Mark McGowan

Mark McGowan is the Labor Party member for Rockingham in the state's Legislative Assembly and after the WA state elections in March 2017 became 30th Premier of Western Australia, Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations. Prior to this, in opposition he was the leader of the state Labor party and spokesman for regional development, economic reform, and public sector management. Mr McGowan joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1989 and served at the HMAS Stirling Naval Base. In 1994 he was elected as a councillor for the City of Rockingham. Mr McGowan went on to serve as deputy mayor of Rockingham before winning the State seat of Rockingham in December 1996. He became opposition leader and Labor leader in 2012 after Eric Ripper's resignation. Mr McGowan was born in regional New South Wales, and studied arts and law at the University of Queensland.