Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Merthyr, 1989.
• Federal: Chosen by the Parliament of Queensland on 29.10.2002 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. J Herron (resigned). Resigned 11.4.2007.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Ageing from 27.1.2006 to 21.3.2007.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 18.11.2002 to 9.2.2006
• Joint Statutory: Australian Crime Commission served as Chair from 6.12.2004 to 27.1.2006
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 18.11.2002 to 7.2.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.2002 to 20.11.2002; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 15.8.2003 to 15.8.2003; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.11.2005 to 15.11.2005
• Senate Select: Ministerial Discretion in Migration Matters served as Deputy Chair from 24.6.2003 to 31.3.2004; Lindeberg Grievance served from 1.4.2004 to 15.11.2004
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 18.11.2002 to 9.2.2006

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visits to Japan and USA, June 2006.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 29.10.2002 to 11.04.2007
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation.
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Transport, Regional Services, Territories and Local Government.
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Communications and Information Technology.
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Health and Ageing.
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Small Business, Tourism and the Arts.
• Member of the Government Policy Committee on Education, Science and Training.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (Qld) from 1984 to 1996.
• President of the Young Liberals (Qld) from 1985 to 1986.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Federal Council from 1985 to 1986.

Personal

• Born: 27.4.1956, Sicily, Italy
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Queensland).
• BEc(Hons) (University of Queensland).
• Research officer for the Confederation of Industry (Qld) from 1981 to 1984.
• Private secretary to Senator W Parer from 1984 to 1986.
• Purchasing Executive at St Andrews Hospital from 1987 to 1989.
• Member of the Legislative Assembly (Qld) from 1989 to 2001.
• Business manager from 2001 to 2002.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Merthyr, 1989.
• Liberal Party Whip from February 1990 to September 1990.
• Liberal Party Spokesman on Emergency Services; Employment, Training and Industrial Relations; Youth, and Ethnic Affairs from February 1990 to September 1992.
• Spokesman on Police from February 1990 to August 1990.
• Coalition Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations from November 1992 to 19.2.1996.
• Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Clayfield, 1992. Defeated at general elections 2001.
• Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party from 24.9.1992 to 31.7.1995.
• Shadow Minister assisting for Ethnic Affairs from 2.8.1995 to 19.2.1996.
• Minister for Training and Industrial Relations from 26.2.1996 to 26.6.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Employment, Training and Industrial Relations from 2.7.1998 to 19.6.2000.
• Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 1.1.1999 to 7.6.2000.