Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Everton, 2009. Defeated at general elections 2012.
• Federal: Elected to the Senate for Queensland 2016. Re-elected 2022.

Ministerial appointments

• Cabinet Minister from 1.6.2022.
• Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 1.6.2022 to 29.7.2024.
• Minister for Emergency Management from 1.6.2022 to 29.7.2024.
• Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 29.7.2024.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Trade and Investment Growth served from 11.10.2016 to 12.10.2016; Trade and Investment Growth served as Deputy Chair from 13.10.2016 to 8.2.2018; Trade and Investment Growth served from 9.2.2018 to 1.7.2019
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Financial Services served from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 12.9.2016 to 11.4.2019
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: References served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 15.9.2016 to 2.12.2016; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 13.5.2020; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 2.7.2019 to 12.6.2020; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 5.2.2020 to 1.6.2022
• Senate Select: National Integrity Commission served from 9.2.2017 to 13.9.2017; Red Tape served from 30.3.2017 to 3.12.2018; Future of Work and Workers served from 19.10.2017 to 19.9.2018; Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda served from 22.7.2019 to 24.7.2019; Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda served as Chair from 25.7.2019 to 28.4.2021; COVID-19 served from 8.4.2020 to 7.4.2022
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.07.2016 to present
• Shadow Minister for Northern Australia from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management from 2.6.2019 to 28.1.2021.
• Shadow Minister for Disaster and Emergency Management from 28.1.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister for Queensland Resources from 28.1.2021 to 23.5.2022.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Mitchelton Branch (Qld).
• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1990.
• President of Young Labor (Qld), 1998.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Qld) from 2003 to 2009.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Qld) from 2008 to 2010.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2011.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Everton State Electorate Council (Qld) from 2012 to 2015.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Policy Coordination Council from 2012 to 2016.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Qld) from 2013 to 2016.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2015.

Personal

• Born: 20.1.1973, Brisbane, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom (University of Queensland).
• LLB (University of Queensland).
• Articled Clerk at Blake Dawson Waldron Solicitors from 1997 to 1999.
• Associate to the Hon. P Gray at the Federal Court of Australia from 1999 to 2000.
• Solicitor at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and Reidy and Tonkin from 2000 to 2002.
• Chief of Staff to the Premier A Bligh (Qld) from 2002 to 2007.
• Director of Policy Development at the Department of State Development (Qld) from 2007 to 2008.
• Executive Director of Policy Development at the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Qld) from 2008 to 2009.
• Senior Associate at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers from 2012 to 2016.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Everton, 2009. Defeated at general elections 2012.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Health from 9.4.2009 to 3.3.2011.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Treasurer and Minister for State Development from 3.3.2011 to 23.3.2012.