Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Grayndler, New South Wales at by-election 1979, vice the Hon. F Stewart (deceased). Re-elected 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990. Elected to the House of Representatives for Watson, New South Wales, 1993, following electoral redistribution. Re-elected 1996, 1998 and 2001. Retired prior to general elections 2004.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 23.11.1998 to 23.6.2004.

Parliamentary positions

• Chair of Committees from 11.2.1986 to 29.8.1989.
• Speaker of the House of Representatives from 29.8.1989 to 22.12.1989.
• Speaker of the House of Representatives from 8.5.1990 to 8.2.1993.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Televising of the House of Representatives served as Chair from 6.6.1991 to 22.8.1991
• House of Representatives Standing: Expenditure served from 19.9.1979 to 3.12.1980; Expenditure served as Deputy Chair from 4.12.1980 to 4.2.1983; Expenditure served from 5.2.1983 to 10.5.1983; Expenditure served as Chair from 11.5.1983 to 14.2.1986; Procedure served from 28.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Expenditure served from 15.2.1986 to 5.6.1987; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 8.10.1987 to 20.4.1988; Publications served from 8.10.1987 to 20.4.1988; Selection served as Chair from 16.2.1988 to 6.9.1989; Parliamentary Library served as Chair from 29.8.1989 to 8.2.1993; House served as Chair from 29.8.1989 to 8.2.1993; Selection served from 4.5.1993 to 8.10.2001; Procedure served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Privileges served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 25.8.1997; House served from 29.5.1996 to 8.10.2001; Privileges served from 18.6.1996 to 31.8.1998; Privileges served from 8.12.1998 to 14.10.1999; Primary Industries and Regional Services served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Privileges served from 24.11.1999 to 8.10.2001; Privileges served as Deputy Chair from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Industry and Resources served from 24.6.2003 to 19.2.2004
• Joint Select: Intelligence Services served from 28.6.2001 to 27.8.2001
• Joint Standing: New Parliament House served from 12.5.1983 to 28.8.1989; New Parliament House served as Joint Chair from 29.8.1989 to 19.2.1990; Parliamentary Zone served as Joint Chair from 20.8.1991 to 8.2.1993; National Capital and External Territories served from 27.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 19.6.1997 to 31.8.1998
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 11.5.1983 to 14.2.1986; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served as Chair from 29.8.1989 to 8.2.1993; Public Accounts served from 12.5.1993 to 9.2.1994; Corporations and Securities served as Deputy Chair from 18.6.1996 to 31.8.1998; Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 8.2.1999 to 8.10.2001; ASIO, ASIS and DSD served from 21.3.2002 to 31.8.2004

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the 68th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Cuba, September 1981.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Africa from July to August 1982.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the European Parliamentary Institutions, the Netherlands and France from September to October 1983.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK and Ireland, April 1988.
• Delegate to the 10th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference, Zimbabwe, January 1990.
• Delegate to the 21st Presiding Officers and Clerks Regional Conference, Perth, June 1990.
• Delegate to the 84th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Uruguay, October 1990.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia from January to February 1991.
• Attended official meetings in Venezuela, October 1991.
• Delegate to the 86th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Chile, October 1991.
• Delegate to the 88th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Sweden, September 1992.
• Attended official meetings in Italy, September 1992.
• Delegate to the 90th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Canberra, September 1993.
• Delegate to the 91st Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, France, March 1994.
• Delegate to the 92nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Denmark from August to September 1994.
• Attended official meetings in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from August to September 1994.
• Delegate to the 93rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Spain, March 1995.
• Delegate to the 94th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Romania, October 1995.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, South Korea, April 1997.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK and Germany, June 1998.
• Attended study tour in Jordan, Palestine and Israel, April 1999.
• Attended study tour in China and North Korea from April to May 2000.
• Attended study tour in South America, January 2001.
• Delegate to the 9th Annual Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, Chile, January 2001.
• Attended study tour in Lebanon and Cyprus, July 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the USA and UK, May 2002.
• Attended study tour in the UK, Netherlands and Canada from July to August 2002.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK, May 2003.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 23.06.1979 to 31.08.2004
• Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 20.3.1996 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 25.11.2001.
• Government Whip in the House of Representatives from 24.3.1993 to 12.5.1994.
• Government Chief Whip in the House of Representatives from 12.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives from 19.3.1996 to 22.11.2001.

Party positions

• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Youth Council (NSW), 1969.
• Organiser for the Australian Labor Party (NSW), 1976.
• Assistant Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (NSW) from 1976 to 1979.

Personal

• Born: 4.10.1945, Marrickville, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Assistant General Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (NSW).
• Telephone technician for Telecom.

Local Government service

• Alderman, Marrickville Municipal Council from 1971 to 1977.

Electorate

• Name: Watson
• Location: inner South Sydney; it includes the suburbs of Bardwell Park, Belfield, Belmore, Beverly Hills, Bexley, Campsie, Canterbury, Carlton, Croydon Park, Earlwood, Hurstville, Kingsgrove, Lakemba and Roselands.
• Area: 33 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 81,961 (at 10.11.2001)
• Industries: light manufacturing and service industries.
• Includes: Watson includes parts of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates of Bankstown, Canterbury, Georges River, Kogarah, Lakemba and Rockdale.