{{short description|Australian politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Sam Duluk | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | caption = | constituency_AM = Waite | assembly = South Australian House of | term_start = 17 March 2018 | term_end = 19 March 2022 | predecessor = Martin Hamilton-Smith | successor = Catherine Hutchesson | constituency_AM1 = Davenport | assembly1 = South Australian House of | term_start1 = 31 January 2015 | term_end1 = 17 March 2018 | predecessor1 = Iain Evans | successor1 = Steve Murray | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} --> | birth_place = Mildura, Victoria | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|df=yes|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | birth_name = Samuel John Duluk | party = Independent (since 2020) | other_party = Liberal Party (2015–2020) | spouse = | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | alma_mater = University of Adelaide | occupation = Accountant }} '''Samuel John Duluk''' is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 2015 to 2022, representing Davenport until 2018 and then Waite. He was formerly a Liberal, but resigned to sit as an independent in 2020 after allegations of inappropriate behaviour.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-02-14 |title=Liberal MP Sam Duluk banished from party and Parliament over alleged assault case |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-14/sa-mp-sam-duluk-summonsed-to-court-to-face-basic-assault-charge/11965602 |access-date=2022-09-24}}</ref> He ran in the 2022 South Australian state election as an independent but came in third place.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liberal stronghold falls to Labor following South Australian election but Steven Marshall retains Dunstan |url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/liberal-stronghold-falls-to-labor-following-south-australian-election-but-steven-marshall-retains-dunstan/ar-AAVrhGZ |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=MSN |language=en-AU}}</ref> Since retiring from the parliament, Duluk has worked as a political lobbyist.
==Early life== Duluk was born in the Victorian city of Mildura, and is descended from post-war migrants from Poland.<ref name=maidenspeech>{{cite web|last1=Duluk|first1=Sam|title=Maiden speech|url=http://www.samduluk.com.au/maiden_speech|accessdate=13 July 2015}}</ref> He was raised in Adelaide and educated at Marryatville High School, then graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Adelaide, working as an accountant in the banking industry. He was state president of the South Australian Young Liberal Movement.<ref name=ylm>{{cite news|last1=Owen|first1=Michael|title=Young Libs deny rule changes racist|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/young-libs-deny-rule-changes-racist/story-fn59niix-1226062978353|accessdate=13 July 2015|work=The Australian|date=26 May 2011}} {{Dead link|date=October 2020}}</ref>
==Parliament== Duluk won Davenport at a 2015 by-election, despite a five percent two-party-preferred swing against him, which turned the historically safe Liberal seat of Davenport in to a marginal one for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Liberals withstand swing to win by-election in South Australian seat of Davenport |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-31/liberals-win-davenport-by-election/6060032 |accessdate=2020-01-17 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2015-02-01}}</ref> After a redistribution transferred most of his constituents to the neighbouring seat of Waite, Duluk opted to contest Waite and won.
