Steven Leigh Martin OAM (born 3 October 1960) is an Australian politician who was a Senator for Tasmania from February 2018 to June 2019, when he lost his seat at the 2019 federal election. Martin was declared elected to the Senate on a recount when Jacqui Lambie was caught up in the parliamentary eligibility crisis. He took his seat as an independent, before joining the National Party in May 2018 as its first Tasmanian member since the 1920s. He was previously the mayor of the City of Devonport from 2011 to 2018.
Contents
Early life
Martin was born in Devonport, Tasmania. Prior to entering politics he was a newsagent operator and restaurateur.
Local government career
In 2009, Martin was elected as an alderman to the Devonport City Council. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Mersey in the Tasmanian Legislative Council elections. He was involved in the campaign to save the Mersey Community Hospital. Martin began his mayoral term in 2011, survived a non-binding motion of no confidence in 2013, and was re-elected to a four-year term as Mayor in 2014.