Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Toowoomba South, 2012. Resigned 29.4.2016 to contest the House of Representatives division of Groom, Queensland.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for Groom, Queensland, 2016. Re-elected 2019.

Ministerial appointments

• Cabinet Minister from 20.12.2017 to 28.8.2018.
• Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government from 20.12.2017 to 28.8.2018.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Public Accounts and Audit from 14.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 14.9.2016; National Capital and External Territories from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Public Works from 10.9.2018 (Chair from 13.9.2018); Treaties from 23.7.2019.
• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from 10.9.2018 to 29.11.2018.
• House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture and Water Resources from 14.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources from 14.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Indigenous Affairs from 11.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Tax and Revenue from 4.7.2019.
• House of Representatives Select: Regional Development and Decentralisation from 13.6.2017 to 28.6.2018 (Chair from 13.6.2017 to 20.12.2017).

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal National Party (Qld.).
• President of the Young Nationals Townsville Branch from 1987 to 1988.

Personal

• Born 13.5.1965, Allora, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• PhD (University of Queensland)
• BBus(Mktg&Ec) (University of Southern Queensland)
• DipExport (Australian Institute of Export)
• MBA (Bond University)
• Graduate Executive Trainee, Bank of Queensland, 1986
• Sales Representative, Elders Pastoral 1986-88
• Marketing Coordinator, Cargill Seeds Australia 1988-90
• Market Development Officer, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and International Food Institute of Queensland, 1990-92
• Managing Director, Ellis Foster McVeigh Pty Ltd (Management Consultants), 1992-2008

Local government service

• Councillor, Toowoomba Regional Council from 2008 to 2012.
• Elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Toowoomba South, 2012. Resigned 29.4.2016 to contest the House of Representatives division of Groom, Queensland.
• Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 3.4.2012 to 13.2.2015.
• Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation from 20.2.2015 to 29.4.2016.

Electorate

• Description: Groom
• Location: south-east Queensland, west of Brisbane; it includes the city of Toowoomba and the towns of Oakey and Pittsworth.
• Area: 5,594 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 101,512 (at 2.7.2016)
• Industries: agriculture, retailing, food processing, education, health and community services. Groom also includes the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey.