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 Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 14.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Public Works from 10.9.2018 (Chair from 13.9.2018).
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 14.9.2016; National Capital and External Territories from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Treaties from 23.7.2019.
• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (2018) 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

• Name: Groom
• Location: The Division of Groom consists of part of the Toowoomba Regional Council.
• Area: 5,586 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 105,978 (at 7.6.2019)
• Industries: This area is noted for its rich and diverse range of products and industries including agriculture, retailing and food processing as well as for the provision of educational and community services. Toowoomba is known as the Garden City. The University of Southern Queensland is located in Toowoomba while the Army Aviation Centre is based at Oakey.