Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Lyons, Tasmania, 2016. Re-elected 2019 and 2022. Retired prior to general elections 2025.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Agriculture and Water Resources served from 22.7.2019 to 24.7.2019; Agriculture and Water Resources served as Deputy Chair from 25.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Communications and the Arts served from 28.7.2022 to 7.8.2022; Agriculture served from 28.7.2022 to 28.3.2025; Communications and the Arts served as Chair from 8.8.2022 to 28.3.2025
• Joint Standing: National Broadband Network served from 10.10.2016 to 3.6.2018; National Broadband Network served as Deputy Chair from 4.6.2018 to 12.9.2018; National Broadband Network served from 13.9.2018 to 11.4.2022
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served from 12.8.2024 to 28.3.2025

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.07.2016 to present

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Sorell-Tasman Branch (Tas.) from 2012 to 2016.

Personal

• Born: 1967, Coventry, England
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Eng) (Curtin University of Technology).
• Manager and kitchenhand at Hungry Jacks from 1982 to 1989.
• Supermarket shelf stacker and bar staff, 1984.
• Journalist for the Fremantle Herald from 1989 to 1991.
• Publications Officer for the Council of Social Service (ACT) from 1991 to 1992.
• Adviser to the Hon. L Price MP from 1992 to 1994.
• Editor of the Fremantle Herald from 1994 to 2007.
• Chief of Staff to the Hon. D Kerr SC MP from 2007 to 2008.
• Media Consultant from 2008 to 2016.

Electorate

• Name: Lyons
• Location: The Division of Lyons consists of the: Municipality of Break O'Day, Municipality of Brighton, Municipality of Central Highlands, Municipality of Derwent Valley, Municipality of Glamorgan-Spring Bay, Municipality of Kentish, Municipality of Meander Valley, Municipality of Northern Midlands, Municipality of Sorell, Municipality of Southern Midlands, Municipality of Tasman, part of the City of Clarence.
• Area: 35,722 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 79,625 (at 5.6.2019)
• Industries: Fishing, forestry, wool, cattle (dairy and beef), fruit, wine, hydro-power generation, mining and tourism.