Mark Coulton

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Mark Coulton is an Australian National Party politician who represented the Division of Parkes in New South Wales from 2007 to 2025. He has a background in farming and community work.

Early life
- Born on 3 February 1958 in Sydney.
- Grew up on the family farm in Gravesend, NSW.
- Attended Warialda Public School and Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School.
- Returned to farming after school and later started his own property.
- Active in local groups, including the Warialda Pony Club, Rotary Club, Bush Fire Brigade, and the Warialda Pastoral and Agricultural Association, which he led as president.

Local government
- In September 2004, Coulton was elected the inaugural mayor of Gwydir Shire, a new local government area created from three councils.
- Served as mayor until 2006.

Federal politics
- Elected to the Australian Parliament in 2007 for the Division of Parkes.
- Roles over the years included shadow parliamentary secretary (2007–2010), Nationals Chief Whip (2010–2016), and Deputy Speaker of the House (2016–2018).
- Held ministerial roles after the 2018 election: Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (2018–2020) and then Assistant Minister for Trade and Investment with a full portfolio as Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government (2019–2020).
- In February 2020, he was appointed Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, a position he held until 2021.
- In the 2021 Nationals leadership spill, Barnaby Joyce replaced Michael McCormack as leader and Coulton lost his ministerial posts in the reshuffle.
- In 2020, Coulton described Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as apartheid in a parliamentary speech; by 2023, he co-chaired the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine.

Personal life
- Married Robyn Redford in 1981 and they have three children.
- Has two brothers, including John Coulton, who is a councillor in Gwydir Shire.

Summary
Coulton has been a long-serving National Party member, combining deep farming roots and local government leadership with a period in national cabinet and various ministerial roles focused on regional health, services, and development.