Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of South Australia on 4.5.2006 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. R Hill (resigned). Elected to the Senate for South Australia 2007. Re-elected 2013 and 2016. Resigned 20.1.2020.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 11.3.2009 to 2.2.2010.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 10.10.2012 to 2.5.2016.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 2.7.2019 to 20.1.2020.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Australia's Immigration Detention Network served from 22.6.2011 to 30.3.2012; Government Procurement served from 1.12.2016 to 15.2.2017
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Financial Services served from 28.2.2007 to 17.10.2007; Public Accounts and Audit served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit served from 28.11.2016 to 15.2.2017
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.8.2006 to 4.8.2006; Economics served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 11.9.2006 to 12.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 23.10.2006 to 22.12.2006; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 11.2.2009 to 12.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration served from 10.3.2009 to 13.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 2.2.2010; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 31.1.2010; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.2.2010 to 2.2.2010; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 27.10.2010; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Chair from 30.9.2010 to 27.10.2010; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.3.2013 to 1.3.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 13.11.2013 to 13.11.2013; Economics: Legislation served from 13.11.2013 to 14.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 14.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.9.2016 to 12.9.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 12.9.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 28.11.2016 to 15.2.2017; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 28.11.2016 to 15.2.2017
• Senate Select: Men's Health served from 13.11.2008 to 26.11.2008; Men's Health served as Chair from 27.11.2008 to 29.5.2009; Abbott Government's Commission of Audit served from 12.12.2013 to 11.2.2014; National Broadband Network served from 1.7.2014 to 3.3.2015; Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru served from 26.3.2015 to 31.8.2015
• Senate Standing: Publications served from 12.3.2008 to 15.6.2015; Senators' Interests served as Chair from 27.10.2010 to 11.11.2013; Senators' Interests served from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Scrutiny of Bills served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.9.2016 to 12.9.2016; Senators' Interests served from 1.9.2016 to 12.9.2016; Senators' Interests served from 28.11.2016 to 15.2.2017; Scrutiny of Bills served from 28.11.2016 to 15.2.2017

Parliamentary party positions

• Independent. Served: 25.06.2019 to 20.01.2020
• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 04.05.2006 to 07.02.2017
• Australian Conservatives. Served: 07.02.2017 to 25.06.2019
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services from 6.12.2007 to 22.9.2008.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector from 22.9.2008 to 20.2.2009.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition from 8.12.2009 to 19.9.2012.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Population Policy from 8.12.2009 to 14.9.2010.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Supporting Families from 14.9.2010 to 19.9.2012.

Party positions

• Member of Liberal Party Federal and State Campaign Committees from 1998 to 2000.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party (SA), 1997.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (SA) from 1997 to 2003.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Finance Committee (SA) from 1997 to 2000.
• President of the Liberal Party (SA) from 1998 to 2000.
• Member of the Liberal Party Federal Executive from 1998 to 2000.
• Member of the Liberal Party Appeals Tribunal (SA) from 2004 to 2006.
• Member of the Liberal Party Multicultural Committee (SA) from 2004 to 2008.
• Vice-President of the Federal Liberal Party from 2005 to 2006.
• Member of the Liberal Party Federal Executive from 2005 to 2006.

Other positions

• Member of the Australian Rowing Team.
• Member of the Australian Sports Commission Board.
• Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation Ltd.
• Chair of the National Review of Disability Sport.

Personal

• Born: 6.11.1969, Adelaide, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipFS (Financial Planning Association).
• GradCertBusMgt (Heriot-Watt University).
• Self-employed hotelier from 1992 to 1996.
• Investment adviser and fund manager from 1996 to 2006.

Publications

• The money tree: securing your child's financial success, Self-published, 2007.
• Fit for life!, Self-published, 2008.
• As I see it: thoughts of a conservative, Self-published, Walkerville, SA 2009.
• No left turn: more thoughts of a conservative, Self-published, 2011.
• On the right track, Self-published, 2012.
• The conservative revolution, Connor Court Publishing, Ballarat, Vic, 2013.
• Outside the beltway, Conservative Leadership Foundation, Walkerville, SA: 2013.