Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Toowoomba South from 24.3.2012. Resigned 29.4.2016.
• Federal: elected to the House of Representatives for Groom, Queensland, 2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government from 20.12.17.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture and Water Resources from 14.9.16; Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources from 14.9.16.
• Joint Standing: Public Accounts and Audit from 14.9.16; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 14.9.16.
• State: Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Committee for Education, Tourism and Small Business (Qld), 2015-16.
• House Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation from 13.6.17 (Chair from 13.6.17 to 20.12.17).

Parliamentary party positions

• State: Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Qld), 2012-15.
• Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation (Qld), 2015-16.

Party positions

• Member, Liberal National Party of Queensland.
• President, Young Nationals Townsville Branch 1987-88.

Personal

• Born 13.5.1965, Allora, Qld.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• B.Bus. (Marketing and Economics) (USQ).
• Dip. Export, (AIEx).
• MBA (Bond).
• Ph.D. (Agribusiness Management), (UQ).
• 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 2008-12.
• Chair, Toowoomba Regional Council Audit Committee, 2008-12.
• Corporate Services Portfolio Chair, Toowoomba Regional Council 2008-12.

Electorate

• Description: provincial.
• 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 2.7.16).
• Industries: agriculture, retailing, food processing, education, health and community services. Groom also includes the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey.