Col Markham
| Col Markham | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Keira |
|
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In office 19 March 1988 – 5 March 1999 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | David Campbell |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Wollongong |
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In office 27 March 1999 – 28 February 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Gerry Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Noreen Hay |
| Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs | |
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In office 6 April 1995 – 28 February 2003 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Colin William Markham 4 June 1940 (age 77) Wollongong, New South Wales AU |
| Nationality |
 Australia
|
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Melissa Ford |
| Children | 3 sons |
| Occupation | Electrical fitter |
| Website | NSW Legislative Assembly webpage |
Colin William (Col) Markham (born 4 June 1940) is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 2003, representing the electorates of Keira (1988–1999) and Wollongong (1999–2003). He was a parliamentary secretary in the first two terms of the Carr Labor government.
Markham was born in Wollongong, the son of Vincent Markham and his wife Iris, and studied at West Wollongong Public School and Wollongong Junior Technical College (now Keira High School). He dropped out of school at fifteen, and took up an apprenticeship as an electrical fitter with the Electricity Commission of New South Wales. He worked in the Kemira mines for two years after the completion of his apprenticeship, before shifting to the Coalcliff mines, where he spent a further 24 years. He joined the Labor Party in response to the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975, and was active in his local branches for many years thereafter.
Markham won Labor preselection for the newly created seat of Keira in 1988, following the abolition of the previously safe Labor seat of Corrimal held by the long-serving Member for Corrimal, Laurie Kelly. Kelly challenged sitting Independent MP Frank Arkell for his seat of Wollongong, but was defeated.
Markham won a narrow victory and was subsequently reelected at the 1991 and 1995 State elections, increasing his majority at each election. Markham developed a reputation as an occasionally outspoken local MP, publicly clashing with his party over their policies on the coal industry not long after his election. He was promoted into the shadow ministry in 1989, taking the position of Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, but was cut upon the election of the Carr government in 1995 after struggling to gain a profile in the role.
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