Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia on 16.2.1988, pursuant to Senate (Representation of Territories) Act 1973, to represent the Australian Capital Territory in the Senate, vice the Hon. S Ryan (resigned). Re-elected 1990, 1993. Resigned 6.2.1996 to contest the House of Representatives division of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Elected to the House of Representatives for Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 1996. Elected to the House of Representatives for Fraser, Australian Capital Territory, 1998, following electoral redistribution. Re-elected 2001, 2004 and 2007. Retired prior to general elections 2010.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 8.2.2005 to 6.2.2007.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer from 4.4.1990 to 24.3.1993.
• Minister for the Arts and Administrative Services from 24.3.1993 to 30.1.1994.
• Cabinet Minister from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.
• Minister for Administrative Services from 30.1.1994 to 25.3.1994.
• Minister for Trade from 30.1.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance from 3.12.2007 to 14.9.2010.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Financial Institutions and Public Administration served from 29.5.1996 to 17.11.1997; Privileges served from 2.12.2004 to 29.3.2007
• Joint Select: Corporations Legislation served from 20.10.1988 to 13.4.1989
• Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory served from 31.5.1989 to 19.2.1990
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 3.5.1989 to 19.2.1990; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 6.2.2001 to 8.10.2001; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 11.8.2003 to 31.8.2004; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account served from 2.12.2004 to 10.5.2005; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account served as Deputy Chair from 11.5.2005 to 23.3.2006
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group A served from 18.3.1988 to 7.5.1990
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 24.2.1988 to 7.5.1990; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 24.2.1988 to 7.5.1990
• Senate Select: Administration of Aboriginal Affairs served from 2.6.1988 to 2.6.1988; Administration of Aboriginal Affairs served as Chair from 3.6.1988 to 28.2.1989; Health Legislation and Health Insurance served from 16.6.1989 to 10.5.1990
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 24.2.1988 to 30.5.1989; Procedure served from 13.8.1991 to 3.5.1993

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, July-August 1988.
• Official visits to India and USA, April-May 1990.
• Official visits to New Zealand, June 1990.
• Official visits to USA, April-May 1991.
• Official visits to USA, April-May 1992.
• Official visits to USA, UK, Belgium, Germany and Indonesia, September 1993.
• Official visits to New Zealand, February 1994.
• Official visits to Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia, March 1994.
• Official visits to Morocco, Turkey, Greece and Saudi Arabia, April 1994.
• Official visits to Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico, May 1994.
• Official visits to Singapore, June 1994.
• Official visits to Indonesia, June 1994.
• Official visits to Republic of Korea, Japan and Singapore, July 1994.
• Official visits to Thailand, August 1994.
• Official visits to China, September 1994.
• Official visits to Indonesia, October 1994.
• Official visits to Indonesia, November 1994.
• Official visits to India, Jordan and Israel, February 1995.
• Official visits to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mauritius, March-April 1995.
• Official visits to New Zealand, April 1995.
• Official visits to Turkey, Middle East and Pakistan, April-May 1995.
• Official visits to France, Belgium, Switzerland, UK, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Philippines, May-June 1995.
• Official visits to Mexico, USA and Canada, July 1995.
• Official visits to Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, August-September 1995.
• Official visits to China and Hong Kong, September 1995.
• Official visits to Korea and Japan, October 1995.
• Official visits to Japan, Taiwan, Canada and USA, November 1995.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, December 1995.
• Study tour, UK, Ireland and Hong Kong, July 1999.
• Study tour, USA and Canada, May 2000.
• Study tour, UK and Hong Kong, July 2002.
• Study tour, New Zealand, March 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Fiji and Samoa, November 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to 112th IPU Conference, the Philippines, and bilateral visit to the Solomon Islands, March-April 2005.
• Attended IPU-UN Discussions, New York, June 2005.
• Official visits to France and UK, December 2007.
• Official visits to USA, January 2008.
• Official visits to Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati, February 2008.
• Official visits to Solomon Islands, February 2008.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, March 2008.
• Official visits to Vanuatu, March 2008.
• Official visits to Cambodia, April 2008.
• Official visits to New Zealand, April 2008.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, April 2008.
• Official visits to East Timor, May 2008.
• Official visits to Thailand and Myanmar, May 2008.
• Official visits to Vanuatu, June 2008.
• Official visits to France and Switzerland, June 2008.
• Official visits to New Zealand and the Cook Islands, July 2008.
• Official visits to Samoa, August 2008.
• Official visits to South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, August-September 2008.
• Official visits to Belgium, September 2008.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, November 2008.
• Official visits to Qatar, November-December 2008.
• Official visits to Indonesia, December 2008.
• Official visits to Bangladesh, December 2008-January 2009.
• Official visits to Egypt, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and UK, March 2009.
• Official visits to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand, April 2009.
• Official visits to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia and New Zealand, April-May 2009.
• Official visits to Japan and France, May 2009.
• Official visits to Samoa, June 2009.
• Official visits to USA, August-September 2009.
• Official visits to New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa, October 2009.
• Official visits to Cook Islands, October 2009.
• Official visits to Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa, November 2009.
• Official visits to Colombia, Jamaica, Barbados and USA, December 2009.
• Official visits to Japan, January 2010.
• Official visits to Vanuatu, February 2010.
• Official visits to Belgium and UK, March-April 2010.
• Official visits to Solomon Islands, April 2010.
• Official visits to Nepal and Bhutan, April 2010.
• Official visits to USA, June-July 2010.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, July 2010.
• Official visits to USA, July 2010.
• Official visits to Vanuatu, August 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 16.02.1988 to 06.02.1996, 02.03.1996 to 19.07.2010
• Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations from 20.3.1996 to 22.4.1997.
• Assistant to the Opposition Leader on Public Service Matters from 20.3.1996 to 27.3.1997.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and the Arts from 22.4.1997 to 7.10.1997.
• Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Finance and the Arts from 7.10.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Industry and Technology from 20.10.1998 to 5.9.2000.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Reconciliation from 5.9.2000 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for the Arts from 5.9.2000 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 5.9.2000 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Treasury, Finance and Small Business from 25.11.2001 to 6.12.2002.
• Shadow Minister for Treasury, Finance, Small Business and the Arts from 6.12.2002 to 18.2.2003.
• Shadow Treasurer from 18.2.2003 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Minister for the Arts from 18.2.2003 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Finance from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Secretary to the Shadow Cabinet from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Finance and Small Business from 8.12.2003 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Federal/State Relations from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for International Development Assistance from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 9.3.2007 to 3.12.2007.
• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 4.6.1991 to 24.3.1993.

Party positions

• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party (WA) from 1975 to 1981.
• Secretary of the Federal Australian Labor Party from 1981 to 1988.

Personal

• Born: 10.12.1947, Perth, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Western Australia).
• BEc (University of Western Australia).
• GradDipPubLaw (Australian National University).
• Party official and union official.

Electorate

• Name: Fraser
• Location: northern and central Canberra; it includes the central business district of Canberra, the suburbs of Ainslie, Barton, Braddon, Campbell, Dickson, Fyshwick, Griffith, Hackett, Kingston, Lyneham, Narrabundah, O'Connor and Watson, extending to Belconnen and Gungahlin. It also includes the southern coast district of Jervis Bay administered by the Australian Capital Territory.
• Area: 535 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 116,339 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: retail and service industries, government and administration, agriculture, light industry and tourism. Territory electorates:
• Includes: Canberra includes the ACT Legislative Assembly electorate of Ginninderra, and parts of Molonglo.

Publications

• The responsibilities of opposition, Australian National University, Canberra: 1999.