Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Aston, Victoria at by-election 2001, vice P Nugent (deceased). Re-elected 2001, 2004 and 2007. Retired prior to general elections 2010.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer from 26.10.2004 to 3.12.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Family and Community Affairs served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Communications, Information Technology and the Arts served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Education and Training served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Economics served as Deputy Chair from 11.3.2008 to 10.11.2008
• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 18.9.2001 to 8.10.2001
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Financial Services served from 10.11.2008 to 3.2.2010

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Attended official meetings in New Zealand, November 2004.
• Attended official meetings in Tuvalu, June 2005.
• Attended official meetings in Japan, May 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 14.07.2001 to 19.07.2010
• Shadow Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party (Vic.) from 1992.
• Secretary of the Liberal Party Rowville Branch (Vic.) from 1994 to 1995.
• President of the Liberal Party Rowville Branch (Vic.) from 1996 to 1999.
• Chair of the Koonung State Electorate Conference (Vic.) from 1996 to 1998.

Other positions

• Justice of the Peace.

Personal

• Born: 1.3.1963, Lismore, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BBus (Monash University).
• Business manager.
• Vice-President in Marketing and Sales from 1997 to 1999.
• Managing Director from 1999 to 2001.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Knox City Council from 1997 to 2000.

Electorate

• Name: Aston
• Location: outer-east Melbourne; it includes the suburbs of Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Forest Hill, Knoxfield, Lysterfield, Mountain Gate, Rowville, Scoresby, Studfield, Vermont, Vermont South, Wantirna and Wantirna South.
• Area: 96 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 91,728 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: market gardens, orchards, light industry, food manufacturing and chemical production.
• Includes: Aston includes parts of the Victorian Legislative Assembly electorates of Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, Forest Hill, Mitcham and Scoresby.