Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 13.10.2011 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. H Coonan (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2013. Re-elected 2016. Resigned 11.11.2019.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 27.6.2012 to 20.9.2012.

Ministerial appointments

• Assistant Treasurer from 18.9.2013 to 19.12.2014.
• Cabinet Secretary from 21.9.2015 to 24.1.2017.
• Cabinet Minister from 21.9.2015 to 20.12.2017.
• Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science from 24.1.2017 to 20.12.2017.

Acting Ministries

• Acting Minister for Sport from 9.1.2017 to 24.1.2017.
• Acting Minister for Health and Aged Care from 9.1.2017 to 24.1.2017.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 22.7.2019 to 11.11.2019
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 9.2.2012 to 11.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 9.2.2012 to 11.11.2013; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.2.2015 to 27.2.2015; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.2.2015 to 27.2.2015; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 3.3.2015 to 12.10.2015; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 3.3.2015 to 12.10.2015; Education and Employment: References served from 3.3.2015 to 12.10.2015; Economics: Legislation served from 13.2.2019 to 1.7.2019
• Senate Select: National Broadband Network served from 3.3.2015 to 12.10.2015
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 7.2.2013 to 11.11.2013; Privileges served from 2.7.2019 to 15.10.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 13.10.2011 to 11.11.2019
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition from 19.9.2012 to 18.9.2013.

Party positions

• Treasurer of the Liberal Party (NSW) from 2009 to 2011.
• President of the Liberal Party (NSW) from 2011 to 2012.

Personal

• Born: 25.2.1957, Newcastle, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom(Hons) (University of Newcastle).
• Graduate at the Department of Finance, 1979.
• Public servant at the Treasury Department from 1980 to 1987.
• Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. J Howard, MP from 1987 to 1989.
• Public servant at the Treasury Department from 1989 to 1995.
• Adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. J Howard, MP from 1995 to 1996.
• Senior Adviser and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, the Hon. J Howard, MP from 1996 to 2006.
• Banker from 2006 to 2011.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 9.6.2008.