian was elected as Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier. The First Berejiklian ministry was subsequently formed with Speakman sworn in as the Attorney General of NSW with effect from 30 January 2017. Following the 2019 state election Speakman was appointed as the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence in addition to his responsibilities as NSW Attorney General in the second Berejiklian ministry with effect from 2 April 2019. In September 2018, Speakman reportedly broke Victor Dominello's arm in an office arm wrestling match.