Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1993. Re-elected 1998 and 2004. Retired with the expiration of term 2011.

Parliamentary appointments

• President of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 26.11.2001 to 3.12.2007.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 11.3.1996 to 9.10.1997.
• Special Minister of State from 9.10.1997 to 21.10.1998.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister from 9.10.1997 to 21.10.1998.
• Minister for Industry, Science and Resources from 21.10.1998 to 26.11.2001.
• Cabinet Minister from 21.10.1998 to 3.12.2007.
• Minister for Finance and Administration from 26.11.2001 to 3.12.2007.
• Vice-President of the Executive Council from 18.7.2004 to 3.12.2007.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 19.8.1993 to 21.10.1997
• Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority served from 19.8.1993 to 7.10.1993; Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 6.10.1993 to 29.1.1996
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group D served as Substitute member from 19.8.1993 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group B served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 12.5.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Community Affairs: References served from 30.11.1994 to 29.4.1996; Economics: Legislation served from 9.9.1996 to 8.10.1996; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.9.1996 to 8.10.1996
• Senate Select: Certain Aspects of Foreign Ownership Decisions in relation to the Print Media served from 14.12.1993 to 30.3.1995
• Senate Standing: House served from 18.8.1993 to 29.4.1996; Regulations and Ordinances served from 18.8.1993 to 29.4.1996; Senators' Interests served from 24.3.1994 to 9.10.1994; Senators' Interests served as Chair from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Appropriations and Staffing served from 27.1.2006 to 3.5.2010; Procedure served from 27.1.2006 to 3.5.2010

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to France from September to October 1994.
• Delegate to the 41st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, Sri Lanka, October 1995.
• Parliamentary delegation member to India and Pakistan from August to September 1996.
• Attended official meetings in the Philippines, June 1998.
• Attended official meetings in Indonesia from February to March 1999.
• Attended official meetings in Japan and Taiwan, April 1999.
• Attended official meetings in the USA and Canada, July 1999.
• Attended official meetings in the USA from September to October 1999.
• Attended official meetings in China, January 2000.
• Attended official meetings in Papua New Guinea, March 2000.
• Attended official meetings in Germany and France, March 2000.
• Attended official meetings in Brazil, Chile and Argentina, February 2001.
• Attended official meetings in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Singapore, May 2001.
• Attended official meetings in East Timor, July 2001.
• Attended official meetings in South Africa from July to August 2001.
• Attended official meetings in Japan, France and UK, July 2002.
• Attended official meetings in Papua New Guinea, November 2002.
• Attended official meetings in China, Russia and the UK, December 2002.
• Attended official meetings in Switzerland, January 2003.
• Attended official meetings in the USA from September to October 2003.
• Attended official meetings in Papua New Guinea, December 2004.
• Attended official meetings in the USA, April 2005.
• Attended official meetings in the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, July 2005.
• Attended official meetings in New Zealand, November 2005.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Vietnam, September 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1993 to 30.06.2011
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition from 26.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 6.12.2007 to 3.5.2010.
• Shadow Minister for Defence from 6.12.2007 to 22.9.2008.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 6.12.2007 to 25.3.2010.
• Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Resources and Energy from 8.12.2009 to 25.3.2010.
• Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate from 7.10.2003 to 27.1.2006.
• Leader of the Government in the Senate from 27.1.2006 to 3.12.2007.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party Federal Secretariat from 1977 to 1983.
• Deputy Director of the Federal Liberal Party, 1983.
• Director of the Liberal Party (SA) from 1985 to 1993.
• Director of the Liberal Party Campaign Committee (SA) from 1985 to 1993.

Personal

• Born: 15.4.1953, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEc (Australian National University).
• LLB (Australian National University).
• Solicitor.
• Party official.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 10.6.2019.