Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1987. Re-elected 1990 and 1996. Defeated at general elections 2001.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Science and Small Business from 24.3.1993 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Science from 24.3.1993 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister for Small Business, Construction and Customs from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Retailing Sector served from 15.2.1999 to 30.8.1999; Republic Referendum served from 21.6.1999 to 9.8.1999
• Joint Standing: New Parliament House served from 24.9.1987 to 19.2.1990; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 9.10.1987 to 15.5.1990; Electoral Matters served from 21.10.1987 to 19.2.1990; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Chair from 16.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 31.5.1996 to 30.6.2002; Treaties served from 8.12.1998 to 30.6.2002
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 14.5.1990 to 24.8.1990
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group B served from 24.9.1987 to 29.9.1988; Estimates Group B served from 9.3.1989 to 19.10.1992; Estimates Group B served from 21.10.1992 to 24.3.1993
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 24.9.1987 to 3.5.1993; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 24.9.1987 to 24.8.1990; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 24.9.1987 to 3.5.1993; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 2.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 2.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.12.1998 to 30.6.1999; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.4.1999 to 25.5.1999; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.12.1999 to 16.2.2000; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 16.2.2000 to 8.3.2001; Economics: Legislation served from 13.2.2002 to 30.6.2002; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 13.2.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Select: Certain Aspects of the Airline Pilots' Dispute served from 25.10.1989 to 8.5.1990; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 14.8.1991 to 8.2.1993; Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Bill served from 16.8.1991 to 21.8.1991; Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Bill served as Chair from 22.8.1991 to 28.11.1991; Subscription Television Broadcasting Services served as Chair from 26.6.1992 to 16.9.1992
• Senate Standing: Appropriations and Staffing served from 24.11.1998 to 30.6.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to Vietnam and Indonesia from January to February 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, April 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Caledonia, April 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Papua New Guinea from February to March 1991.
• Attended official meetings in South Africa, February 1991.
• Parliamentary delegation member to China, July 1991.
• Attended official meetings in Japan and Cambodia, July 1992.
• Attended study tour in Indonesia, October 1992.
• Attended official meetings in Belgium, November 1992.
• Parliamentary delegation member to China, November 1992.
• Attended official meetings in Eritrea, May 1993.
• Attended official meetings in Germany and Japan, October 1993.
• Attended official meetings in New Zealand and Laos from June to July 1994.
• Attended official meetings in Japan, India and Vietnam from October to November 1994.
• Attended official meetings in Japan, China, Vietnam and Philippines from June to July 1995.
• Attended official meetings in China, September 1995.
• Attended official meetings in Belgium, November 1998.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Singapore and Malaysia, March 1999.
• Attended study tour in Greece, Macedonia, Egypt, the UK and Turkey, April 1999.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, March 2000.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Hungary and Poland, October 2000.
• Attended study tour in Europe from October to November 2000.
• Delegate to the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War commemorations, South Korea, April 2001.
• Delegate to the 60th Anniversary of the Battles of Crete and Greece commemorations, Greece, May 2001.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 11.07.1987 to 30.06.2002
• Shadow Minister for Communications from 20.3.1996 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.

Party positions

• Organiser for the Australian Labor Party (SA) from 1975 to 1979.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 1979 to 1987.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (SA) from 1979 to 1987.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1982.
• Junior Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 1983 to 1986.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive Foreign Affairs and Defence Platform Committee from 1983 to 1987.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1984.

Personal

• Born: 6.12.1946, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipT(Prim) (University of Adelaide and Wattle Park Teachers' College).
• Primary school teacher from 1967 to 1969.
• Organiser for the Australian Labor Party (SA) from 1969 to 1970.
• Press Secretary for the Minister for Agriculture (SA) from 1970 to 1973.
• Principal Private Secretary to Senator the Hon. R Bishop, Minister for Repatriation from 1973 to 1974.
• Principal Private Secretary to Senator the Hon. R Bishop, Minister for Repatriation and Postmaster-General from 1974 to 1975.
• Official for the Australian Labor Party from 1975 to 1987.