Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Clarence, 1984. Resigned 31.1.1996 to contest the House of Representatives division of Page, New South Wales.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for Page, New South Wales, 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001 and 2004. Retired prior to general elections 2007.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 12.11.1998 to 8.10.2001.
• Deputy Speaker from 12.2.2002 to 17.10.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Recent Australian Bushfires served from 27.3.2003 to 5.11.2003
• House of Representatives Standing: Financial Institutions and Public Administration served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Parliamentary Library served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 22.10.1997 to 22.10.1997; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served as Chair from 23.10.1997 to 31.8.1998; Environment and Heritage served as Chair from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Selection served as Chair from 12.2.2002 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Select: Republic Referendum served from 2.6.1999 to 9.8.1999
• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 12.2.2002 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 18.6.1996 to 8.10.2001

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the 101st Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Belgium, April 1999.
• Attended official meetings in Norway, April 1999.
• Attended study tour in South America from July to August 2000.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia and Vietnam, September 2002.
• Delegate to the 4th Asian Parliaments for Peace General Assembly, the Philippines, September 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, December 2003.
• Delegate to the 17th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers, Canada, January 2004.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Ukraine and Bulgaria from June to July 2004.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Malta and Spain, April 2007.
• Attended official meetings in New Zealand and the Cook Islands, July 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 11.10.2003 to 17.10.2007
• National Party of Australia. Served: 02.03.1996 to 11.10.2003

Party positions

• Member of the National Party from 1965.

Personal

• Born: 19.10.1940, Maclean, Australia
• Died: 27.4.2020
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Farmer and director.
• President of the Cane Growers' Association, Clarence River (NSW).
• Director of the Iluka Bowling Club (NSW).
• Director of the Sugar Milling Cooperative (NSW).
• Member of the Cane Growers' Council (NSW).

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Clarence, 1984. Resigned 31.1.1996 to contest the House of Representatives division of Page, New South Wales.
• Shadow Minister for Natural Resources from 1985 to 1988.
• Minister for Natural Resources from 25.3.1988 to 24.6.1990.
• Minister for Water Resources from 24.7.1990 to 6.6.1991.
• Chief Secretary from 24.7.1990 to 6.6.1991.
• Minister for Natural Resources from 6.6.1991 to 26.5.1993.
• Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries from 26.5.1993 to 4.4.1995.
• Minister for Mines from 26.5.1993 to 4.4.1995.

Electorate

• Name: Page
• Location: New South Wales north coast; it includes the centres of Ballina, Casino, Grafton, Evans Head, Iluka, Kyogle and Lismore.
• Area: 16,682 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 85,019 (at 9.10.2004)
• Industries: dairy and beef cattle, pigs, maize, tropical fruit, sugar cane, fishing, prawning, oysters, butter and dairy factories, timber mills, several abattoirs and tourism.
• Includes: Page includes parts of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates of Ballina, Clarence and Lismore.