Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Murchison-Eyre, 1986. Resigned 4.2.1989.
• Federal: Chosen by the Parliament of Western Australia on 19.5.1997 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice J Panizza (deceased). Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 2001. Retired with the expiration of term 2008.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 23.8.1999 to 30.6.2008.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 27.5.1997 to 7.12.1999; Electoral Matters served from 21.10.1997 to 30.6.1999; National Capital and External Territories served as Chair from 8.12.1999 to 17.10.2007
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 27.5.1997 to 9.11.1998; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 29.5.1997 to 3.12.1998; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.6.1997 to 3.6.1997; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.6.1997 to 10.6.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.6.1997 to 12.6.1997; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 26.6.1997 to 25.8.1997; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 23.9.1997 to 1.10.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 21.10.1997 to 1.7.2002; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.11.1997 to 10.11.1997; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.11.1997 to 14.11.1997; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 14.5.1998 to 11.3.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.6.1998 to 12.6.1998; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 3.12.1998; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 7.6.1999 to 10.6.1999; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 30.6.1999 to 21.6.2000; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 30.6.1999 to 1.7.2002; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 31.8.1999 to 1.7.2002; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.12.1999 to 1.12.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.12.1999 to 2.12.1999; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.12.1999 to 2.12.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 13.4.2000 to 9.5.2000; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.5.2000 to 4.5.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 21.6.2000 to 22.6.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 24.6.2000 to 7.11.2000; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.6.2002 to 21.6.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.11.2002 to 21.11.2002; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.11.2002 to 21.11.2002; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 12.9.2006 to 11.2.2008
• Senate Select: Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served from 22.4.1999 to 17.2.2000; 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
• Senate Standing: Publications served as Chair from 30.6.1999 to 30.6.2002; Senators' Interests served from 6.11.2000 to 30.6.2008; House served from 1.7.2002 to 11.2.2008; Publications served from 1.7.2002 to 1.7.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation General Assembly, Malaysia, August 1998.
• Delegate to the 44th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, New Zealand, October 1998.
• Delegate to the 20th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation Conference, Philippines, September 1999.
• Attended official meetings in Cambodia, September 1999.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Antarctica, January 2000.
• Parliamentary delegation member to India and Bangladesh, November 2000.
• Attended study tour in Chile, New Zealand and Argentina from May to June 2001.
• Attended official meetings in Indonesia and South Korea, July 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the USA, Belgium and UK, September 2002.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Iran and Jordan from October to November 2002.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, December 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands from April to May 2004.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Russia from April to May 2005.
• Attended official meetings in Italy from April to May 2005.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Fiji, November 2006.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Malaysia and Indonesia, August 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 19.05.1997 to 30.06.2008

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Country League Port Lincoln Branch (SA) from 1957 to 1967.
• Member of the Liberal Party (WA) from 1967.
• Member of the Liberal Party Kalgoorlie Central Division (WA) from 1968 to 1972.
• Member of the Liberal Party Kalgoorlie-Boulder Committee (WA) from 1968 to 1972.
• Member of the Liberal Party Perth Central Branch (WA) from 1972 to 1974.
• Member of the Liberal Party Perth Branch (WA) from 1974 to 1984.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Mines, Fuel and Energy Sub-committee from 1981 to 1983.
• Member of the Liberal Party Sandstone Branch (WA) from 1983 to 1989.
• Member of the Liberal Party Moore Division (WA) from 1989.
• Patron of the Young Liberal Movement (WA) from 1998.

Other positions

• Joint National Patron of the Extremely Disabled War Veterans' Association of Australia.
• Patron of the Totally and Partially Disabled Veterans of Western Australia.
• Director of the European Foundation International Advisory Committee.
• Life Fellow of the International Biographical Association (Cambridge).
• Life Member of the Australian Defence Association.
• Chair of the Australian/Iraqi Parliamentary Friendship Group.
• Justice of the Peace.

Personal

• Born: 11.8.1936, Port Lincoln, Australia
• Died: 11.1.2024
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Mounted police officer from 1959 to 1962.
• Adelaide School of Mines from 1963 to 1964.
• Kalgoorlie School of Mines from 1967 to 1968.
• Mining and exploration from 1968 to 1993.
• Pastoralist and grazier from 1972 to 1992.
• Member of the Legislative Assembly (WA) from 1986 to 1989.
• Member of the Legislative Council (WA) from 1993 to 1997.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Murchison-Eyre, 1986. Resigned 4.2.1989.
• Elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council for the North Metropolitan Region, 1993. Retired prior to general elections 1997.

Military Service

• National Service: 43/48 Infantry Battalion 1953-56.

Honours

• Appointed a Knight of Grace of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, 1995.
• Awarded the Anniversary of National Service Medal, 2003.