Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Tamworth 25.5.1991. Resigned 16.10.2001.
• Federal: elected to the House of Representatives for New England, New South Wales, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Retired prior to general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member, Speaker's Panel from 16.2.12 to 5.8.13.

Committee service

• State: Member, Standing Committee on Public Works from 3.6.99 to 16.10.01.
• Federal: House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 20.3.02 to 17.10.07; Primary Industries and Resources from 11.3.08 to 19.7.10; Regional Australia from 25.10.10 to 5.8.13; Privileges and Members' Interests from 25.10.10 to 5.8.13.
• Joint Select: Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation from 15.9.11 to 7.10.11; Constitutional Recognition of Local Government from 26.11.12 to 5.8.13.

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Republic of Korea, February-March 2010.

Personal

• Born 2.9.1950, Quirindi, NSW.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEc (UNE).
• Farmer.
• Member, NSW Legislative Assembly 1991-2001 (see Parliamentary service above).

Electorate

Description: rural.
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 (approx.).
Electors enrolled: 99 677 (at 21.8.10).
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.
State electorates: New England includes parts of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates of Lismore, Northern Tablelands, Oxley, Tamworth and Upper Hunter.