Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Tamworth, 1991. Resigned 16.10.2001 to contest the House of Representatives division of New England, New South Wales.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for New England, New South Wales, 2001. Re-elected 2004, 2007 and 2010. Retired prior to general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 16.2.2012 to 5.8.2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry served from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Primary Industries and Resources served from 11.3.2008 to 19.7.2010; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Regional Australia served as Chair from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Select: Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation served from 13.9.2011 to 7.10.2011; Constitutional Recognition of Local Government served from 26.11.2012 to 7.3.2013
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 25.5.2011 to 9.12.2011

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to South Korea from February to March 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Independent. Served: 10.11.2001 to 05.08.2013

Personal

• Born: 2.9.1950, Quirindi, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEc (University of New England).
• Farmer.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Tamworth, 1991. Resigned 16.10.2001 to contest the House of Representatives division of New England, New South Wales.

Electorate

• Name: New England
• Location: northern New South Wales highlands; it includes the centres of Armidale, Barraba, Bundarra, Deepwater, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Guyra, Inverell, Manilla, Quirindi, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Uralla, Walcha, Werris Creek and parts of Delungra and Urbenville.
• Area: 59,344 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 99,677 (at 21.8.2010)
• Industries: cattle, sheep, grain, forestry, dairying, oats, maize, fruit, vegetables, tin-mining, bricks, trout hatchery, tourism, concrete pipe works, leather goods, tannery, gemstones, tobacco, lucerne, honey, grain processing, rubber industry, plaster works and concrete. The electorate also includes the University of New England.
• Includes: New England includes parts of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates of Lismore, Northern Tablelands, Oxley, Tamworth and Upper Hunter.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 7.6.2020.

Publications

• Windsor's way, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic, 2016.