Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Chifley, New South Wales, 1984. Re-elected 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007. Retired prior to general elections 2010.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Advisory Council for Inter-Government Relations from 13.3.1985 to 1986.
• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 1.12.2004 to 19.7.2010.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 19.2.2002 to 31.8.2004.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 4.6.1991 to 27.12.1991.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 27.12.1991 to 24.3.1993.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Aboriginal Education served from 22.3.1985 to 26.11.1985
• House of Representatives Standing: Aboriginal Affairs served from 28.2.1985 to 14.4.1986; House served from 8.10.1987 to 21.6.1991; Employment, Education and Training served from 8.10.1987 to 15.5.1990; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 20.4.1988 to 19.2.1990; Employment, Education and Training served as Chair from 16.5.1990 to 6.6.1991; Employment, Education and Training served from 7.6.1991 to 21.6.1991; Banking, Finance and Public Administration served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Procedure served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Televising of the House of Representatives served from 26.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Privileges served from 24.11.1993 to 9.5.1994; Employment, Education and Training served from 9.2.1995 to 2.5.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 17.11.1997 to 31.8.1998; Procedure served as Deputy Chair from 8.12.1998 to 1.12.2004; Family and Community Affairs served from 19.8.2003 to 31.8.2004; Selection served from 16.11.2004 to 17.10.2007; Science and Innovation served from 2.12.2004 to 8.5.2007; Procedure served from 2.12.2004 to 19.7.2010; Privileges served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Publications served from 2.12.2004 to 16.6.2005; House served from 2.12.2004 to 19.7.2010; Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation served from 6.9.2005 to 17.10.2007; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010
• Joint Select: Certain Family Law Issues served as Chair from 26.5.1993 to 6.6.1995; Certain Family Law Issues served from 7.6.1995 to 28.11.1995; Republic Referendum served from 9.6.1999 to 9.8.1999
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 26.5.1993 to 31.5.1995; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Chair from 1.6.1995 to 17.6.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 18.6.1996 to 31.8.2004; Migration served from 10.5.2005 to 6.9.2005
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 28.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 15.5.1990 to 21.6.1991; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 26.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 18.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Public Works served from 28.8.2008 to 19.7.2010

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to India and Sri Lanka, November 1986.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to 13th General Assembly of AIPO, Jakarta, Indonesia, and bilateral visits to Thailand and Papua New Guinea, September-October 1992.
• Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to 13th General Assembly of AIPO, Jakarta, Indonesia, and bilateral visits to Papua New Guinea, November 1992.
• Leader, Official Delegation to the European Parliamentary Institutions and bilateral visit to France, September-October 1994.
• Joint Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Germany, Belgium, UK, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Austria, September 1995.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to 42nd CPA Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and bilateral visits to India and Pakistan, August-September 1996.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visit to Papua New Guinea, March 1999.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visit to East Timor, December 1999.
• Deputy Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Hungary and Poland, October 2000.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visit to New Zealand, April 2003.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visits to Indonesia, December 2003.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visit to the Solomon Islands, December 2003.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visits to Indonesia, February 2004.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 118th IPU Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, and bilateral visit to Jordan, April 2008.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Austria, Serbia and Switzerland, October 2008.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Ethiopia and Switzerland, April 2009.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland, October 2009.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Thailand, Hong Kong and China, March-April 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.12.1984 to 19.07.2010
• Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives from 22.10.2004 to 17.10.2007.
• Government Chief Whip in the House of Representatives from 3.12.2007 to 19.7.2010.

Other positions

• Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Reform from 1990 to 1991.
• Chair of the Parliamentary Education Office Advisory Committee from 1990 to 1991.
• Chair of the Presiding Officers' Information Technology Advisory Group from 11.7.1993 to 7.2.1995.

Personal

• Born: 26.11.1945, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Dip.Tech(PubAdmin) (NSW Institute of Technology).
• Account Manager at Telecom.
• Deputy Chair of Mt Druitt Hospital from 1980 to 1985.
• Member of the Mt Druitt Technical College Advisory Committee from 1980 to 1986.

Local Government service

• Alderman, Blacktown City Council from 1981 to 1987.
• Deputy Mayor, Blacktown City Council from 1984 to 1985.

Electorate

• Name: Chifley
• Location: western outskirts of Sydney; it includes the suburbs of Arndell Park, Bidwell, Blackett, Dharruk, Dean Park, Doonside, Emerton, Glendenning, Hassall Grove, Hebersham, Lethbridge Park, Mt Druitt, Oakhurst, Plumpton, Rooty Hill, Ropes Crossing, Shalvey, Tregear, Whalan, Willmot, Woodcroft and parts of Blacktown, Eastern Creek and Marayong.
• Area: 76 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 92,569 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: light manufacturing and service industries.
• Includes: Chifley includes parts of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates of Blacktown, Londonderry and Mt Druitt and Riverstone.