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; Library from 16.9.2008 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: Australian Crime Commission from 1.9.2008 to 25.11.2010; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 14.5.2009 to 30.6.2011; Law Enforcement from 25.11.2010 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 30.6.2011.

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, Family First Party from 2004

Personal

• Born 17.10.1960, Melbourne, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• M.BA (Monash)
• B.E (RMIT)
• Engineer
• Executive