ed ▁sitting ▁Independent ▁MP ▁Frank ▁Ark ell ▁for ▁his ▁seat ▁of ▁W oll ong ong , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated . ▁ ▁Mark ham ▁won ▁a ▁narrow ▁victory ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁re elect ed ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁State ▁elections , ▁increasing ▁his ▁majority ▁at ▁each ▁election . ▁Mark ham ▁developed ▁a ▁reputation ▁as ▁an ▁occasionally ▁out sp oken ▁local ▁MP , ▁public ly ▁cl ash ing ▁with ▁his ▁party ▁over ▁their ▁policies ▁on ▁the ▁coal ▁industry ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁his ▁election . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁into ▁the ▁shadow ▁min istry ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁taking ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Sh adow ▁Minister ▁for ▁Ab original ▁Affairs , ▁but ▁was ▁cut ▁upon ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁Car r ▁government ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁after ▁struggling ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁profile ▁in ▁the ▁role . ▁ ▁Mark ham ▁was ▁appointed ▁Parliament ary ▁Secretary ▁for ▁Ab original ▁Affairs ▁after ▁his ▁dem otion ▁from ▁Cab inet , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁persistent ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁Ab original ▁issues ▁throughout ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁parliament ary ▁career . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁architect ▁of ▁early ▁land ▁rights ▁legisl ation ▁transfer ring ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁government - owned ▁sites ▁into ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁their ▁traditional ▁own ers , ▁and ▁contin ually ▁campaign ed ▁for ▁action ▁from ▁the ▁state ▁government ▁on ▁Ab original ▁recon c ili ation , ▁ultimately ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁Car r ▁government ' s ▁Stat ement ▁of ▁Comm it ment ▁on ▁Ab original ▁recon c ili ation