Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Kingston, South Australia, 1975. Re-elected 1977, 1980. Defeated at general elections 1983. Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1987. Re-elected 1990, 1996 and 2001. Defeated at general elections 2007.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 5.5.1993 to 30.6.2008.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Publications served from 20.9.1979 to 19.9.1980; Parliamentary Library served from 26.11.1980 to 4.2.1983; Road Safety served from 9.4.1981 to 4.2.1983; Expenditure served from 9.12.1982 to 4.2.1983
• Joint Standing: New Parliament House served from 4.12.1980 to 4.2.1983; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 16.5.1990 to 1.7.2002
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Securities served as Chair from 31.5.1996 to 8.10.2001; Corporations and Financial Services served from 14.2.2002 to 19.3.2002; Corporations and Financial Services served as Chair from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Public Accounts and Audit served from 23.3.2007 to 30.6.2008; Corporations and Financial Services served from 18.10.2007 to 13.2.2008; Corporations and Financial Services served as Deputy Chair from 14.2.2008 to 30.6.2008
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group A served from 24.9.1987 to 7.5.1990; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 9.5.1990 to 23.9.1992; Estimates Group F served from 9.5.1990 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group C served as Substitute member from 5.3.1992 to 8.2.1993; Estimates Group B served from 3.12.1992 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 19.8.1993 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group D served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group B served from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 24.9.1987 to 3.5.1993; Industry, Science, Technology, Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 18.5.1993 to 9.10.1994; Employment, Education and Training served as Substitute member from 28.10.1993 to 24.11.1993; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Economics: References served from 10.10.1994 to 10.9.2006; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.11.1994 to 29.11.1994; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 8.3.1995 to 29.1.1996; Economics: Legislation served from 1.6.1995 to 10.9.2006; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 14.2.1997 to 14.2.1997; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.11.1997 to 14.11.1997; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.1997 to 20.11.1997; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 19.10.1999 to 22.11.1999; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.5.2000 to 2.5.2000; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.2002 to 20.11.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.11.2005 to 3.11.2005; Economics served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008
• Senate Select: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Management and Operations served from 22.9.1994 to 30.3.1995; Dangers of Radioactive Waste served from 23.3.1995 to 29.3.1995; Dangers of Radioactive Waste served as Chair from 30.3.1995 to 29.4.1996; Dangers of Radioactive Waste served from 30.4.1996 to 30.4.1996; Uranium Mining and Milling served from 8.5.1996 to 22.5.1996; Uranium Mining and Milling served as Chair from 23.5.1996 to 15.5.1997; New Tax System served as Substitute member from 26.11.1998 to 30.4.1999; Superannuation and Financial Services served from 29.9.1999 to 8.10.2001; Lucas Heights Reactor served from 17.8.2000 to 23.5.2001; Superannuation served from 14.3.2002 to 10.9.2003; State Government Financial Management served from 14.2.2008 to 30.6.2008
• Senate Standing: Publications served from 2.5.1996 to 1.7.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to China and Japan, July 1981.
• Member, CPA Conference, The Bahamas, October 1982.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Argentina and Brazil, June-July 1992.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 100th IPU Conference, Moscow, September 1998.
• Vice-President, UN-IPU Parliamentary Round Table to Combat Desertification, Dakar, November 1998.
• Vice-President, UN-IPU Parliamentary Round Table to Combat Desertification, Recife, November 1999.
• Vice-President, UN-IPU Parliamentary Round Table to Combat Desertification, Bonn, December 2000.
• Member, United Nations Panel of Eminent Persons to Combat Desertification from October 2001, attending meetings in Agadez, April 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia, April 2001.
• Keynote Speaker, World Tourism Organisation Parliamentarians Forum, Panama City, November 2002.
• World Summit on Sustainable Development Preparatory Committee, Denpasar, May-June 2002.
• World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, August-September 2002.
• World Summit on Global Environment Facility Council, Beijing, October 2002.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 107th IPU Conference, Marrakech, and bilateral visit to Kuwait, March 2002.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to IPU Governing Council, Geneva, September 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 108th IPU Conference, Santiago, and bilateral visit to Canada, March-April 2003.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 109th IPU Conference, Geneva, and bilateral visit to Latvia, September-October 2003.
• Vice-President, UN-IPU Parliamentary Round Table to Combat Desertification, Havana, August 2003.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 110th IPU Conference, Mexico City, April 2004.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 112th IPU Conference, Manila, and bilateral visit to the Solomon Islands, March-April 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria, Argentina and USA, April-May 2008.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 13.12.1975 to 05.03.1983, 11.07.1987 to 30.06.2008

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party (SA) from 1967.
• Member of the Young Liberal State Executive (SA) from 1971 to 1975.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Council (SA) from 1971.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (SA) from 1975 to 1976.
• Founding Member of the Federal Young Liberal Policy Committee, 1975.
• Member of the Liberal Party Rural Council Executive (SA) from 1987.

Other positions

• Member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs Committee (SA) from 1974.
• Member of the United Farmers and Stockowners (SA) from 1974.
• National Debating Championships Representative (SA) from 1974 to 1975.
• National Debating Championships Representative (SA), 1977.
• Government Representative on the IPU Governing Council from 2002 to 2005.
• Member of the IPU Australian Parliament Group Executive from 2002.
• Member of the IPU Global Foundation for Democracy from 2003.

Personal

• Born: 27.4.1949, North Adelaide, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• CertBusInov&Entrep (South Australian Institute of Technology).
• BA(Hons) (University of Adelaide).
• Marketing executive in the oil industry from 1971 to 1975.
• Farmer and grazier, Kybunga (SA) from 1974.
• Political research consultant 1975.
• Member of the Australian Broadcasting Commission Advisory Committee (SA) from 1975 to 1980.
• Vice-President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs Committee (SA) from 1983 to 1985.
• Self-employed management consultant at Grant Chapman and Co. from 1983 to 1988.
• Delegate (SA) to the United Farmers and Stockowners from 1983.
• Treasurer of the Australian Institute of International Affairs Committee (SA) from 1985 to 2000.
• President of the United Farmers and Stockowners, Adelaide (SA) from 1986.

Military Service

• Pilot Officer, RAAF Reserve.
• RAAF, South Australian University Squadron 1968-70.

Honours

• Awarded the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal, 1977.