Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 1990. Re-elected 1996, 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2016. Defeated at general elections 2019.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 1.7.2011 to 30.6.2019.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment from 11.11.1996 to 21.10.1998.
• Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government from 21.10.1998 to 26.11.2001.
• Minister for Forestry and Conservation from 26.11.2001 to 14.11.2002.
• Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation from 14.11.2002 to 27.1.2006.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Trade and Investment Growth served from 25.9.2014 to 9.5.2016
• Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory served from 6.5.1992 to 7.5.1992; National Capital served from 7.5.1992 to 8.2.1993; National Capital and External Territories served from 20.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 31.5.1996 to 25.11.1996; Treaties served from 23.3.2007 to 17.10.2007; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 30.9.2010 to 9.5.2016; National Broadband Network served from 3.3.2011 to 5.8.2013; Treaties served from 1.9.2016 to 30.6.2019; Northern Australia served from 12.9.2016 to 30.6.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 12.9.2016 to 10.9.2018; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Chair from 11.9.2018 to 6.10.2018; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 21.10.2018 to 24.10.2018; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Chair from 25.10.2018 to 30.6.2019
• Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority served from 31.5.1996 to 12.2.1997; Public Accounts served from 1.7.1996 to 29.11.1996; Australian Crime Commission served from 27.2.2006 to 28.2.2006; Australian Crime Commission served as Chair from 1.3.2006 to 17.10.2007; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served as Deputy Chair from 27.10.2010 to 16.3.2012
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group E served from 24.8.1990 to 5.3.1992; Estimates Group C served as Substitute member from 5.3.1992 to 20.8.1992; Estimates Group D served from 5.3.1992 to 20.8.1992; Estimates Group C served from 20.8.1992 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 20.8.1992 to 8.2.1993; Estimates Group E served from 6.5.1993 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group C served from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 24.8.1990 to 4.6.1992; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 11.9.1990 to 3.5.1993; Industry, Science, Technology, Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served as Substitute member from 18.5.1993 to 29.6.1994; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 10.10.1994 to 17.10.1994; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 2.5.1996 to 14.10.1996; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 2.5.1996 to 29.5.1997; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 8.5.1996 to 8.5.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 9.5.1996 to 27.5.1997; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 9.5.1996 to 14.12.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.5.1997 to 9.5.1997; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.2.2006 to 17.2.2006; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served as Substitute member from 1.3.2007 to 16.8.2007; Finance and Public Administration served from 23.3.2007 to 9.5.2007; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 17.8.2007 to 7.9.2007; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.10.2009 to 23.10.2009; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 13.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 13.11.2013 to 13.11.2013; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 14.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 6.10.2018; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 1.9.2016 to 6.10.2018; Economics: Legislation served from 12.9.2016 to 28.11.2016; Economics: References served from 12.9.2016 to 28.11.2016; Economics: References served from 15.2.2017 to 22.3.2018; Economics: Legislation served from 15.2.2017 to 22.3.2018; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 22.10.2018 to 30.6.2019
• Senate Select: State Government Financial Management served from 14.2.2008 to 20.2.2008; State Government Financial Management served as Chair from 21.2.2008 to 18.9.2008; National Broadband Network served from 26.6.2008 to 3.2.2010; Climate Policy served from 17.3.2009 to 15.6.2009; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 4.2.2010 to 17.6.2010; Fuel and Energy served from 18.3.2010 to 30.8.2010; Electricity Prices served from 3.10.2012 to 4.10.2012; Certain Aspects of Queensland Government Administration related to Commonwealth Government Affairs served from 1.10.2014 to 27.3.2015; Future of Work and Workers served from 16.11.2017 to 19.9.2018
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 24.8.1990 to 1.6.1992; Appropriations and Staffing served from 2.5.1996 to 1.7.2002; Senators' Interests served from 2.5.1996 to 6.11.2000; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 16.3.2012 to 11.11.2013; Scrutiny of Bills served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Privileges served from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Privileges served from 1.9.2016 to 6.10.2018; Privileges served from 21.10.2018 to 14.11.2018; Privileges served as Deputy Chair from 15.11.2018 to 30.6.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1990 to 30.06.2019
• Shadow Minister for Local Government and the Australian Capital Territory from 28.4.1992 to 26.5.1994.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 7.4.1993 to 11.3.1996.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Development from 26.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Shadow Minister for Infrastructure from 25.9.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia from 6.12.2007 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia from 8.12.2009 to 18.9.2013.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Defence Force and Defence Support from 14.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.

Party positions

• Vice-President of the Young Liberals Country Branch (Qld) from 1970 to 1971.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Burdekin Branch (Qld) from 1980 to 1983.
• Chair of the Liberal Party North Queensland Zone from 1985 to 1990.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (Qld.) from 1985 to 1990.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party (Qld.) from 1987 to 1990.

Personal

• Born: 29.11.1945, Brisbane, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Solicitor of the Supreme Court (Qld) and the High Court of Australia from 1969 to 1990.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Burdekin Shire Council from 1979 to 1990.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 12.6.2023.