Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 2004. Re-elected 2010. Resigned 8.8.2013 to contest the House of Representatives division of New England, New South Wales. Elected to the House of Representatives for New England, New South Wales, 2013. Re-elected 2016. Election ruled void 27.10.2017 under section 44 (i) of the Constitution; ruled ineligible from 2.7.2016. Elected to the House of Representatives for New England, New South Wales at by-election 2017, vice the Hon. B Joyce (resigned). Re-elected 2019 and 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.6.2008 to 18.9.2008.

Ministerial appointments

• Cabinet Minister from 18.9.2013 to 27.10.2017.
• Minister for Agriculture from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources from 21.9.2015 to 27.10.2017.
• Deputy Prime Minister from 18.2.2016 to 27.10.2017.
• Minister for Resources and Northern Australia from 27.7.2017 to 27.10.2017.
• Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources from 6.12.2017 to 20.12.2017.
• Cabinet Minister from 6.12.2017 to 26.2.2018.
• Deputy Prime Minister from 6.12.2017 to 26.2.2018.
• Minister for Infrastructure and Transport from 20.12.2017 to 26.2.2018.
• Deputy Prime Minister from 22.6.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development from 22.6.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Cabinet Minister from 22.6.2021 to 23.5.2022.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Regional Australia served from 17.9.2019 to 22.6.2021
• House of Representatives Standing: Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources served as Chair from 1.3.2018 to 11.4.2019; Employment, Education and Training served from 4.7.2019 to 22.6.2021
• Joint Select: Parliamentary Budget Office served from 23.11.2010 to 23.3.2011; Broadcasting Legislation served from 14.3.2013 to 24.6.2013
• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 16.8.2005 to 11.3.2010
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 4.7.2019 to 22.6.2021; Public Accounts and Audit served from 27.8.2020 to 22.6.2021
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 16.8.2005 to 13.9.2005; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 16.8.2005 to 10.9.2006; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 6.9.2005 to 10.9.2006; Economics served from 11.9.2006 to 13.5.2009; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served as Substitute member from 1.3.2007 to 16.8.2007; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 17.8.2007 to 7.9.2007; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 5.2.2009 to 10.2.2009; Economics: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 2.2.2010; Economics: References served from 14.5.2009 to 2.2.2010
• Senate Select: Fuel and Energy served from 26.6.2008 to 18.3.2010
• Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 16.8.2005 to 11.2.2008

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 01.07.2005 to 08.08.2013, 07.09.2013 to 27.10.2017, 02.12.2017 to present
• Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction from 8.12.2009 to 25.3.2010.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 8.12.2009 to 18.9.2013.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Infrastructure and Water from 25.3.2010 to 14.9.2010.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water from 14.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
• Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs from 5.6.2022.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 5.6.2022.
• Leader of the Nationals in the Senate from 17.9.2008 to 8.8.2013.
• Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals from 13.9.2013 to 11.2.2016.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals from 11.2.2016 to 27.10.2017.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals from 6.12.2017 to 26.2.2018.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Nationals from 21.6.2021 to 30.5.2022.

Party positions

• Chair of the National Party Charleville Branch (Qld), 1995.
• Vice-Chair of the National Party Warrego State Electorate Council (Qld), 1995.
• Delegate to the Nationals' State Conference (Qld) from 1995.
• Delegate to the Nationals' Central Council from 2000.
• Member of the Nationals' Management Committee (Qld) from 2002 to 2005.
• Assistant Treasurer of the Nationals (Qld) from 2002 to 2005.
• Member of the Nationals' Federal Council, 2002.
• Chair of the Nationals' St George Branch (Qld) from 2003 to 2005.
• Acting Treasurer of the Nationals (Qld), 2004.

Other positions

• Paul Harris Fellow for the Rotary Foundation.

Personal

• Born: 1967, Tamworth, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BFA (University of New England).
• CPA (CPA Australia).
• FCPA (Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants).
• Farm worker from 1989 to 1991.
• Accountant from 1991 to 1994.
• Rural banker from 1994 to 1998.
• Self-employed accountant from 1998 to 2005.

Military Service

• Royal Queensland Regiment 1996-2001.

Electorate

• Name: New England
• Location: New England covers an area from the Queensland border in the north to Merriwa, Aberdeen and Scone in the south. The main towns include Aberdeen, Armidale, Ashford, Barraba, Bingara, Glenn Innes, Guyra, Inverell, Manilla, Merriwa, Murrurundi, Nundle, Quirindi, Scone, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Tingha, Urbenville and Walcha.
• Area: 66,394 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 111,893 (at 12.6.2019)
• Industries: Agriculture (cattle, sheep and chicken meat production and processing, grains, fruit and vegetables), healthcare, education and training (residential schools, university, TAFE, aviation), tourism, aviation industry, transport, country music, equestrian, retail trade, construction, manufacturing and coal mining.

Publications

• Weatherboard & iron: politics, the bush and me, New Holland Publishers, Chatswood, NSW: 2018.