Mark Swivel was elected in December 2021.
Mark Swivel is a lawyer and writer who has lived in Byron Shire for over 10 years.
Mark began practicing in 1995 and is principal of Barefoot Law, a community law firm.
Mark became a Byron Shire councillor in 2021 and has extensive governance experience.
Locally, he is a director of Spaghetti Circus, was company secretary at Enova Energy for 5 years and the current president of Eureka Football Club where he still plays in Sixth Division. Mark was chair of theatre company Legs on the Wall and director / finance committee chair at Sydney Mutual Bank.
Previously, Mark was a partner at Langes Lawyers specialising in regulatory compliance, prudential standards and financials services and worked for Barclays Bank in the UK for 4 years. He has expertise in risk management, commercial contracts and corporate governance.
After graduating from Sydney University in 1991 Mark worked as a criminologist with ACON, Sydney Uni and UTS, and made the program 'Sidevalving' for ABC Radio National on prison privatisation.
In 2018 Mark wrote Making Australia Slightly Better Than Average Again, a satirical dissection of #auspol, published by Puncher and Wattman.
Mark was MC for the genuine fake Russian choir Dustyesky and is a graduate of the NIDA Playwrights Studio. His play Water Falling Down played at Queensland Theatre Company, Brisbane in 2011 and B Street, Sacramento in 2012.
Mark did a show Banterstan on Bay FM from 2016-19 and has a monthly Sound Lounge music spot on ABC North Coast. On Late Night Live Philip Adams gave Mark a koala stamp for his one-man show on Microfinance in Bangladesh. Mark is a proud Ambassador for the non-profit Good Return.
Mark believes local government can play a creative role in rebuilding our shared wealth, responding to climate change and reducing inequality.