Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of Victoria on 31.3.2004 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. R Alston (resigned). Elected to the Senate for Victoria 2007. Re-elected 2013 and 2016. Resigned 16.8.2019.

Ministerial appointments

• Assistant Minister for Social Services from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Government from 21.9.2015 to 18.2.2016.
• Minister for the Arts from 21.9.2015 to 29.5.2019.
• Minister for Communications from 21.9.2015 to 29.5.2019.
• Cabinet Minister from 21.9.2015 to 29.5.2019.

Acting Ministries

• Acting Minister for Regional Communications from 27.10.2017 to 20.12.2017.

Committee service

• Joint Select: DisabilityCare Australia served from 19.6.2013 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 16.8.2007 to 19.7.2010; Electoral Matters served from 11.3.2008 to 20.3.2008
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 31.5.2004 to 4.6.2004; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2005 to 15.2.2005; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 23.5.2005 to 27.5.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.6.2005 to 10.8.2005; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.9.2005 to 13.10.2005; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.11.2005 to 23.11.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 11.9.2006 to 9.5.2007; Finance and Public Administration served as Chair from 22.3.2007 to 11.2.2008; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served as Substitute member from 25.6.2007 to 26.6.2007; Finance and Public Administration served from 12.2.2008 to 10.3.2009; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 10.3.2009 to 12.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 27.10.2010 to 1.7.2011; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 27.10.2010 to 27.10.2010; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Chair from 28.10.2010 to 30.6.2011; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2011
• Senate Select: Housing Affordability in Australia served from 14.2.2008 to 16.6.2008; Fuel and Energy served from 12.11.2008 to 30.8.2010; Scrutiny of New Taxes served from 30.9.2010 to 1.11.2011
• Senate Standing: Senators' Interests served from 1.7.2008 to 15.6.2010; Selection of Bills served from 9.3.2010 to 9.5.2016; Senators' Interests served as Chair from 16.6.2010 to 27.9.2010; Senators' Interests served from 28.9.2010 to 27.10.2010; Procedure served from 21.3.2011 to 9.5.2016; Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.7.2011 to 5.7.2011; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 6.7.2011 to 15.3.2012; Scrutiny of Bills served from 16.3.2012 to 16.3.2012; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 1.9.2016 to 5.2.2018; Selection of Bills served from 1.9.2016 to 5.2.2018; Procedure served from 1.9.2016 to 5.2.2018; Procedure served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Selection of Bills served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 31.03.2004 to 16.08.2019
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector from 20.2.2009 to 14.9.2010.
• Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from 9.3.2010 to 19.7.2010.
• Shadow Minister for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector from 14.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from 28.9.2010 to 5.8.2013.
• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 18.9.2013 to 20.12.2017.
• Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate from 20.12.2017 to 23.8.2018.
• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 28.8.2018 to 29.5.2019.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (Vic.) from 1996.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Assembly (Vic.), 1996.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Assembly (Vic.) from 2004.

Personal

• Born: 16.1.1967, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Sydney).
• Senior Research Officer to the Minister for Transport and Sydney's Olympic Bid, the Hon. B Baird, MLA (NSW) from 1988 to 1992.
• Policy Adviser to the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations, the Hon. J Anderson, MP, 1992.
• Senior Policy Adviser to the Minister for Transport, the Hon. A Brown, MLA (Vic.) from 1992 to 1996.
• Senior Political Adviser to the Treasurer, the Hon. P Costello, MP from 1996 to 2003.

Military Service

• Reservist, 12 Psych Unit, Australian Army Psychology Corps 1985-87.