Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Dobell, New South Wales, 1984. Re-elected 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1998. Defeated at general elections 2001.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Resources from 24.3.1993 to 23.12.1993.
• Minister for Tourism from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.
• Cabinet Minister from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.
• Minister for Communications from 23.12.1993 to 30.1.1994.
• Minister for Communications and the Arts from 30.1.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Print Media served as Chair from 22.8.1991 to 25.3.1992
• House of Representatives Standing: Industry, Science and Technology served as Chair from 16.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 16.5.1990 to 23.8.1990; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 30.5.1996 to 26.6.1996
• Joint Select: Electoral Reform served from 20.3.1985 to 5.6.1987; Telecommunications Interception served from 19.8.1986 to 20.11.1986
• Joint Standing: New Parliament House served from 28.2.1985 to 19.2.1990; Electoral Matters served as Chair from 21.10.1987 to 19.2.1990; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 17.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Parliamentary Zone served from 12.9.1991 to 8.2.1993
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 8.10.1987 to 24.3.1988; Public Works served from 29.5.1996 to 26.6.1996

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea from July to August 1988.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the European Parliamentary Institutions, Switzerland, Belgium and France from September to October 1990.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Papua New Guinea from February to March 1991.
• Official observer to the general elections, Nepal, May 1991.
• Delegate to the 87th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Cameroon, April 1992.
• Attended official meetings in Russia and Ukraine, April 1992.
• Attended official meetings in South Korea, May 1993.
• Attended official meetings in Indonesia, Singapore, China, Japan and South Korea, September 1993.
• Attended official meetings in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the USA, UK and France, July 1994.
• Attended official meetings in Hong Kong, China and South Korea, May 1995.
• Attended official meetings in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, the USA and Indonesia, September 1995.
• Delegate to the 43rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, Mauritius, September 1997.
• Attended official meetings in South Africa, September 1997.
• Attended study tour in the UK and Ireland from September to October 1999.
• Attended study tour in China and North Korea, May 2000.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.12.1984 to 10.11.2001
• Shadow Minister for Health from 20.3.1996 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Education from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.

Party positions

• Secretary of the Young Labor Cook Branch (NSW) from 1976 to 1978.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Club (University of New South Wales), 1978.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Tuggerah State Electorate Council (NSW) from 1982 to 1984.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Toukley Branch (NSW), 1984.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Wyong Municipal Committee (NSW), 1984.

Personal

• Born: 24.3.1957, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Single

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BE(Hons) (University of New South Wales).
• BSc (University of New South Wales).
• Construction and Maintenance Engineer, NSW Electricity Commission.

Electorate

• Name: Dobell
• Location: Central coast of New South Wales; it includes the centres of Bateau Bay, Berkeley Vale, Gorokan, Ourimbah, The Entrance, Tuggerah, Wamberal, Wyoming and Wyong.
• Area: 931 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 82,861 (at 3.10.1998)
• Industries: Fruit, vegetables, manufacturing industries, prawning, fishing, tourism and mixed farming.
• Includes: Dobell includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of The Entrance, and parts of Gosford, Peats and Wyong.