Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Lyne, New South Wales, 2013. Re-elected 2016, 2019 and 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 2.7.2019 to 8.7.2021.

Ministerial appointments

• Assistant Minister for Rural Health from 19.7.2016 to 24.1.2017.
• Assistant Minister for Health from 24.1.2017 to 20.12.2017.
• Assistant Minister for Children and Families from 20.12.2017 to 28.8.2018.
• Minister for Regional Health from 2.7.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment from 2.7.2021 to 23.5.2022.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Regional Australia served from 10.6.2020 to 2.7.2021
• House of Representatives Standing: Health served from 9.9.2015 to 9.5.2016; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 24.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Agriculture and Water Resources served from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources served from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Environment and Energy served as Chair from 12.2.2019 to 11.4.2019; Environment and Energy served from 2.7.2019 to 2.7.2021; Communications and the Arts served from 4.7.2019 to 23.7.2019; Communications and the Arts served as Chair from 24.7.2019 to 2.7.2021; Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water served as Deputy Chair from 2.8.2022 to present
• Joint Select: Australia Fund Establishment served from 25.9.2014 to 23.10.2014
• Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Trade and Investment Growth served from 14.2.2023 to present
• Joint Statutory: Human Rights served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit served from 22.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit served from 4.7.2019 to 2.7.2021; Public Accounts and Audit served from 1.8.2022 to 14.2.2023

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 07.09.2013 to present
• Deputy Leader of the House from 2.7.2021 to 11.4.2022.

Personal

• Born: 20.12.1957, Canberra, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• MBBS (University of Sydney).
• FRACP (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
• Cattle producer.
• Small business manager and company director.
• Gastroenterologist and consultant physician from 1991 to 2013.
• Director of Physician Training at Port Macquarie Base Hospital from 1997 to 2010.

Electorate

• Name: Lyne
• Location: Lyne covers an area from Ballengarra in the north to Paterson and Karuah in the south and inland to the western boundaries of the Shires of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie ? Hastings, Gloucester, Dungog and Maitland (part). The main towns include Bonny Hills, Bulahdelah, Dungog, Forster, Gloucester, Gresford, Harrington, Hawks Nest, Lake Cathie, Lansdowne, Laurieton, Nabiac, North Haven, Old Bar, Paterson, Smiths Lake, Stroud, Taree and Wauchope.
• Area: 16,099 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 118,726 (at 6.6.2019)
• Industries: Timber, beef/dairy cattle, mixed farming, fishing and oyster farming, boat building, engineering, mining and tourism.