Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of Western Australia on 2.5.2012 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice J Adams (deceased). Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 19.9.2018 to 12.2.2019.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Privileges from 13.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; House from 14.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Procedure from 14.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Procedure from 1.9.2016 to 10.9.2018; Privileges from 1.9.2016; Appropriations, Staffing and Security from 22.6.2017 to 13.2.2019; House from 10.9.2018; Selection of Bills from 10.9.2018; Procedure from 13.2.2019; Appropriations, Staffing and Security from 2.7.2019; Publications from 2.7.2019 to 14.10.2019; Scrutiny of Bills from 2.7.2019; Senators' Interests from 2.7.2019.
• Senate Select: National Broadband Network from 2.12.2013 to 4.2.2016; Abbott Government's Commission of Audit from 12.12.2013 to 18.6.2014; Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures (formerly Abbott Government's Budget Cuts) from 17.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Red Tape from 24.11.2016 to 17.8.2017; Exposure Draft of the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill from 1.12.2016 to 15.2.2017; Funding for Research into Cancers with Low Survival Rates from 1.12.2016 to 28.11.2017; National Integrity Commission from 15.2.2017 to 13.9.2017; Lending to Primary Production Customers from 22.6.2017 to 17.8.2017; Electric Vehicles from 27.6.2018 to 30.1.2019; Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda from 24.7.2019.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation from 9.5.2012 to 4.2.2016; Community Affairs: References from 9.5.2012 to 1.7.2014; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation from 13.11.2013 to 23.2.2016; Finance and Public Administration: References from 13.11.2013 to 23.2.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation from 12.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 12.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Economics: Legislation from 23.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Economics: References from 23.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation from 1.9.2016; Environment and Communications: References from 9.2.2017 to 21.3.2018 (Substitute member from 9.2.2017 to 21.3.2018); Economics: References from 3.4.2017 to 3.4.2017 (Substitute member from 3.4.2017 to 3.4.2017).
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 9.5.2012 to 9.5.2016; Human Rights from 20.8.2012 to 9.5.2016 (Chair from 11.2.2014 to 18.3.2015); Public Works from 2.3.2015 to 9.5.2016 (Chair from 4.3.2015 to 9.5.2016); Public Works from 12.9.2016 to 22.3.2018; Public Accounts and Audit from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019 (Chair from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019); Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings (formerly Broadcasting) from 13.2.2019 to 1.7.2019.
• Joint Standing: Treaties from 9.5.2012 to 1.7.2014; National Broadband Network from 10.9.2012 to 5.8.2013; National Disability Insurance Scheme from 2.12.2013 to 1.7.2014; Northern Australia from 12.9.2016; National Broadband Network from 15.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 22.6.2017 to 1.7.2019 (Chair from 16.10.2018 to 24.10.2018); Migration from 22.7.2019 to 14.10.2019; Parliamentary Library from 22.7.2019 (Chair from 22.7.2019).
• Joint Select: Northern Australia from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Trade and Investment Growth from 25.9.2014 to 9.5.2016; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme from 11.11.2019 (Chair from 5.12.2019).

Parliamentary party positions

• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 13.10.2015 to 9.5.2016.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 30.8.2016 to 21.1.2019.
• Chief Government Whip in the Senate from 22.1.2019.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party (WA) from 1987.
• President of the Young Liberal Movement (WA) from 1990 to 1991.
• Member of the Young Liberal Movement Federal Executive from 1990 to 1991.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (WA) from 1990 to 1994.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (WA) from 2007 to 2017.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (WA) from 2007 to 2012.
• Treasurer of the Liberal Party State Branch (WA) from 2008 to 2012.
• Member of the Liberal Party Management Executive (WA) from 2008 to 2012.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Federal Council from 2008 to 2012.
• Patron of the Young Liberal Movement from 2013.
• Vice-Patron of the Young Liberal Movement (WA) from 2013.

Personal

• Born 15.5.1969, Perth, Australia
• Single

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• GradDipFS (Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance).
• BA(Hons) (University of Western Australia).
• Manager of Parliamentary and Policy for the Liberal Party Federal Secretariat from 1996 to 1998.
• Principal Policy Adviser to the Premier (WA) from 1998 to 2001.
• Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister from September to October 1998.
• Chief of Staff to the Minister for Ageing from 2001 to 2002.
• Special Adviser to the Minister for Justice and Customs, 2002.
• General Manager for Government Relations at IAG from 2002 to 2004.
• Head of Insurance Strategy at IAG from 2004 to 2005.
• General Manager of Government Affairs at SingTel Optus from 2005 to 2009.
• Owner of Smith&Duda Consulting from 2011 to 2012.

Honours

• Distinguished Service Award, Liberal Party of Australia 2011.