Richard Marles
Richard Marles is a prominent Australian politician, serving as the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and the Minister for Defence. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party. He has been the Federal Labor Member for the Victorian division of Corio since he was first elected in 2007. He has been successfully re-elected in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025. Richard became the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia in May 2022 and the Minister for Defence in June of the same year. In this role, he has oversight of all aspects of the Defence portfolio, including strategic policy, international engagement, ADF operations, and capability development.