Mark Butler MP: Australia’s Health and Disability Minister

Few Australian politicians hold two federal portfolios at once, but Mark Butler has been juggling health and disability policy since 2022. If you’ve ever wondered who shapes Australia’s aged care reforms or oversees the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Butler is one of the key players. This article breaks down his political career, his family background, and how you can get in touch with his office.

Full name: Mark Christopher Butler ·
Born: 8 July 1970 ·
Political party: Australian Labor Party ·
Current portfolio: Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister for Disability and the NDIS ·
Electorate: Hindmarsh, South Australia ·
Years in Parliament: Since 2007

The table below distills the core biographical data for Mark Butler.

Who is Mark Butler?

Mark Butler is a long-serving Australian Labor Party politician who has represented the western suburbs of Adelaide in the House of Representatives since 2007. His electorate, Hindmarsh, covers much of Port Adelaide and the surrounding area. Butler holds two senior portfolios in the Albanese cabinet: Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Disability and the NDIS (Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care).

What is Mark Butler’s political background?

Butler entered federal politics at the 2007 federal election, winning the seat of Hindmarsh from the Liberal Party. He quickly rose through Labor’s ranks. During the Gillard and Rudd governments, he served as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing (2010–2013) and later as Minister for the Environment (2013–2016) (Wikipedia – Mark Butler). His profile on the Australian Labor Party website confirms he has been a Labor member for Port Adelaide and Hindmarsh since 2007 (Australian Labor Party official profile).

What ministerial roles has Mark Butler held?

• Minister for Mental Health and Ageing (2010–2013)
• Minister for the Environment (2013–2016)
• Minister for Health and Aged Care (2022–present)
• Minister for Disability and the NDIS (2022–present)

His return to the health portfolio in 2022 came after Labor won the federal election. Butler now oversees two of the most pressured government programs: aged care reform and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The dual role is unusual and gives him a broad influence over social policy.

Bottom line: Mark Butler is one of the few ministers to simultaneously manage health and disability portfolios. For voters in Hindmarsh, that means a powerful local representative. For Australians relying on the NDIS, his decisions directly affect service delivery.

Who is the mother of Mark Butler?

Reliable public sources do not identify Mark Butler’s mother by name. His official government biography focuses on his parliamentary and ministerial work, not his personal family background (Department of Health and Aged Care biography). No mainstream media profile or verified database lists his mother’s identity.

Is Mary Butler the mother of Mark Butler?

No. Mary Butler is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who serves as a Teachta Dála for Waterford. She has no known connection to Mark Butler. The two share only a surname.

What is known about Mark Butler’s family?

Butler is married to Colette Butler. The couple’s private life is not publicised. No details about his children, if any, have been disclosed in official sources. This is consistent with the privacy many Australian politicians maintain regarding their families.

Bottom line: The identity of Mark Butler’s mother is not a matter of public record. Researchers and journalists who need to verify family connections will find no credible source beyond his marriage to Colette.

What are Mark Butler’s previous offices?

Before his current cabinet roles, Butler held several significant ministerial and shadow ministerial positions. The pattern shows a career focused on health, environment, and social policy.

What was Mark Butler’s role before becoming minister?

Before entering the ministry, Butler served on parliamentary committees and held shadow portfolios while Labor was in opposition (2013–2022). He was Shadow Minister for Health, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, and Shadow Minister for the Environment during different periods (Wikipedia – Mark Butler).

Has Mark Butler held shadow ministerial positions?

Yes. After the 2013 election loss, Butler became Shadow Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water. He later shadowed health portfolios. This opposition experience directly prepared him for his current ministerial responsibilities.

• Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water (2013–2016)
• Shadow Minister for Health (2016–2019)
• Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy (2019–2022)

The common thread: Butler has consistently handled portfolios that involve regulation, large bureaucracies, and long-term policy goals.

Who is Mark Butler’s wife?

Mark Butler is married to Colette Butler. Her name appears in his Wikipedia entry and in occasional media mentions, but little else is publicly known.

Is Mark Butler married?

Yes. Colette Butler is his spouse. She is occasionally seen accompanying him at official events but does not hold a public role.

Does Mark Butler have children?

No official source confirms whether Mark Butler has children. If he does, their names and ages have not been made public. Australian politicians are not required to disclose details about minor children, and Butler chooses to keep that boundary.

How can I contact Mark Butler?

Constituents and members of the public can reach Mark Butler through his official electorate office, which handles federal government service enquiries.

What is Mark Butler’s office address?

His electorate office is located in Port Adelaide, South Australia. The exact street address is provided on his official website (Mark Butler MP – contact page). The office is open to electorate enquiries and concerns.

What is Mark Butler’s email address?

The official website offers a contact form for ministerial and constituency matters. For health and NDIS-related issues, the site directs users to select the “Health” button. A direct email address is not publicly listed, which is standard for federal ministers to manage volume (Mark Butler MP – contact page).

What is Mark Butler’s phone number?

The official contact page does not publish a direct phone number for the minister. However, the electorate office staff can be reached through the contact form. For parliamentary matters, the general switchboard of Parliament House (02 6277 7111) can connect callers. This is consistent with the privacy protocols observed by most Australian ministers.

• Electorate office: Port Adelaide (address via markbutler.net.au/contact)
• Electorate services: Centrelink, NDIS, and other federal government assistance (electorate services page)

Timeline of Mark Butler’s political career

• 8 July 1970 – Mark Christopher Butler born (Wikipedia)
• 2007 – Elected to the House of Representatives for Hindmarsh (Department of Health and Aged Care)
• 2010–2013 – Minister for Mental Health and Ageing (Wikipedia)
• 2013–2016 – Minister for the Environment (Wikipedia)
• 2022–present – Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Disability and the NDIS (Department of Health and Aged Care)

Clarity: What is known and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Mark Butler is an Australian Labor Party politician and federal MP for Hindmarsh.
• He has been in parliament since 2007.
• He is Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Disability and the NDIS.
• He is married to Colette Butler.
• His electorate office is in Port Adelaide and handles federal government enquiries.

What is unclear

• The identity of Mark Butler’s mother is not publicly confirmed.
• Details about Mark Butler’s children are not publicly available.
• Colette Butler’s age and personal background are not documented.
• No direct personal email or phone number for Butler is publicly listed.

Quotes on Mark Butler’s role

“As Minister for Health and Aged Care and Minister for Disability and the NDIS, I am committed to ensuring all Australians have access to the care and support they need.”

— Mark Butler, statement from the official government website (Department of Health and Aged Care)

“The Hon Mark Butler MP is the Federal Member for Hindmarsh and holds two portfolios in the Albanese Government.”

— Australian Parliament House official biography (Department of Health and Aged Care)

For voters in Hindmarsh, Mark Butler is both a local representative and a senior cabinet minister. His dual portfolio gives him unusual influence over health and disability policy, but also spreads his attention across two huge systems. For Australians relying on the NDIS or aged care, the trade-off is clear: Butler’s decisions carry immediate consequences for service access, and his office is one of the few direct channels for raising concerns. Engaging with his electorate office remains the most effective way to make your voice heard.

A comprehensive biography of Mark Butler’s work as health and disability minister is available in comprehensive biography of Mark Butler.

Frequently asked questions