Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 2004. Defeated at general elections 2010.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Selection of Bills from 9.5.2007 to 30.6.2011.
• Senate Select: Fuel and Energy from 1.7.2008 to 11.11.2008.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation from 10.8.2005 to 27.2.2006.
• Joint Statutory: Law Enforcement (formerly National Crime Authority from 15.6.1984 to 1.1.2003 and Australian Crime Commission from 1.1.2003 to 24.11.2010) from 1.9.2008 to 30.6.2011; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 14.5.2009 to 30.6.2011.
• Joint Standing: Parliamentary Library from 16.9.2008 to 30.6.2011; National Capital and External Territories from 25.10.2010 to 30.6.2011.
• Joint Select: Christmas Island Tragedy from 3.3.2011 to 29.6.2011.

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago and USA, July 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Brazil and Uruguay, June-July 2007.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, September-October 2008.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Ireland and Italy, June-July 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Family First Party from 1.7.2005 to 30.6.2011.
• Family First Party Whip in the Senate from 9.5.2007 to 30.6.2011.

Party positions

• Director of the Family First Party from 2004.

Other positions

• Member of the Presiding Officers' Information Technology Advisory Group from 24.6.2008.

Personal

• Born 17.10.1960, Melbourne, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BE (RMIT University).
• MBA (Monash University).
• Engineer.
• Executive.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Knox City Council.