Biography

Parliamentary service

• Appointed by the Governor of Tasmania on 26.2.2002 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. B Gibson, AM (resigned). Elected to the Senate for Tasmania 2004. Defeated at general elections 2010.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 11.8.2005 to 30.6.2011.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Cyber-Safety served from 18.3.2010 to 30.6.2011
• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 1.7.2002 to 18.11.2002; Parliamentary Library served from 30.9.2010 to 30.6.2011
• Joint Statutory: Australian Crime Commission served from 14.2.2008 to 11.2.2009; Public Accounts and Audit served from 11.2.2009 to 30.6.2011
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served from 19.3.2002 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 19.3.2002 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 1.7.2002 to 20.3.2003; Community Affairs: References served from 1.7.2002 to 20.3.2003; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.10.2002 to 2.12.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2002 to 22.11.2002; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.6.2003 to 8.8.2003; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 30.6.2003 to 8.8.2003; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 3.12.2003 to 10.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 2.12.2004 to 6.10.2005; Community Affairs served from 11.9.2006 to 12.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 12.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 18.9.2006 to 6.10.2006; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 23.3.2007 to 25.3.2007; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Chair from 26.3.2007 to 11.2.2008; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 14.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served as Substitute member from 12.2.2009 to 25.6.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 30.6.2011; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 30.6.2011; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.3.2010 to 12.4.2010; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 26.3.2010 to 12.4.2010
• Senate Select: Medicare served from 15.5.2003 to 11.2.2004
• Senate Standing: Senators' Interests served from 19.3.2002 to 29.8.2002; Regulations and Ordinances served from 1.7.2002 to 18.11.2002; Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.7.2002 to 11.2.2008; Publications served as Chair from 14.9.2006 to 19.6.2007; Publications served from 20.6.2007 to 20.6.2007; Parliamentary Library served from 13.2.2008 to 30.6.2011

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to Denmark and Sweden, October 2005.
• Delegate to the 15th Australian Political Exchange Council meeting, China from 28.6.2006 to 7.7.2006.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, April 2009.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia, July 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 26.02.2002 to 30.06.2011
• Chairman of the Opposition Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee from 8.12.2009 to 14.9.2010.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (Tas.) from 1989 to 2001.
• Member of the Liberal Party Policy Committee (Tas.) from 1989 to 2001.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Constitution Review Committee from 1994 to 2001.
• Member of the Liberal Party Federal Council from 1996 to 2001.

Personal

• Born: 5.4.1962, Launceston, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• GAICD (Australian Institute of Company Directors).
• LLM (University of Tasmania).
• LLB (University of Tasmania).
• Lawyer.
• Consultant at Taft Stettinus and Hollister, Washington DC (USA).
• Senior Adviser to the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. R Gray from 1988 to 1989.
• Managing Director of a public relations and political consultancy from 1989 to 2002.

Publications

• Our heroes: Tasmania's Victoria Cross recipients, Guy Barnett, Launceston, Tas.: 2006.
• The millennium disease: responses to Australia's obesity epidemic [ed.], Guy Barnett, Launceston, Tas.: 2006.
• Make a difference: a practical guide to lobbying, Connor Court Publishing, Ballan, Vic.: 2010.