Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Macquarie, New South Wales, 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001 and 2004. Defeated at general elections 2007.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 11.8.2004 to 17.10.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Recent Australian Bushfires served from 27.3.2003 to 5.11.2003
• House of Representatives Standing: Employment, Education and Training served from 4.6.1997 to 31.8.1998; Employment, Education and Workplace Relations served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Environment and Heritage served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Education and Training served as Chair from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Selection served from 18.7.2004 to 17.10.2007; Education and Vocational Training served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 18.6.1996 to 16.9.2001; Treaties served as Chair from 17.9.2001 to 19.3.2002; Treaties served from 20.3.2002 to 18.11.2002
• Joint Statutory: Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Corporations and Financial Services served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, June 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Turkey and Ireland, October 2005.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 02.03.1996 to 24.11.2007
• Government Chief Whip in the House of Representatives from 18.7.2004 to 17.10.2007.

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Party Blaxland East-Mt Riverview Branch (NSW) from 1994 to 1995.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (NSW) from 1994 to 1996.
• Member of the Liberal Party Education Policy Committee from 1994 to 1995.
• Member of the Liberal Party Economic and Education Policy Committee from 1995 to 1996.

Other positions

• Member of the Parliamentary Education Office Advisory Committee.

Personal

• Born: 15.4.1949, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (University of Sydney).
• BEc (University of Sydney).
• MEc (Macquarie University).
• Secondary school economics teacher.
• Part-time university economics tutor.
• Financial planner.

Electorate

• Name: Macquarie
• Location: Blue Mountains and central west of New South Wales; it includes the centres of Bathurst, Blackheath, Katoomba, Lithgow, Mount Victoria, Oberon, Portland, Springwood and Wentworth Falls.
• Area: 12,084 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 94,670 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: Tourism, coal and gold mining, power generation, cement works, fruit growing, timber, vineyards, wool processing, transport, whitegoods manufacturing, agriculture and pastoral.
• Includes: Macquarie includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Blue Mountains, and parts of Bathurst, Hawkesbury, Penrith and Wollondilly.