Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of Victoria on 6.3.2019 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. J Collins (resigned). Elected to the Senate for Victoria 2019.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Parliamentary Standards served from 28.7.2022 to 1.8.2022
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 22.7.2019 to present; Treaties served from 5.12.2019 to 11.4.2022; Trade and Investment Growth served from 8.10.2020 to 11.4.2022; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 28.7.2022 to present
• Joint Statutory: Intelligence and Security served from 6.9.2022 to 8.10.2024; Intelligence and Security served as Chair from 8.10.2024 to present
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: References served from 5.12.2019 to 5.2.2020; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 17.3.2021 to 25.7.2022; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 17.3.2021 to 29.2.2024; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 21.10.2021 to 25.7.2022; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.2.2022 to 15.2.2022; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to 2.8.2022; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 28.7.2022 to 2.8.2022; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 1.8.2022 to present; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Deputy Chair from 3.8.2022 to present; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 3.8.2022 to present
• Senate Select: Temporary Migration served from 5.12.2019 to 11.12.2019; Temporary Migration served as Chair from 12.12.2019 to 1.9.2021; Foreign Interference through Social Media served from 29.11.2022 to 1.8.2023
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 2.7.2019 to 3.12.2019; Selection of Bills served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; Senators' Interests served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; House served from 2.7.2019 to present; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 2.7.2019 to present; Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation served from 4.12.2019 to 25.7.2022; Scrutiny of Bills served from 28.7.2022 to 2.8.2022; Scrutiny of Bills served as Deputy Chair from 3.8.2022 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 06.03.2019 to present
• Opposition Deputy Whip in the Senate from 1.7.2019 to 31.5.2022.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Multicultural Policy Caucus Committee from 17.9.2019 to 25.7.2022.
• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Country Caucus Committee from 1.6.2021 to 25.7.2022.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 31.5.2022.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 2000.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Vic.) from 2008.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Redistribution Committee (Vic.) from 2009.
• Proxy Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 2011 to 2023.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Officers Committee (Vic.) from 2014 to 2019.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Campaign Committee (Vic.) from 2014 to 2019.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Vic.) from 2016 to 2019.
• Junior Vice President of the Australian Labor Party (Vic.) from 2018 to 2019.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from August 2020.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 2023.

Other positions

• Vice-Chair of the Australia-Italy Parliamentary Country Group from 19.12.2019 to 21.5.2022.
• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Landcare from 17.8.2020.
• Chair of the Australia-Italy Parliamentary Country Group from 26.8.2022.
• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, Timber and Paper Products from 6.9.2022.
• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Red Meat from 27.9.2022.
• Chair of the Australia-United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Country Group from 20.3.2023.
• Chair of the Australia-Switzerland Parliamentary Country Group from 20.6.2023.
• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Fresh Produce from 2.8.2023.

Personal

• Born: 1.11.1983, East Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom(FinPlan) (Deakin University).
• BA(Pol&PubPol) (Deakin University).
• BA(Hons)(PolSci&Gov) (University of Melbourne).
• DipBus(Gov) (Institute of Community Directors Australia).
• Adviser to Senator the Hon. J Collins from 2008 to 2013.
• Director of the Link Health and Community Ltd. Board from 2010 to 2019.
• Industrial/Research Officer for the Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees Association (Vic.) from 2013 to 2019.
• Chair of the Link Health and Community Ltd. Board from 2017 to 2019.