Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Braddon, Tasmania, 1998. Re-elected 2001. Defeated at general elections 2004. Elected to the House of Representatives for Braddon, Tasmania, 2007. Re-elected 2010. Defeated at general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 14.2.2008 to 7.2.2012.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 14.12.2011 to 18.9.2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Primary Industries and Regional Services served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Publications served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Education and Training served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Education and Training served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Primary Industries and Resources served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Publications served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Procedure served from 25.10.2010 to 7.2.2012; Regional Australia served as Deputy Chair from 25.10.2010 to 7.2.2012

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Nigeria and South Africa, October-November 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to China and Hong Kong, November 2009.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, November 2011.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 03.10.1998 to 09.10.2004, 24.11.2007 to 07.09.2013
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Resources from 25.11.2001 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Arts from 18.2.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 2.7.2003 to 22.10.2004.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industries from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Resources from 8.12.2003 to 22.10.2004.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1991.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Tas.) from 1992.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Don River Branch (Tas.) from 1992.
• Chair of the Australian Labor Party Braddon Federal Electorate Council (Tas.) from 1997.

Personal

• Born: 23.4.1951, Hobart, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons) (University of Tasmania).
• Senior secondary college teacher from 1975 to 1997.
• Electorate officer to Senator the Hon. N Sherry, 1998.
• Regional adviser to Senator the Hon. N Sherry from 2004 to 2007.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Central Coast Council from 1996 to 1998.

Electorate

• Name: Braddon
• Location: north-west and west Tasmania; it includes the cities of Burnie and Devonport, and the towns of Currie, Latrobe, Penguin, Queenstown, Rosebery, Smithton, Somerset, Stanley, Strahan, Ulverstone, Waratah, Wynyard and Zeehan. It also includes King Island.
• Area: 20,826 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 71,718 (at 7.9.2013)
• Industries: forestry, fishing, kelp harvesting, dairying, cheese, beef cattle production, vegetable growing and processing, poppies, pyrethrum, sawmills, paper mills, weaving mills, lead, zinc, iron ore, manufacturing, wind industry, telecommunications, ports, airports and tourism.
• Includes: Braddon is co-extensive with the Tasmanian House of Assembly electorate of the same name.