Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Bass, Tasmania, 2010. Defeated at general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 27.2.2012 to 5.8.2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Address in Reply served from 28.9.2010 to 29.9.2010
• House of Representatives Standing: Health and Ageing served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts served from 11.10.2011 to 7.2.2012; Procedure served from 14.3.2012 to 14.3.2012; Procedure served as Chair from 15.3.2012 to 5.8.2013

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 21.08.2010 to 07.09.2013

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1971.

Personal

• Born: 29.4.1953, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Clerk at the Department of the Attorney-General from 1971 to 1977.
• Investigations officer at the Consumer Affairs Council from 1977 to 1981.
• Senior Clerk at the Supreme Court, Launceston (Tas.) from 1981 to 1982.
• Government Casino Inspector from 1982 to 1987.
• Manager of the Beaconsfield District Hospital from 1987 to 1991.
• Project Officer for Northern Regional Health (Tas.) from 1991 to 1992.
• Business manager at Launceston General Hospital from 1992 to 1998.
• Senior Private Secretary to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Industrial Relations (Tas.), the Hon. P Patmore, MHA from 1998 to 2001.
• Business manager at Launceston General Hospital from 2001 to 2009.
• Electorate officer to Senator H Polley from 2009 to 2010.

Electorate

• Name: Bass
• Location: north-east Tasmania; it includes the city of Launceston and its suburbs, and the towns of Bell Bay, Bridport, George Town, Hadspen, Lilydale, Ringarooma and Scottsdale. Cape Barren Island, Clarke Island and Flinders Island are also in this division.
• Area: 7,378 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 72,226 (at 7.9.2013)
• Industries: aluminium and ferrous metal smelting, brewery, cattle (dairy and beef) farming, manufacturing, mining, ports and shipping, ship building, timber, tourism, fishing, wineries and wool.
• Includes: Bass is co-extensive with the Tasmanian House of Assembly electorate of the same name.

Honours

• Awarded the National Emergency Service Medal, 6.8.1997.
• Awarded the Australian Sports Medal, 13.9.2000.
• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2016.