Margaret Quirk

{{Short description|Australian politician (born 1957)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Margaret Quirk | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | caption = | office = Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly | constituency = Girrawheen{{br}}Landsdale | term_start = 10 February 2001 | term_end = 8 March 2025 | predecessor = Ted Cunningham | successor = Daniel Pastorelli | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|06|26|df=y}} | birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | party = Labor | alma_mater = University of Adelaide Murdoch University | website = {{URL|https://www.margaretquirk.com/}} }}

'''Margaret Mary Quirk''' (born 26 June 1957) is an Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2025. She served as a minister in the governments of Geoff Gallop and Alan Carpenter between 2005 and 2008.

==Early life== Quirk was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to Helen Marian Sykes and James Patrick Quirk. During her childhood, she lived for periods in Perth, Western Australia, and Oxford, England, but eventually returned to Adelaide, graduating from Unley High School. Quirk went on to study law at the University of Adelaide, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1975. She moved to Canberra after graduation, initially working for the administrative review section of the federal government's Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. She later worked in the office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. Quirk moved to Western Australia in 1988 to work as an adviser to the Labor government of Peter Dowding on energy and environmental issues. She was employed by a commercial law from 1989 to 1991, and then worked for the National Crime Authority until her election to parliament.<ref name="bio">[http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/MemberNames/Quirk,%20Margaret%20Mary?OpenDocument Margaret Mary Quirk] – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2016.</ref>

==Politics== Quirk entered parliament at the 2001 state election, replacing the retiring Ted Cunningham in Girrawheen, a Labor safe seat. She was made government whip shortly after her election, and made a parliamentary secretary in 2003.<ref name="parl">[http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/Memblist.nsf/WAllMembersFlat/Quirk,+Margaret+Mary?opendocument Ms Margaret Mary Quirk MLA LLB (Hons), MA] – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2016.</ref> That year, she also graduated from Murdoch University with a Master of Arts degree in public policy.<ref name="bio"/> In November 2005, Quirk was elevated to the ministry, becoming Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests, and Minister for Seniors and Volunteering. When Alan Carpenter replaced Geoff Gallop as premier in January 2006, she also became Minister for Women's Interests, but lost the seniors portfolio to David Templeman.<ref name="parl"/> A few months later, on 8 May 2006, Quirk replaced John D'Orazio as Minister for Justice, with D'Orazio taking over her previous portfolios (excluding women's interests).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/05/08/1633633.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216123212/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/05/08/1633633.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2011|title=Police Minister loses portfolios over licence suspension|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=8 May 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette WA|url=http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/gazette.nsf/gazlist/D802986E469FBD28482571680033B21F/$file/gg078.pdf|title=No. 78 (Special)—Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1899—Reconstitution of the Ministry|date=8 May 2006|page=2006:1751-1752}}</ref> However, D'Orazio resigned from the ministry the following day, and Quirk regained her other positions for a brief period before eventually relinquishing them to Tony McRae.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/05/09/1634527.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716230806/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/05/09/1634527.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2012|title=D'Orazio resigns from Cabinet|work=ABC Online|date=9 May 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette WA|url=http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/gazette.nsf/gazlist/7F313479BFB8216E48257169002BEBF0/$file/gg080.pdf|title=No.80 (Special)|date=9 May 2006|page=2006:1773-1774}}</ref> In the same ministerial reshuffle, the position of Minister for Justice was abolished, with Quirk instead becoming Minister for Corrective Services.<ref name="parl"/>

In November 2006, Quirk was appointed Minister for Small Business in place of Norm Marlborough, who had been expelled from the ministry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1785175.htm|title=Burke, Marlborough caught on tape|date=9 November 2006|work=7.30 Report (ABC)}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette WA|url=http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/gazette/gazette.nsf/gazlist/7F313479BFB8216E48257169002BEBF0/$file/gg080.pdf|title=No.188 (Special)|date=9 November 2006|page=2006:4699-4700}}</ref> She relinquished the women's interests portfolio to Sue Ellery in March 2007, but remained Minister for Corrective Services and Minister for Small Business until the Labor government's defeat at the 2008 state election.<ref name="parl"/> Quirk was retained in the shadow ministry under the new leader of the Labor Party (and Leader of the Opposition), Eric Ripper, and continued on after Mark McGowan replaced Ripper as leader in January 2012.<ref name="parl"/> She retained Girrawheen at the 2013 state election, despite an unfavourable redistribution which had made it a marginal seat. Quirk has been identified as a member of the Labor Right faction.<ref>William Bowe, [https://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/wa2013-girrawheen/ Electorate: Girrawheen], WA Election: Seat by Seat Guide, Crikey. Retrieved 12 July 2016.</ref><ref>Rebecca Carmody, [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/alp-powerbroker-joe-bullock-quits-right-faction-in-disgust/6925454 "ALP powerbroker Joe Bullock quits right faction in disgust"], ABC News, 9 November 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2016.</ref>

On 2 April 2024, it was announced that Quirk would be retiring at the 2025 state election.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zimmerman |first1=Josh |title=Landsdale MP Margaret Quirk confirms retirement at 2025 election, opening door to Daniel Pastorelli |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/state-politics/landsdale-mp-margaret-quirk-confirms-retirement-at-2025-election-opening-door-to-daniel-pastorelli-c-14171106 |website=The West Australian |access-date=3 April 2024 |date=2 April 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brookes |first1=Sarah |title=Labor stalwart's retirement opens door for WA Premier's right-hand man to enter politics |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/labor-stalwart-s-retirement-opens-door-for-wa-premier-s-right-hand-man-to-enter-politics-20240403-p5fh0e.html |website=WAtoday |access-date=3 April 2024 |date=3 April 2024}}</ref> She was succeeded by Premier Roger Cook's chief of staff, Daniel Pastorelli.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sadler |first1=Claire |title=WA State election 2025: McGowan, Cook's right-hand man Daniel Pastorelli wins Landsdale |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/wa-election-2025/wa-state-election-2025-mcgowan-cooks-right-hand-man-daniel-pastorelli-closes-in-on-win-in-landsdale-c-17952680 |website=The West Australian |access-date=9 March 2025 |date=8 March 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-wa}} {{s-bef|before=Ted Cunningham}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Girrawheen|years=2001–2021}} {{s-non|reason=District abolished}} {{s-new|district}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Landsdale|years=2021–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Daniel Pastorelli}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Mark McGowan John D'Orazio}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Disability Services|years=2005–2006 2006}} {{s-aft|after=John D'Orazio Tony McRae}} {{s-bef|before=Mark McGowan John D'Orazio}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests|years=2005–2006 2006}} {{s-aft|after=John D'Orazio Tony McRae}} {{s-bef|before=Mark McGowan}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Seniors and Volunteering|years=2005–2006}} {{s-aft|after=David Templeman}} {{s-bef|before=Sheila McHale}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Women's Interests|years=2006–2007}} {{s-aft|after=Sue Ellery}} {{s-bef|before=John D'Orazio}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Justice|years=2006}} {{s-non|reason=Abolished}} {{s-new|creation}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Corrective Services|years=2006–2008}} {{s-aft|after=Christian Porter}} {{s-bef|before=Norm Marlborough}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Small Business|years=2006–2008}} {{s-non|reason=Abolished}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quirk, Margaret}} Category:1957 births Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Western Australia Category:Australian women lawyers Category:Living people Category:Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly Category:Murdoch University alumni Category:Politicians from Adelaide Category:Adelaide Law School alumni Category:21st-century Australian politicians Category:21st-century Australian women politicians Category:Women members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly Category:20th-century Australian lawyers Category:People educated at Unley High School