Name Adem Somyurek | Party Australian Labor Party | |
 | ||
Born 25 September 1967 (age 56)
Izmir, Turkey ( 1967-09-25 ) Website www.ademsomyurek.com.au Role Member of the Victorian Legislative Council Office Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade since 2014 Profiles | ||
Political party Australian Labor Party | ||
Local Government Bill 2019 announcement
Adem Somyürek (born 25 September 1967 in Izmir, Turkey) is a Turkish Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council. He was the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade in the Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to July 2015.
Contents
Political career
Somyürek first entered parliament after winning the Legislative Council province of Eumemmerring at the 2002 election. After the reforms that introduced proportional representation into the Legislative Council, Somyürek won a safe spot on the Labor ticket for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region and was easily re-elected at the 2006 election. Somyürek was elected in the 2010 and 2014 State elections.
In his first term (2002–2006) Somyürek served on the Outer Suburban and Interface Committee, and the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. In his second term (2006–2010) Somyürek was elected the first chair of the newly constituted Electoral Matters Committee. In his third term (2010–present) Somyürek was promoted into the Shadow Ministry of the Daniel Andrews-led Labor opposition.
Mr Somyürek stood down from his ministerial role in May 2015 following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, pending an investigation. The allegations were investigated by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. On 28 July 2015, after a report was handed down on the incident, Somyürek resigned as a minister. He was succeeded by Philip Dalidakis in the Andrews Ministry.
Personal life
Somyürek holds a Master of Arts in Policy and Politics, a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Sociology and an Associate Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting).
He appeared in Dandenong Court for driving while disqualified in December 2009.