Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 2013. Re-elected 2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Northern Australia from 18.2.2016 to 19.7.2016.
• Minister for Resources and Northern Australia from 19.7.2016 to 25.7.2017.
• Cabinet Minister from 19.7.2016 to 25.7.2017.
• Cabinet Minister from 27.10.2017 to 3.2.2020.
• Minister for Resources and Northern Australia from 27.10.2017 to 3.2.2020.

Committee service

• Senate Select: Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures (formerly Abbott Government's Budget Cuts) from 17.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Wind Turbines from 27.11.2014 to 3.8.2015; Murray-Darling Basin Plan from 25.6.2015 to 23.2.2016; Unconventional Gas Mining from 12.11.2015 to 23.2.2016; Administration of Sports Grants from 5.2.2020 to 18.3.2021; Tobacco Harm Reduction from 7.10.2020 to 18.12.2020; Job Security from 10.12.2020 to 30.3.2022 (Deputy Chair from 17.12.2020 to 30.3.2022).
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Economics: Legislation from 1.7.2014 to 23.2.2016; Environment and Communications: Legislation from 1.7.2014 to 3.3.2015; Economics: References from 1.7.2014 to 23.2.2016; Education and Employment: Legislation from 2.9.2021 (Chair from 2.9.2021); Education and Employment: References from 2.9.2021 (Deputy Chair from 2.9.2021).
• Joint Statutory: Human Rights from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Public Works from 1.7.2014 to 2.3.2015; Public Works from 4.3.2015 to 4.2.2016.
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 1.7.2014 to 4.2.2016; National Disability Insurance Scheme from 1.7.2014 to 15.6.2015; Northern Australia from 18.6.2020.
• Joint Select: Northern Australia from 1.7.2014 to 23.2.2015.

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals Party Whip in the Senate from 10.9.2015 to 9.5.2016.
• Deputy Leader of The Nationals in the Senate from 2.7.2019.

Personal

• Born 17.12.1980, Southport, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Queensland).
• BEc(Hons) (University of Queensland).
• Senior Research Economist at the Productivity Commission from 2003 to 2008.
• Senior Executive at KPMG from 2008 to 2009.
• Director of the Productivity Commission from 2009 to 2010.
• Chief of Staff to Senator B Joyce from 2010 to 2013.