Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 2010. Re-elected 2016 and 2019. Died in office 29.8.2021.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 2.7.2019 to 29.8.2021.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Road Safety served from 19.9.2019 to 5.2.2020; Road Safety served from 17.6.2020 to 29.6.2020; Road Safety served as Deputy Chair from 30.6.2020 to 9.11.2020
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 5.7.2011 to 5.8.2013; National Broadband Network served from 16.3.2012 to 5.8.2013; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 11.12.2013 to 11.12.2013; National Disability Insurance Scheme served as Deputy Chair from 12.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 12.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2019
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 1.7.2011 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Public Works served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Public Works served from 4.7.2019 to 29.8.2021
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 1.7.2011 to 5.7.2011; Environment and Communications: References served from 1.7.2011 to 5.7.2011; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 5.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 23.9.2011 to 23.9.2011; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.5.2012 to 30.5.2012; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.6.2012 to 1.6.2012; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 12.11.2013 to 7.7.2014; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.3.2014 to 24.3.2014; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.6.2014 to 6.6.2014; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 1.7.2014 to 1.7.2014; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Chair from 2.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 10.11.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.10.2015 to 23.10.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.2.2016 to 18.2.2016; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 23.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.2.2016 to 17.3.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.4.2016 to 9.5.2016; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 18.4.2016 to 9.5.2016; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 18.4.2016 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.11.2016 to 11.5.2017; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 17.8.2017 to 29.11.2018; Economics: References served from 2.7.2019 to 3.7.2019; Economics: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 3.7.2019; Economics: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 4.7.2019 to 5.2.2020; Economics: References served as Deputy Chair from 4.7.2019 to 5.2.2020; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 4.7.2019 to 11.2.2020; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 15.10.2019 to 10.6.2021; Economics: Legislation served from 16.6.2020 to 17.6.2020; Economics: References served from 16.6.2020 to 16.6.2020; Economics: Legislation served from 16.6.2020 to 16.6.2020; Economics: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 17.6.2020 to 13.5.2021; Economics: References served as Chair from 17.6.2020 to 13.5.2021; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 17.6.2020 to 29.8.2021; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 17.6.2020 to 18.6.2020
• Senate Select: Electricity Prices served from 23.8.2012 to 1.11.2012; Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru served from 26.3.2015 to 29.3.2015; Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru served as Chair from 30.3.2015 to 31.8.2015; Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure in a Warming World served from 22.11.2016 to 7.4.2017; Multi-Jurisdictional Management and Execution of the Murray Darling Basin Plan served from 31.7.2019 to 29.8.2021
• Senate Standing: Privileges served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2011 to 29.08.2021

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party (NT) from 1988 to 1994.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party (SA) from 1994.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Council (SA) from 1994.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 1996.

Personal

• Born: 1.1.1954, New Cumnock, Scotland
• Died: 29.8.2021
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Labourer and truck driver from 1971 to 1976.
• Ramp services operator for Trans Australia Airlines from 1976 to 1988.
• Industrial relations officer for the Transport Workers' Union (SA/NT) from 1988 to 1992.
• Organiser for the Transport Workers' Union (SA/NT) from 1992 to 1996.
• Secretary and Treasurer of the Transport Workers' Union (SA/NT) from 1996 to 2010.
• Vice-President of the Transport Workers' Union from 2005 to 2007.
• President of the Transport Workers' Union from 2007 to 2010.