==Assault allegations== On the first sitting day of 2020, Duluk expressed regret for several alleged instances of inappropriate behaviour at a parliamentary Christmas party in December 2019. The Speaker, Vincent Tarzia, commissioned a private investigator to produce a report into Duluk's conduct, which allegedly included slapping SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros on the backside and making racist and homophobic comments to other MPs.<ref name="behaviour">{{cite news |last1=Dayman |first1=Isabel |title='I'm on a journey of recovery': Embattled MP addresses Parliament over alleged inappropriate behaviour |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-06/embattled-mp-sam-duluk-addresses-parliament-over-allegations/11933992 |accessdate=7 February 2020 |work=ABC News |date=6 February 2020 |language=en-AU}}</ref> A week later, after police confirmed Duluk had been reported for "basic assault" over the incident concerning Bonaros, the South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, said that Duluk could no longer attend meetings of the Parliamentary Liberal Party. Duluk subsequently announced that he would take leave from parliament and suspend his membership of the party while the matter was under investigation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Tom |title=Duluk takes leave from parliament and party after police confirm assault report |url=https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/02/14/police-report-duluk-for-assault-over-bonaros-allegations/ |accessdate=2020-02-17 |work=InDaily |date=2020-02-14}}</ref> In April, he was summonsed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 6 October 2020. He apologised in parliament for his behaviour and said he was seeking help in combating an alcohol problem.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/besieged-mp-sam-duluk-to-face-assault-charge-in-october/news-story/3e71670b4f73695840e404b936ee6c9e |date=21 April 2020 |accessdate=1 May 2020 |title=Besieged MP Sam Duluk to face assault charge in October |first=Nigel |last=Hunt |newspaper=The Advertiser|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In October, Duluk's lawyers asked the court for access to a private investigator's report to the speaker of the House of Representatives. The matter returned to court in December 2020 when the new Speaker of the House claimed that the draft report was covered by parliamentary privilege.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-09/parliament-privilege-claim-in-mp-sam-duluk-assault-case/12964070 |title=Parliamentary privilege claim to keep investigator's documents out of MP Sam Duluk's assault case |date=9 December 2020 |first=Meagan |last=Dillon |work=ABC News |accessdate=10 December 2020}}</ref> On 25 August 2021 the court found him not guilty of assault, but magistrate John Wells said he "behaved like a drunken pest" and his behaviour was "entitled, uncouth and disrespectful". He was advised by the magistrate that "Your behaviour towards Ms Bonaros … was rude, unpleasant, insensitive and disrespectful. You owe her an apology."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-24/ex-liberal-mp-sam-duluk-not-guilty-of-assaulting-connie-bonaros/100401450 |title=Ex-Liberal MP Sam Duluk found not guilty of assaulting Connie Bonaros at 2019 Christmas party |date=24 August 2021 |access-date=25 August 2021 |work=ABC News }}</ref> On 8 September 2021 new allegations were raised against Duluk relating to his behaviour at the 2019 Christmas party by Greens MLC Tammy Franks in an address to the legislative assembly. Chief among these were allegations that Duluk had made sexual remarks about numerous women present, as well as homophobic comments directed at a male parliamentary staff member. Additionally, Duluk was accused of remarking that an Indigenous MP was "not a real Aboriginal."<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=2021-09-09|title=South Australian MP Sam Duluk accused in parliament of making racist and homophobic remarks|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/09/south-australian-mp-sam-duluk-accused-in-parliament-of-making-racist-and-homophobic-remarks|access-date=2021-09-09|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-08|title=SA MP made racist, homophobic and harassing remarks at Christmas party, Parliament told under privilege|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-08/allegations-against-sam-duluk-under-parliamentary-privilege/100443424|access-date=2021-09-09|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref> On 9 September the following day Duluk announced he would be running as an Independent at the upcoming state election.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-09|title=Former Liberal MP Sam Duluk to run as an independent amid 'salacious' Christmas party accusations|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-09/sam-duluk-to-run-as-independent/100447198|access-date=2021-09-09|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/nightmare-before-christmas-explosive-claims-of-sexual-harassment-racism-homophobia-against-mp-sam-duluk/news-story/4a368491d3ff7759e533b677245b55ec|title = Explosive claims about 'drunken pest' MP|newspaper = News.com.au|date = 9 September 2021|last1 = Cosenza|first1 = Emily}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.samduluk.com.au/}} *{{cite SA-parl |pid=4991 |name=Duluk, Sam |former=yes |access-date=19 August 2022}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-sa-la}} {{s-bef|before=Iain Evans }} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Davenport |years=2015–2018}} {{s-aft|after=Steve Murray}} {{s-bef|before=Martin Hamilton-Smith}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for Waite | years=2018–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Catherine Hutchesson}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duluk, Sam}} Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of South Australia Category:Independent members of the Parliament of South Australia Category:University of Adelaide alumni Category:Australian accountants Category:Australian people of Polish descent Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian politicians