Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Leader of the Parliamentary Australian Labor Party (NSW) from 11.4.1988 to 3.8.2005.
• Federal: Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 6.3.2012 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. M Arbib (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2013. Resigned 24.10.2013.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Foreign Affairs from 13.3.2012 to 18.9.2013.
• Cabinet Minister from 13.3.2012 to 18.9.2013.

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visits to Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore, March 2012.
• Official visits to UK, Belgium, Malta and USA, April 2012.
• Official visits to Fiji, April 2012.
• Official visits to China and Japan, May 2012.
• Official visits to Burma, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UK, Turkey, Algeria and Monaco, June 2012.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 06.03.2012 to 24.10.2013

Party positions

• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Maroubra Branch (NSW).
• President of the Australian Labor Party Maroubra Branch (NSW).
• President of the Australian Labor Party Kingsford-Smith Federal Electorate Council (NSW) from 1970 to 1988.
• President of Young Labor (NSW) from 1970 to 1973.
• President of Federal Young Labor from 1972 to 1973.

Personal

• Born: 28.9.1947, Matraville, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Hon DLitt (University of New South Wales).
• BA(Hons) (University of New South Wales).
• Journalist at ABC Current Affairs from 1969 to 1972.
• Education Officer at the Labor Council from 1972 to 1978.
• Journalist at the Bulletin from 1978 to 1983.
• Member of the Legislative Assembly (NSW) from 1983 to 2005.
• Consultant at Macquarie Bank from 2005 to 2012.
• Consultant at Mallesons from 2006 to 2012.
• Director of Dymocks Pty. Ltd. from 2007 to 2012.
• Director of the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney from 2009 to 2012.

State/Territory Government service

• Leader of the Parliamentary Australian Labor Party (NSW) from 11.4.1988 to 3.8.2005.
• Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Maroubra, 1983. Resigned 3.8.2005.
• Minister for Planning and Environment from 12.12.1984 to 21.3.1988.
• Minister for Consumer Affairs from 6.2.1986 to 4.7.1986.
• Minister for Heritage from 4.7.1986 to 21.3.1988.
• Leader of the Opposition from 11.4.1988 to 4.4.1995.
• Premier from 4.4.1995 to 3.8.2005.
• Minister for Ethnic Affairs from 4.4.1995 to 8.4.1999.
• Minister for the Arts from 4.4.1995 to 3.8.2005.
• Minister for Citizenship from 8.4.1999 to 3.8.2005.

Honours

• Received the World Conservation Union International Parks Merit Award, 1998.
• Received the Fulbright Distinguished Fellow Award, 1999.

Publications

• Social democracy and Australian Labor, NSW Labor Day Committee, Sydney: 1977.
• Matters of principle: the Labor revival in New South Wales, Pluto Press, Melbourne: 1989.
• Thoughtlines: Reflections of a Public Man, Viking, 2002.
• What Australia Means to Me, Penguin Books, 2003.
• My Reading Life: adventures in the world of books, Viking, 2008.
• Diary of a Foreign Minister, NewSouth Publishing, Sydney: 2014.
• Run for you life, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic.: 2018.