Mark McArdle
Encyclopedia
Mark Francis McArdle is an Australia
n politician and the Shadow Minister for Health. He has been a Liberal Party of Australia
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
since 2004, representing the electorate of Caloundra
.
McArdle has been the Shadow Health Minister since 12 August 2008. He was previously the state Liberal leader and the deputy opposition leader. McArdle was installed as a compromise candidate in December 2007 after a deadlock in the caucus between supporters of former leader Bruce Flegg
and challenger Tim Nicholls
. He had previously served as deputy leader under Flegg from 2006 to 2007. He was made Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party after the Queensland Liberal Party merged with the Queensland National Party. After the 2009 Queensland Election Mark McArdle left his position as Deputy, alongside Leader Lawrence Springborg
. Days later, John Paul Langbroek was elected Leader with Lawrence Springborg
as Deputy Leader.
Following the party leadership change, McArdle remained in his position as Shadow Minister for Health.
and local media for his role in the collapse of mortgage schemes run by Boyce Garrick Lawyers. Premier Peter Beattie
claimed that his role in the collapse made him unfit for such a leadership position. McArdle responded by pointing out that he was cleared of any fault in the collapse by the Queensland Law Society in 2001.
In the 2006 Queensland election, McArdle was returned as the Member for Caloundra, taking a 2.6% swing in his favour, and increasing his margin to 3.9%. Following electoral redistributions in 2008 prior to the 2009 state election
, McArdle's margin was reduced to 1.9%.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and the Shadow Minister for Health. He has been a Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
since 2004, representing the electorate of Caloundra
Electoral district of Caloundra
The district of Caloundra is a Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral district on the Sunshine Coast in the Australian state of Queensland. The electorate is centred on the city of Caloundra and stretches north to Wurtulla, south to Pelican Waters and west to the Bruce Highway.The seat is...
.
McArdle has been the Shadow Health Minister since 12 August 2008. He was previously the state Liberal leader and the deputy opposition leader. McArdle was installed as a compromise candidate in December 2007 after a deadlock in the caucus between supporters of former leader Bruce Flegg
Bruce Flegg
Dr Bruce Flegg is the Queensland Shadow Ministerfor Education, Training and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and the Member for Moggill having been elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2009....
and challenger Tim Nicholls
Tim Nicholls
Timothy James Nicholls is an Australian politician. He is the member for Clayfield in the Queensland Legislative Assembly and holds the position of Shadow Treasurer...
. He had previously served as deputy leader under Flegg from 2006 to 2007. He was made Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party after the Queensland Liberal Party merged with the Queensland National Party. After the 2009 Queensland Election Mark McArdle left his position as Deputy, alongside Leader Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence James Springborg is an Australian politician and became Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland since 2 April 2009. He was deputy leader of the new Liberal National Party...
. Days later, John Paul Langbroek was elected Leader with Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence Springborg
Lawrence James Springborg is an Australian politician and became Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland since 2 April 2009. He was deputy leader of the new Liberal National Party...
as Deputy Leader.
Following the party leadership change, McArdle remained in his position as Shadow Minister for Health.
Parliamentary career
Mark McArdle has had many Parliamentary Positions including; Liberal Shadow Minister for Justice, State Development & Innovation, Emergency services, Seniors and Local Government. Shadow Attorney General. Liberal Party Whip, from March 2004 until September 2005. Shadow Minister for Justice, Shadow Attorney General from September 2005 till the present. McArdle has had many party positions including; Chairman Fisher FEC, Chairman Fisher Business Branch and a Member of Liberal Party State Executive.2006 Election
Prior to the 2006 Election, McArdle came under sustained criticism from the Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
and local media for his role in the collapse of mortgage schemes run by Boyce Garrick Lawyers. Premier Peter Beattie
Beattie
Beattie is a surname, meaning "one who held land on condition of supplying food to those billeted on him by the chief"; "public victualler".-People:* A. L...
claimed that his role in the collapse made him unfit for such a leadership position. McArdle responded by pointing out that he was cleared of any fault in the collapse by the Queensland Law Society in 2001.
In the 2006 Queensland election, McArdle was returned as the Member for Caloundra, taking a 2.6% swing in his favour, and increasing his margin to 3.9%. Following electoral redistributions in 2008 prior to the 2009 state election
Queensland state election, 2009
The Queensland state election was held to elect members to the unicameral Parliament of Queensland on 21 March 2009. The election saw the incumbent Labor government led by Premier Anna Bligh defeat the Liberal National Party of Queensland led by Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, and gain a...
, McArdle's margin was reduced to 1.9%.