Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the South Australian House of Assembly for Playford, 1989. Resigned September 1997 to become Senator for South Australia.
• Federal: Appointed by the Governor of South Australia on 18.9.1997 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice D Foreman (resigned). Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1998. Resigned 15.8.2000.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 8.12.1998 to 15.8.2000
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 23.9.1997 to 15.8.2000; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 1.12.1997 to 9.11.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 24.11.1998 to 3.12.1998; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 2.9.1999 to 29.6.2000
• Senate Select: Information Technologies served as Deputy Chair from 23.9.1997 to 31.8.1998; Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served from 8.7.1998 to 10.7.1998; Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served as Chair from 11.7.1998 to 17.2.2000
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 23.9.1997 to 3.3.1998; Scrutiny of Bills served from 23.9.1997 to 9.11.1998; Selection of Bills served from 24.11.1998 to 15.8.2000

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the 6th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum meeting, South Korea, January 1998.
• Delegate to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Organisation General Assembly, Malaysia, August 1998.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Papua New Guinea, March 1999.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 18.09.1997 to 15.08.2000
• Opposition Deputy Whip in the Senate from 20.10.1998 to 15.8.2000.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1979.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Foreign Affairs and Defence National Consultative Committee from 1984 to 1986.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1986.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party State Executive (SA) from 1986 to 1991.
• Delegate of the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1988.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1991.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1994.

Personal

• Born: 9.9.1950, Birkenhead, England
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (University of Adelaide).
• BA (University of Adelaide).
• Truck driver.
• Builders labourer.
• Night telephone operator.
• Radio and television valve salesman.
• Teacher from 1973 to 1985.
• Private Secretary to Senator D Foreman from 1985 to 1989.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the South Australian House of Assembly for Playford, 1989. Resigned September 1997 to become Senator for South Australia.
• Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services, Correctional Services, Infrastructure, Assisting Treasury Matters, 1994.
• Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Mines and Energy, Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, 1994 to 1997.
• Shadow Minister for State Services from 1994 to 1995.
• Shadow Minister for Correctional Services from 1995 to 1997.