Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 1990. Re-elected 1996. Defeated at general elections 2001.

Committee service

• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group F served from 24.8.1990 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group D served from 6.5.1993 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 12.5.1994; Estimates Group B served from 8.2.1994 to 12.5.1994; Estimates Group B served as Substitute member from 12.5.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group E served from 12.5.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Employment, Education and Training served from 24.8.1990 to 9.10.1994; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 24.8.1990 to 3.5.1993; Rural and Regional Affairs served from 10.9.1991 to 9.10.1994; Economics: References served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 10.10.1994 to 30.6.2002; Employment, Education and Training: References served from 30.11.1994 to 29.4.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 8.3.1995 to 30.5.1995; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.6.1995 to 26.6.1995; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 8.5.1996 to 8.5.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Chair from 9.5.1996 to 19.6.2002; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 29.5.1996 to 31.10.1996; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 11.12.1998 to 15.2.1999; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 17.2.2000 to 8.3.2001; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2002 to 30.6.2002; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Chair from 24.6.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Select: Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served from 8.7.1998 to 22.4.1999
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 8.5.1996 to 30.6.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Official Delegation to Hong Kong and China, July 1994.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Hungary and Poland, October 2000.
• Study tour, Germany, Belgium, France and Italy, October-November 2000.
• Leader, Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs Legislation visit to New Zealand, May 2001.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 22nd AIPO General Assembly, Bangkok, Thailand and bilateral visit to Singapore, September 2001.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum, USA, January 2002.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1990 to 30.06.2002
• Secretary to the Shadow Cabinet from 7.4.1993 to 26.5.1994.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 26.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party State Council (WA), 1990.

Other positions

• Chair of the Western Australia State Government New Land Task Force.
• Chair of the Northern and Eastern Wheatbelt Task Force.
• Executive Member of the Western Australia Farmers' Federation from 1973 to 1989.
• President of the Western Australia Farmers' Federation from 1982 to 1989.
• Chair of Directors for Farmers Weekly from 1982 to 1989.
• Senior Vice-President of the National Farmers' Federation from 1987 to 1989.
• Director of the Special Buying Service from 1988.

Personal

• Born: 21.8.1941, Perth, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Farmer and grazier.