Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Port Macquarie, 1996. Resigned 13.8.2008 to contest the House of Representatives division of Lyne, New South Wales at by-election.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for Lyne, New South Wales at by-election, vice the Hon. M Vaile (resigned). Re-elected 2010. Retired prior to general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 16.2.2012 to 5.8.2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Education and Training served from 10.11.2008 to 19.7.2010; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 11.5.2010 to 19.7.2010; Selection served from 30.9.2010 to 5.8.2013; Infrastructure and Communications served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Select: Cyber-Safety served from 18.3.2010 to 19.7.2010; Parliamentary Budget Office served from 23.11.2010 to 23.3.2011; Australia's Immigration Detention Network served from 17.8.2011 to 30.3.2012; Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples served from 29.11.2012 to 5.8.2013; Broadcasting Legislation served from 14.3.2013 to 24.6.2013
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 19.3.2009 to 19.7.2010; Parliamentary Library served from 16.6.2010 to 19.7.2010; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 22.3.2011 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served as Chair from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the Philippines, Cambodia and Malaysia, April-May 2009.

Parliamentary party positions

• Independent. Served: 06.09.2008 to 05.08.2013

Personal

• Born: 14.12.1969, Lismore, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons) (University of Sydney).
• LLB (Macquarie University).
• Assistant to lobbying firm Resolutions from 1992 to 1993.
• Media officer to the Hon. M Vaile, MP from 1993 to 1996.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Port Macquarie, 1996. Resigned 13.8.2008 to contest the House of Representatives division of Lyne, New South Wales at by-election. .
• Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19.4.1999 to 9.3.2002.
• Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation and Shadow Minister for Fisheries and Ports from 19.4.1999 to 9.3.2002.

Electorate

• Name: Lyne
• Location: mid-north coast of New South Wales; it includes the centres of Bonny Hills, Crescent Head, Gloucester, Harrington, Kendall, Lake Cathie, Laurieton, North Haven, Old Bar, Port Macquarie, Taree, Wauchope and Wingham.
• Area: 11,991 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 92,565 (at 21.8.2010)
• Industries: timber, beef and dairy cattle, mixed farming, fishing and oyster farming, boat building, engineering, mining and tourism.
• Includes: Lyne includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Port Macquarie, and parts of Myall Lakes, Oxley and Upper Hunter.

Publications

• The independent member for Lyne: a memoir, Allen & Unwin, Sydney: 2014.