| Mark McArdle | |
| Office: | Minister for Energy and Water Supply of Queensland |
| Term Start: | 3 April 2012 |
| Term End: | 14 February 2015 |
| Premier: | Campbell Newman |
| Predecessor: | Stephen Robertson (Energy and Water Utilities) |
| Successor: | Mark Bailey |
| Office1: | Shadow Minister for Health |
| Leader1: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Term Start1: | 20 February 2015 |
| Term End1: | 10 May 2016 |
| Predecessor1: | Jo-Ann Miller |
| Successor1: | John-Paul Langbroek |
| Leader2: | Lawrence Springborg John-Paul Langbroek Campbell Newman |
| Term Start2: | 12 August 2008 |
| Term End2: | 19 February 2012 |
| Predecessor2: | John-Paul Langbroek |
| Successor2: | Jo-Ann Miller |
| Office3: | Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party |
| Leader3: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Term Start3: | 26 July 2008 |
| Term End3: | 2 April 2009 |
| Predecessor3: | Position established |
| Successor3: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Office4: | Deputy Leader of the Opposition of Queensland |
| Leader4: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Term Start4: | 7 December 2007 |
| Term End4: | 2 April 2009 |
| Predecessor4: | Bruce Flegg |
| Successor4: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Office5: | Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party |
| Deputy5: | Tim Nicholls |
| Term Start5: | 4 December 2007 |
| Term End5: | 26 July 2008 |
| Predecessor5: | Bruce Flegg |
| Successor5: | Position abolished |
| Office6: | Deputy Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party |
| Term Start6: | 7 August 2006 |
| Term End6: | 4 December 2007 |
| Leader6: | Bruce Flegg |
| Predecessor6: | Bruce Flegg |
| Successor6: | Tim Nicholls |
| Office7: | Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister for Justice |
| Term Start7: | 28 September 2005 |
| Term End7: | 12 August 2008 |
| Leader7: | Lawrence Springborg Jeff Seeney |
| Predecessor7: | Lawrence Springborg |
| Successor7: | Stuart Copeland |
| Constituency Mp9: | Caloundra |
| Parliament9: | Queensland |
| Term Start9: | 7 February 2004 |
| Term End9: | 6 October 2020 |
| Predecessor9: | Joan Sheldon |
| Successor9: | Jason Hunt |
| Party: | Liberal National Party |
| Otherparty: | Liberal (2004–2008) |
| Spouse: | Judy McArdle |
| Birth Date: | 21 December 1956 |
| Birth Place: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Profession: | Solicitor |
Mark Francis McArdle (born 21 December 1956) is an Australian politician and former Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland between 2004 and 2020, representing the electorate of Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. Initially a Liberal Party member, in 2007 he became the party leader and the following year oversaw a merger with the National Party that produced the Liberal National Party.
McArdle has held many parliamentary party positions, including stints as a Shadow Minister for Justice, State Development & Innovation; Emergency Services; Seniors; and Local Government. He has also served the Shadow Attorney General and the Parliamentary Liberal Party Whip.
McArdle was first elected to Parliament at the 2004 Queensland State Election, succeeding former Deputy Premier Joan Sheldon.[1] In the 2006 Queensland election, McArdle was returned as the Member for Caloundra, taking a 2.6-point swing in his favour, and increasing his margin to 3.9%.[2] Following electoral redistributions in 2008 prior to the 2009 state election, McArdle's margin was reduced to 1.9%.[3]
He was returned to Parliament again in the 2012 State Election. At the 2015 state election, Mark McArdle successfully defeated Labor candidate Jason Hunt to retain his state seat, despite a swing of over 20% against him.[4] He was returned to his seat again, in the 2017 Queensland Elections.
In June 2019 McArdle announced he would retire at the 2020 Queensland state election in October.[5]
McArdle served as the State Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and the Deputy Opposition Leader, between 2007 and 2009. He was installed as a compromise candidate in the Leadership Contest of December 2007, after a deadlock between supporters of former leader Bruce Flegg and young challenger Tim Nicholls. He was made Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party after the Queensland Liberal Party merged with the Queensland National Party. After the 2009 Queensland election, Mark McArdle vacated his position as Deputy Leader, as did Leader Lawrence Springborg. Days later, John-Paul Langbroek was elected Leader with Lawrence Springborg as Deputy Leader.
Additional to his Parliamentary Party responsibilities, McArdle assumed the role of Shadow Minister for Health in August 2008, until the LNP's emphatic victory in 2012. Following the party leadership change, McArdle remained in his position as Shadow Minister for Health. After the Liberal National Party's landslide win in the 2012 Queensland state election, McArdle was appointed as Minister for Energy and Water Supply[6] by Premier Campbell Newman, overseeing long-awaited and modernising reforms in energy and water security, after a series of natural disasters and an historical drought.
In 2013, he revealed that he had prostate cancer, and took time off from his portfolio to battle the disease.[7]
McArdle has held many party positions as well, including as Chair of the Fisher Federal Divisional Council; Chair of the Fisher Business Branch; and as a Member of the State Executive of the then Liberal Party.[8]
Prior to the 2006 Election, McArdle, by then an emerging force within the Parliament, came under sustained criticism from the Labor Party and local media for his role in the collapse of mortgage schemes run by Boyce Garrick Lawyers. Premier Peter Beattie claimed that his role in the collapse made him unfit for such a leadership position. McArdle responded by pointing out that he was cleared of any fault in the collapse by the Queensland Law Society in its investigation in 2001.[9] He ultimately retained his seat.
McArdle takes an active role in the administration of his portfolio. He regularly attends relevant conferences and meets with key industry executives.[10] [11]