Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Tasmania 2004. Re-elected 2010 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 28.9.2010 to 11.11.2013.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 25.11.2019.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library from 1.7.2005 to 7.12.2005; Publications from 1.7.2005 to 28.2.2007; Procedure from 12.11.2013 to 11.2.2014; Scrutiny of Bills from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016 (Chair from 11.2.2014 to 9.5.2016); Scrutiny of Bills from 1.9.2016 (Chair from 1.9.2016); Publications from 2.7.2019.
• Senate Select: State Government Financial Management from 14.2.2008 to 18.9.2008.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation from 1.7.2005 to 11.9.2006; Community Affairs: References from 1.7.2005 to 11.9.2006; Community Affairs from 11.9.2006 to 30.6.2008; Finance and Public Administration from 12.2.2008 to 14.5.2009 (Chair from 13.2.2008 to 14.5.2009); Finance and Public Administration: Legislation from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013 (Chair from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013); Finance and Public Administration: References from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013; Community Affairs: References from 3.12.2015 to 9.5.2016 (Substitute member from 3.12.2015 to 9.5.2016); Community Affairs: References from 15.9.2016 to 20.6.2017 (Substitute member from 15.9.2016 to 20.6.2017); Community Affairs: References from 16.8.2017 to 3.4.2019 (Substitute member from 16.8.2017 to 3.4.2019); Community Affairs: Legislation from 5.12.2019.
• 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 1.7.2005 to 5.8.2013; 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 4.7.2019.
• Joint Standing: Migration from 6.12.2006 to 30.6.2008; Electoral Matters from 30.9.2010 to 5.8.2013.
• Joint Select: Australia's Family Law System from 15.10.2019.

Parliamentary party positions

• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 27.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Ageing from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania) from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Tas.).
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Tas.) from 1984.
• President of the Australian Labor Party State Branch (Tas.) from 1992 to 1995.

Personal

• Born 9.2.1957, Ulverstone, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipBA (Launceston Business College).
• Adviser to the Premier, the Hon. J Bacon, MHA (Tas.) from 1998 to 2004.
• Adviser to the Premier, the Hon. P Lennon, MHA (Tas.), 2004.