Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Wakefield, South Australia, 1983. Re-elected 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2001. Retired prior to general elections 2004.

Parliamentary positions

• Deputy Chairman of Committees from 26.2.1985 to 9.9.1985.
• Deputy Chairman of Committees from 23.5.1989 to 19.2.1990.
• Deputy Chairman of Committees from 4.5.1993 to 21.2.1994.
• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 21.2.1994 to 27.8.1997.
• Speaker of the House of Representatives from 10.11.1998 to 8.10.2001.
• Speaker of the House of Representatives from 12.2.2002 to 31.8.2004.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Publications served from 10.5.1983 to 26.10.1984; Aboriginal Affairs served from 10.5.1983 to 26.10.1984; Parliamentary Library served from 10.5.1983 to 26.10.1984; Aboriginal Affairs served from 8.10.1987 to 29.9.1988; Selection served from 15.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Finance and Public Administration served from 16.5.1990 to 28.11.1991; Banking, Finance and Public Administration served from 28.11.1991 to 8.2.1993; Selection served from 7.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Procedure served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 30.5.1996 to 29.9.1997; House served from 22.10.1997 to 7.12.1998; Parliamentary Library served as Chair from 3.12.1998 to 31.8.2004; House served as Chair from 8.12.1998 to 31.8.2004
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 28.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Public Works served from 12.5.1993 to 28.5.1996; Public Works served as Chair from 29.5.1996 to 20.8.1997; Public Works served from 21.8.1997 to 2.9.1997; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served as Chair from 8.12.1998 to 31.8.2004

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Biennial Parliamentary Exchange Visit to Japan, October 1983.
• Member, 25th South Pacific Conference, Honiara, September-October 1985.
• Member, 33rd CPA Conference, Kuala Lumpur, August-September 1987.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Parliamentary Institutions and Ireland, August-September 1991.
• Member, Official Delegation to Hong Kong and China, July 1994.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Poland, Hungary and Germany, September-October 1996.
• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• Attended meeting of the Standing Committee of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers, Ottawa, Canada, January 1999.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 101st IPU Conference, Brussels, Belgium and bilateral visit to Norway, April 1999.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Singapore, July 1999.
• Chair, 15th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers, Canberra, January 2000.
• Attended 3rd Meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments, Geneva, Switzerland and bilateral visits to Israel, Palestine and France, January-February 2000.
• Attended official centenary commemoration of the passage of Australia's Constitution, UK, and Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Ireland, July 2000.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 103rd IPU Conference, Amman, Jordan and bilateral visit to Tanzania, April-May 2000.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 104th IPU Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, and bilateral visit to Vietnam, October 2000.
• Attended meeting of the Standing Committee of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers, Tanzania, January 2001.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia, April 2001.
• Attended 2nd Annual Meeting, Pacific Islands Speakers Forum, Marshall Islands, and official visits to the Federated States of Micronesia and Guam, April 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to USA and Belgium, September 2002.
• Official visits to New Zealand, August 2000; China, Malaysia and Singapore, July-August 2002.
• Attended 16th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers, Botswana, January 2002.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to the 108th IPU Conference, Canada and Chile, March-April 2003.
• Official visit to New Zealand, June 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Italy, UK and Singapore, June-July 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Ukraine and Bulgaria, June-July 2004.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 05.03.1983 to 31.08.2004
• Opposition Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives from 9.9.1985 to 12.5.1989.
• Opposition Deputy Whip in the House of Representatives from 11.4.1990 to 7.4.1993.
• Government Chief Whip in the House of Representatives from 11.7.1997 to 18.10.1998.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party Rural Council Executive (SA).
• Chair of the Federal Coalition Primary Industry Committee.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Waikerie Branch (SA) from 1971 to 1974.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Chaffey State Electorate Council (SA) from 1972 to 1975.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Council (SA) from 1972.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Wakefield Federal Electorate Council (SA) from 1980 to 1982.

Personal

• Born: 7.6.1944, Waikerie, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Australian Nuffield Scholar in Agriculture.
• Horticulturist.
• Member, various horticultural commodity groups.
• Member, Rotary Group Study Exchange Team, Utah, USA 1970.
• Member, SA Advisory Board of Agriculture from 1973.
• Chair of the Advisory Board of Agriculture (SA) from 1980 to 1982.

Local Government service

• Councillor, District Council of Waikerie from 1976 to 1983.

Electorate

• Name: Wakefield
• Location: north and east of Adelaide, also incorporating Yorke Peninsula; it includes the towns of Angaston, Balaklava, Barmera, Berri, Gawler, Gumeracha, Kadina, Kapunda, Loxton, Minlaton, Moonta, Morgan, Mount Pleasant, Nurioopta, Renmark, Tanunda, Waikerie, Wallaroo, and Yorketown.
• Area: 31,841 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 86,378 (at 10.11.2001)
• Industries: mixed cereals and sheep farming, viticulture in the Barossa Valley and Riverland, and irrigated orcharding in the Riverland.
• Includes: Wakefield includes the South Australian House of Assembly electorates of Chaffey, and parts of Goyder, Kavel, Light, Napier, Schubert, Stuart and Taylor.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2008.