Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Corio, Victoria, 1993. Re-elected 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Defeated at general elections 2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Recent Australian Bushfires served from 27.3.2003 to 5.11.2003
• House of Representatives Standing: Industry, Science and Technology served from 12.5.1993 to 31.8.1998; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Long Term Strategies served from 26.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 17.11.1997 to 31.8.1998; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Parliamentary Library served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Official Delegation to 15th AIPO General Assembly and bilateral visits, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia, September-October 1994.
• Attended 50th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence, August 1995.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to OECD Paris, Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea, June-July 1996.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, November 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Malaysia and Japan, April 2006.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 13.03.1993 to 18.10.2007
• Independent. Served: 18.10.2007 to 24.11.2007
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition from 20.3.1996 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Primary Industries from 27.3.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government from 25.11.2001 to 23.8.2002.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories, Local Government and Tourism from 23.8.2002 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Local Government and Housing from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 2.7.2003 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries from 8.12.2003 to 10.12.2006.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Vic.).
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1976.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Colac Branch (Vic.), 1985.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Colac Branch (Vic.) from 1987 to 1988.

Other positions

• Member of the Amnesty International Parliamentary Group.

Personal

• Born: 2.12.1947, Colac, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (University of New England).
• BEc (Monash University).
• Farmer.
• High school teacher.
• Electorate officer to the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce, Senator the Hon. J Button from 1990 to 1993.

Local Government service

• Member, Colac City Council from 1989 to 1992.

Electorate

• Name: Corio
• Location: southern Victoria; it includes the centres of Anakie, Avalon, Batesford, Bell Park, Bell Post Hill, Breakwater, Clifton Springs, Corio, Curlewis, Drysdale, Fyansford, Geelong East, Geelong North, Geelong West, Hamlyn Heights, Herne Hill, Lara, Leopold, Manifold Heights, Moolap, Newcomb, Newtown, Norlane, North Shore, Rippleside, St Albans Park, Thomson and Whittington.
• Area: 815 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 88,186 (at 9.10.2004)
• Industries: stevedoring, vehicle manufacturing plant and vehicle components, glass works, aluminium smelter, petroleum refinery, woollen mills, saltworks, dairy, poultry and mussel farming, fishing, wood chipping, wool scouring, fertiliser refining, tourism, tannery, carpet, clothing, shoes, chemical production and aeronautical services.
• Includes: Corio includes parts of the Victorian Legislative Assembly electorates of Bellarine, Geelong and Lara.