Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 4.4.1989 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. A Gietzelt (resigned). Re-elected 1993, 1998, 2004 and 2010. Resigned 6.2.2015.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives from 27.6.1996 to 12.3.2008.
• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 1.7.2005 to 11.3.2008.
• Member of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives from 30.9.2010 to 6.2.2015.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Veterans' Affairs from 24.3.1993 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister for Defence Science and Personnel from 24.3.1993 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister for Sport and Territories from 1.3.1994 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister for Environment, Sport and Territories from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Cabinet Minister from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Cabinet Minister from 3.12.2007 to 14.9.2010.
• Special Minister of State from 3.12.2007 to 9.6.2009.
• Cabinet Secretary from 3.12.2007 to 9.6.2009.
• Vice-President of the Executive Council from 3.12.2007 to 14.9.2010.
• Minister for Defence from 9.6.2009 to 14.9.2010.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Intelligence Services served from 28.6.2001 to 27.8.2001; Parliamentary Budget Office served as Chair from 22.11.2010 to 23.3.2011
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 16.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Electoral Matters served from 27.11.1997 to 8.10.2001; Electoral Matters served from 9.3.2004 to 31.8.2004; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 30.9.2010 to 10.2.2011; Electoral Matters served from 4.12.2013 to 6.2.2015
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 26.6.1997 to 18.11.1997; Public Accounts and Audit served from 10.12.1998 to 12.10.2000; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Intelligence and Security served from 9.12.2005 to 17.10.2007; Intelligence and Security served from 16.11.2010 to 6.2.2015
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group D served from 14.4.1989 to 15.4.1989; Estimates Group E served from 6.9.1989 to 11.4.1991; Estimates Group A served from 23.4.1991 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group E served from 5.9.1991 to 6.9.1991
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 10.4.1989 to 3.5.1993; Community Affairs served from 12.4.1989 to 7.5.1990; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 11.5.1990 to 6.3.1991; Industry, Science and Technology served from 16.6.1992 to 23.6.1992; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.11.1996 to 1.11.1996; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.11.1996 to 8.11.1996; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.9.1997 to 30.9.1997; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 4.12.1997 to 14.5.1998; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 24.11.1998 to 3.12.1998; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.9.1999 to 19.12.1999; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 21.10.1999 to 22.11.1999; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 14.4.2000 to 14.4.2000; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.5.2000 to 2.5.2000; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 13.2.2002 to 15.11.2004; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2002 to 22.11.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 8.3.2005 to 18.8.2005; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 6.3.2014; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 11.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 30.9.2010 to 1.7.2011; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.7.2014 to 6.2.2015; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 1.7.2014 to 6.2.2015
• Senate Select: Health Legislation and Health Insurance served from 16.6.1989 to 24.8.1990; Political Broadcasts and Political Disclosures Bill served from 16.8.1991 to 28.11.1991; Subscription Television Broadcasting Services served from 26.6.1992 to 16.9.1992; Functions, Powers and Operation of the Australian Loan Council served from 10.11.1992 to 8.2.1993; A Certain Maritime Incident served from 14.2.2002 to 23.10.2002; Scrafton Evidence served from 30.8.2004 to 9.12.2004
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 30.5.1989 to 7.5.1990; Parliamentary Library served from 11.5.1990 to 3.5.1993; Scrutiny of Bills served from 11.5.1990 to 24.8.1990; Selection of Bills served from 20.2.1991 to 3.5.1993; Procedure served from 18.5.1993 to 11.11.2013; Appropriations and Staffing served from 30.4.1996 to 11.11.2013; Parliamentary Library served from 22.4.1999 to 11.2.2002; Parliamentary Library served from 18.11.2004 to 11.2.2008; Privileges served as Chair from 18.11.2004 to 11.2.2008; Privileges served from 30.9.2010 to 6.2.2015; Procedure served from 11.2.2014 to 6.2.2015; Senators' Interests served from 1.7.2014 to 6.2.2015

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visits to France, August-September 1993.
• Official visits to USA, May 1994.
• Official visits to USA and Canada, August 1994.
• Official visits to New Zealand, October 1994.
• Official visits to Germany, April 1995.
• Official visits to USA, April 1995.
• Official visits to Switzerland, July 1995.
• Official visits to Indonesia, November 1995.
• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• Study tour, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France and UK, December 1999-January 2000.
• Study tour, UK, December 2002-January 2003.
• Study tour, the Netherlands, Belgium and Afghanistan, June 2009.
• Study tour, Singapore, July 2009.
• Study tour, Timor-Leste, October 2009.
• Study tour, Slovakia and India, October 2009.
• Study tour, USA, November 2009.
• Study tour, Afghanistan, November 2009.
• Study tour, Turkey, February 2010.
• Study tour, USA, April 2010.
• Study tour, United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, April 2010.
• Study tour, Japan, May 2010.
• Study tour, Singapore, Belgium, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, June 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 04.04.1989 to 06.02.2015
• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 19.3.1996 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 19.3.1996 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Social Security from 20.3.1996 to 27.3.1997.
• Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services from 27.3.1997 to 26.8.1997.
• Shadow Minister for Public Administration, Government Services and Territories from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Olympic Coordination and the Centenary of Federation from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Home Affairs from 25.11.2001 to 18.2.2003.
• Shadow Special Minister of State from 18.2.2003 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Home Affairs from 18.2.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Accountability from 8.12.2003 to 22.10.2004.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 12.2.1991 to 24.3.1993.
• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (NSW) from 1975.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (NSW) from 1978 to 1989.
• Assistant General Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (NSW) from 1980 to 1989.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 1982.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 1989 to 2009.
• President of the Australian Labor Party from April 2007 to February 2008.

Personal

• Born: 12.4.1954, Leeton, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (Macquarie University).
• BA (Macquarie University).
• Teacher in Special Education from 1977 to 1979.
• Research officer for the Minister for Sport and Recreation (NSW), 1980.
• Party official from 1980 to 1989.

Publications

• True believers: the story of the federal parliamentary Labor Party, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW: 2001.