Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2019.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.8.2020 to 1.9.2020.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.7.2022.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Road Safety served from 15.6.2021 to 25.3.2022
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 22.7.2019 to present; National Broadband Network served from 22.7.2019 to 11.4.2022
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 21.10.2021 to 11.4.2022; Public Accounts and Audit served from 28.7.2022 to present
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 11.2.2020 to 17.6.2020; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.2.2020 to 24.3.2020; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.12.2020 to 25.7.2022; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2022 to 14.2.2022; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to present; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to 1.8.2022; Education and Employment: References served from 28.7.2022 to 1.8.2022; Education and Employment: References served as Deputy Chair from 2.8.2022 to 11.10.2024; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Chair from 2.8.2022 to 11.10.2024; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 30.3.2023 to 16.10.2023; Education and Employment: References served from 11.10.2024 to 3.11.2024; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 11.10.2024 to 3.11.2024; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Chair from 3.11.2024 to present; Education and Employment: References served as Deputy Chair from 3.11.2024 to present
• Senate Select: Tobacco Harm Reduction served from 8.10.2020 to 18.12.2020; Job Security served from 10.12.2020 to 16.12.2020; Job Security served as Chair from 17.12.2020 to 30.3.2022; COVID-19 served from 21.10.2021 to 7.4.2022; Cost of Living served from 27.10.2022 to 30.3.2023; Australia's Disaster Resilience served from 1.12.2022 to 8.12.2022; Australia's Disaster Resilience served as Deputy Chair from 8.12.2022 to present; Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements served from 6.9.2023 to 9.10.2023; Adopting Artificial Intelligence served as Chair from 27.3.2024 to present; Impact of Climate Risk on Insurance Premiums and Availability served from 16.5.2024 to 20.5.2024; Impact of Climate Risk on Insurance Premiums and Availability served as Deputy Chair from 20.5.2024 to present
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 28.7.2022 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2019 to present

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (NSW).
• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1988.
• Senior Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party (NSW) from 2011 to 2015.

Other positions

• Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery from 24.7.2022.

Personal

• Born: 26.8.1961, Caringbah, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
• Secretary of the Transport Workers' Union of Australia (NSW) from 1999 to 2008.
• National Secretary of the Transport Workers' Union of Australia from 2006 to 2019.
• Chair of the Road Transport Section of the International Transport Workers' Federation from 2014 to 2019.