Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 1987. Defeated at general elections 1990. Elected to the Senate for Victoria 1993. Re-elected 1998 and 2004. Defeated at general elections 2010.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 18.8.1993 to 1.5.1996.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 10.3.2009 to 30.6.2011.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served as Chair from 31.5.1996 to 30.6.1999; Treaties served from 14.2.2002 to 1.7.2002; Treaties served from 9.2.2006 to 17.10.2007; Parliamentary Library served from 23.3.2007 to 17.10.2007; Treaties served from 1.7.2008 to 29.9.2010; Treaties served as Deputy Chair from 30.9.2010 to 30.6.2011
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Securities served from 1.7.1993 to 29.1.1996; National Crime Authority served from 31.5.1996 to 8.10.2001; Australian Crime Commission served from 14.2.2002 to 6.12.2004; Intelligence and Security served from 8.9.2005 to 28.3.2006; Intelligence and Security served from 12.3.2008 to 30.6.2011
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group C served from 24.9.1987 to 7.5.1990; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 30.8.1993 to 2.9.1993; Estimates Group F served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group E served from 12.5.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 7.10.1987 to 30.6.1990; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 1.7.1993 to 15.7.1993; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 18.8.1993 to 9.10.1994; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 1.9.1994 to 30.3.1995; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 10.10.1994 to 17.10.1994; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 11.10.1994 to 30.3.1995; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 17.10.1994 to 19.10.1995; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 2.5.1996 to 1.7.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 8.5.1996 to 25.3.2002; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.7.1996 to 12.8.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.1.1997 to 24.1.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.2.1997 to 14.2.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 13.2.1997 to 14.2.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.3.1997 to 4.3.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.10.1997 to 24.10.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.11.1997 to 13.11.1997; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.1997 to 20.11.1997; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served as Substitute member from 22.2.1999 to 22.2.1999; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 12.3.1999 to 12.3.1999; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 12.5.1999 to 30.6.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.6.1999 to 10.6.1999; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.12.1999 to 1.12.1999; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.12.1999 to 3.12.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.6.2000 to 2.6.2000; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.11.2000 to 24.11.2000; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.2.2001 to 20.2.2001; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.5.2001 to 1.6.2001; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 21.9.2001 to 21.9.2001; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.2.2002 to 22.2.2002; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 1.7.2002 to 16.8.2005; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 18.10.2002 to 18.10.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2002 to 22.11.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2003 to 14.2.2003; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2003 to 14.2.2003; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.6.2003 to 6.6.2003; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.2.2004 to 16.2.2004; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.2.2004 to 20.2.2004; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 18.11.2004 to 9.2.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served from 11.9.2006 to 13.5.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served as Substitute member from 15.2.2007 to 16.2.2007; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 23.8.2007 to 23.8.2007; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 14.5.2009 to 30.6.2011; Economics: References served from 2.2.2010 to 30.6.2011
• Senate Select: Dangers of Radioactive Waste served from 23.3.1995 to 30.4.1996; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 22.5.1996 to 26.6.1997; Superannuation served from 29.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Information Technologies served from 1.9.1997 to 7.12.2000; Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served from 8.7.1998 to 17.2.2000
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 31.5.1989 to 30.6.1990; Procedure served from 2.5.1996 to 1.7.1996; Regulations and Ordinances served from 24.11.1998 to 31.3.1999; Selection of Bills served from 30.6.1999 to 15.11.2004; Privileges served from 31.8.1999 to 1.7.2002; Senators' Interests served from 19.8.2002 to 16.8.2005; Privileges served from 22.8.2003 to 22.12.2003; Selection of Bills served from 9.8.2005 to 7.2.2006; Selection of Bills served from 9.5.2007 to 11.2.2008; Publications served as Chair from 20.6.2007 to 11.2.2008; Privileges served from 13.2.2008 to 24.6.2009; Privileges served from 3.2.2010 to 30.6.2011

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 98th IPU Conference, Cairo, and bilateral visit to Kuwait, September 1997.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 99th IPU Conference, Namibia, and bilateral visits to Zimbabwe, Angola and Mozambique, April 1998.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 104th IPU Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, and bilateral visit to Vietnam, October 2000.
• Study tour, Turkey and Italy, April-May 2000.
• Study tour, East Timor, September 2000.
• Study tour, Indonesia, October 2000.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Institutions, Strasbourg, Belgium and Luxembourg, June 2000.
• Member, Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs Legislation visit to New Zealand, May 2001.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Egypt, August-September 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, November 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 112th IPU Conference, Manila, and bilateral visit to the Solomon Islands, March-April 2005.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 23.01.2006 to 30.06.2011
• The Nationals. Served: 11.10.2003 to 23.01.2006
• National Party of Australia. Served: 11.07.1987 to 30.06.1990, 01.07.1993 to 11.10.2003
• Nationals Whip in the Senate from 1.7.1999 to 3.2.2006.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 8.5.2007 to 3.12.2007.

Personal

• Born: 5.3.1957, Traralgon, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• CPA (CPA Australia).
• MASA (Australian Society of Accountants).
• BEc (Monash University).
• Company director.
• Member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board (Vic.) from 1986 to 1988.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Melbourne City Council from 1985 to 1988.