Senator the Hon Bill Heffernan

Contact details

Biography

In this section:

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Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 18.9.1996 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice ME Baume (resigned) (term ended 30.6.1999). Elected 1998 (term began 1.7.1999), 2004 and 2010.

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Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet) from 21.10.98 to 19.3.02.

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Committee service

• Senate Standing: Procedure from 13.2.97 to 30.11.00; Selection of Bills from 13.2.97 to 9.11.98; Appropriations and Staffing from 5.4.00 to 11.2.08; House from 12.5.08.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration: Legislation Committee from 9.10.96 to 9.11.98 and from 1.7.02 to 1.7.05 and References Committee from 1.7.02 to 1.7.05; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References Committee from 14.10.96 to 9.11.98, from 1.7.02 to 11.9.06 and from 14.5.09 and Legislation Committee from 19.6.02 to 24.6.02, from 1.7.02 to 11.9.06 and from 14.5.09; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport from 11.9.06 to 14.5.09; Economics: References Committee from 4.9.97 to 3.12.98; Community Affairs: Legislation Committee from 28.8.02 to 3.12.03.
• Senate Select: Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy from 8.7.98 to 9.11.98; A Certain Maritime Incident from 11.3.02 to 20.3.02; Administration of Indigenous Affairs from 17.6.04 to 8.3.05; Agricultural and Related Industries from 14.2.08 (Chair from 14.2.08) to 23.9.10.

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Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK and the Netherlands, November-December 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to East Timor and Indonesia, September 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago and USA, July 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Malaysia and Thailand, August 2008.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Canada and Mexico, April 2009.

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Parliamentary party positions

• Deputy Government Whip in the Senate from 11.2.97 to 21.10.98.
• Chair, Prime Minister's Taskforce on Northern Australia, January-November 2007.

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Party positions

• President, Liberal Party (NSW) 1993-96 (formerly Vice-President).
• Country Representative, Liberal Party.
• Chair, Coalition Infrastructure, Rural and Regional Affairs Policy Committee from February 2008.

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Personal

• Born 3.3.1943, Junee, NSW.
• Married.

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Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Wool classing; welding (Wagga Technical College).
• Farmer.

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Local government service

• Councillor, Junee Shire Council 1981-96.
• President, Junee Shire Council 1989-90 and 1991-93.

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