Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Cowper, New South Wales, 1984. Re-elected 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1998. Retired prior to general elections 2001.

Parliamentary positions

• Deputy Chairman of Committees from 8.5.1990 to 21.2.1994.
• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 21.2.1994 to 29.1.1996.
• Deputy Speaker from 30.4.1996 to 8.10.2001.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Publications served from 8.10.1987 to 19.2.1990; Industry, Science and Technology served from 29.5.1989 to 19.2.1990; Selection served from 15.5.1990 to 6.5.1996; Long Term Strategies served from 1.6.1990 to 8.2.1993; House served from 21.8.1990 to 8.10.2001; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 11.10.1990 to 7.3.1991; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served as Deputy Chair from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Procedure served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Selection served as Chair from 7.5.1996 to 8.10.2001
• Joint Select: Tenure of Appointees to Commonwealth Tribunals served from 12.4.1989 to 30.11.1989
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 20.10.1987 to 19.2.1990; National Capital and External Territories served from 30.4.1996 to 8.10.2001
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 28.2.1985 to 8.2.1993; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 30.8.1994 to 29.1.1996; Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 8.2.1999 to 8.3.1999

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the South Pacific Conference, November 1986.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa, June 1988.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, April 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Caledonia, April 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the USA and Canada from March to April 1995.
• Attended study tour in the USA from April to May 1999.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the Philippines and Japan from May to June 1999.
• Attended study tour in China, September 1999.
• Attended official meetings in the Cook Islands and Tonga from November to December 1999.
• Attended study tour in China, May 2000.
• Attended study tour in the UK, November 2000.
• Delegate to the 9th Annual Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, Chile, January 2001.
• Attended official meetings in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia, April 2001.
• Delegate to the 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Organisation General Assembly, Thailand, September 2001.
• Attended official meetings in Singapore, September 2001.

Parliamentary party positions

• National Party of Australia. Served: 01.12.1984 to 08.10.2001
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the National Party from 12.5.1989 to 11.4.1990.
• National Party Spokesman on Health from 30.4.1987 to 6.8.1987.
• National Party Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives from 11.4.1990 to 29.4.1996.

Party positions

• Member of the National Party Research Committee (NSW) from 1980 to 1981.
• Member of the National Party Campaign Committee (NSW) from 1980 to 1984.
• Member of the National Party Central Council (NSW) from 1980 to 1985.
• Chair of the National Party Coffs Harbour State Electorate Council (NSW) from 1980 to 1985.
• Member of the National Party Central Executive (NSW) from 1980 to 1985.
• Campaign Director of the National Party for Coffs Harbour (NSW), 1981.
• Chair of the National Party Transport and Communications Policy Committee from 1983 to 1985.
• Campaign Director of the National Party for Coffs Harbour (NSW), 1984.

Other positions

• Convener of the Australian Parliamentary Antarctic Alliance from 1987.
• Member of the Parliamentary Art Collection Advisory Committee from 1993.
• Chair of the Parliamentary Education Office Advisory Committee from 1996.

Personal

• Born: 19.2.1934, Newcastle, Australia
• Died: 3.10.2023
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Station-hand, overseer and manager at a sheep and cattle property from 1956 to 1959.
• Packaging consultant from 1959 to 1961.
• Executive Officer and Secretary of the New England New State Movement from 1961 to 1964.
• Administrator in the Department of University Extension at the University of New England from 1965 to 1968.
• Newspaper proprietor and editor at Armidale (NSW), 1968.
• Management and marketing positions from 1969 to 1976.
• Publisher and public relations consultant from 1976 to 1984.

Local Government service

• Alderman, Armidale City Council from 1962 to 1964.

Military Service

• CMF 1952-54.

Electorate

• Name: Cowper
• Location: New South Wales north coast; it includes the centres of Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo, Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, South West Rocks, Urunga and Woolgoolga.
• Area: 10,788 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 79,213 (at 3.10.1998)
• Industries: Forestry, bananas, sugar, vegetables, dairy cattle and tourism.
• Includes: Cowper includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Coffs Harbour, and parts of Clarence and Oxley.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2005.

Publications

• The Banana Coast Murray Child and Co. French's Forest, NSW 1978.
• Timbertown Murray Child and Co. French's Forest, NSW 1978.
• Coffs Harbour - The Natural Growth Centre Garry Nehl and Associates 1979.
• The Pacific Highway towards 2001, Garry Nehl, Coffs Harbour, NSW: 1986.