Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Swan, Western Australia, 1998. Re-elected 2001 and 2004. Defeated at general elections 2007.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 19.2.2002 to 17.10.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Employment, Education and Workplace Relations served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Selection served from 18.2.2002 to 17.10.2007; Employment and Workplace Relations served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004
• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 12.8.1999 to 19.3.2002; Treaties served as Deputy Chair from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 27.3.2007 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Deputy Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to 20th AIPO Conference, Philippines and bilateral visit to Cambodia, September 1999.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Treaties visit to New Zealand, March 2000.
• Member, Official Australian Observer Mission to the Zimbabwe Elections, June-July 2000.
• Member, Official Committee Exchange Visit by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations, New Zealand, June 2001.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Egypt, August-September 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to CPA Conference, Namibia, September 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to China, April 2003.
• Leader, Australian Political Exchange Program Delegation to China, August 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, October 2005.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 03.10.1998 to 24.11.2007

Other positions

• Secretary of the Australian Parliament Lions Club.
• Deputy Chair of the Australia/Canada Friendship Group.
• Deputy Chair, of the Australia/Zimbabwe Friendship Group.
• Member of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program from 2002 to 2005.

Personal

• Born: 3.6.1959, Perth, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Manager at YMCA Skillshare, Victoria Park (WA).
• Youth Employment Placement Officer.
• Prison officer.
• Farmer.

Local Government service

• Councillor, City of South Perth from 1993 to 1998.

Electorate

• Name: Swan
• Location: south-eastern Perth; it includes the suburbs of Beckenham, Belmont, Bentley, Burswood, Cannington, Carlisle, Cloverdale, Como, East Cannington, East Victoria Park, Karawara, Kensington, Kewdale, Lathlain, Manning, Queens Park, Redcliffe, Rivervale, St James, South Perth, Victoria Park, Welshpool and Wilson.
• Area: 108 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 79,549 (at 10.11.2001)
• Industries: light industry, railway marshalling yards, commercial and retail trade, international and domestic airport terminals.
• Includes: Swan includes the Western Australian Legislative Assembly electorates of South Perth and Victoria Park, and parts of Kenwick.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 11.6.2012.