Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Member of the Legislative Council (SA) from 2014 to 2020.
• Federal: Chosen by the Parliament of South Australia on 6.2.2020 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice C Bernardi (resigned). Elected to the Senate for South Australia, 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.8.2020 to 26.7.2022.
• Deputy President of the Senate from 26.7.2022.
• Chair of Committees from 26.7.2022.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Parliamentary Standards served from 29.3.2022 to 11.4.2022
• Joint Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 13.5.2021 to 11.4.2022; National Capital and External Territories served from 26.7.2022 to present; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 20.6.2023 to present
• Joint Statutory: Human Rights served from 11.2.2020 to 11.4.2022; Public Accounts and Audit served from 13.5.2021 to 11.4.2022; Law Enforcement served from 13.5.2021 to 11.4.2022; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 1.12.2021 to 2.12.2021; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served as Chair from 2.12.2021 to 11.4.2022
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation served from 11.2.2020 to 25.7.2022; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 1.8.2022 to present
• Senate Select: Impact of Climate Risk on Insurance Premiums and Availability served from 16.5.2024 to present
• Senate Standing: Privileges served from 20.10.2021 to 25.7.2022; Procedure served as Chair from 26.7.2022 to present; House served as Deputy Chair from 26.7.2022 to present; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served as Deputy Chair from 26.7.2022 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 06.02.2020 to present

Personal

• Born: 14.1.1966, Adelaide, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• (LLB) (University of Adelaide).
• (LLM) (University of Edinburgh).
• (MBA) (Australian Graduate School of Management).
• Solicitor in Legal Practice from 1989 to 1991.
• Senior Associate in Legal Practice from 1993 to 1996.
• Senior Executive in Financial Services from 1996 to 2011.
• Non-Executive Director in Financial Services from 2011 to 2014.
• Director of the International Centre for Financial Services, University of Adelaide, from 2012 to 2014.

State/Territory Government service

• Member of the Legislative Council (SA) from 2014 to 2020.
• President of the Legislative Council (SA) from 2018 to 2020.

Military Service

• Australian Army Reserve from 1993 to 2018.