Biography

Parliamentary service

• Declared elected 22.12.2017 as a Senator for New South Wales by the High Court of Australia, vice the Hon. F Nash (disqualified under section 44 of the Constitution). Defeated at general elections 2019. Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 14.11.2019 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. A Sinodinos (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales, 2022.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 5.2.2018 to 30.6.2019; Migration served from 5.2.2018 to 30.6.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 28.11.2019 to present
• Joint Statutory: Intelligence and Security served from 12.9.2018 to 30.6.2019
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education and Employment: Legislation served from 5.2.2018 to 3.4.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 5.2.2018 to 30.6.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 5.2.2018 to 9.10.2018; Education and Employment: References served from 5.2.2018 to 30.6.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 10.10.2018 to 22.10.2018; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 23.10.2018 to 30.6.2019
• Senate Select: Political Influence of Donations served from 5.2.2018 to 6.6.2018; Stillbirth Research and Education served from 28.3.2018 to 5.4.2018; Stillbirth Research and Education served as Deputy Chair from 6.4.2018 to 4.12.2018; Autism served from 28.11.2019 to 25.3.2022; Foreign Interference through Social Media served from 5.12.2019 to 9.12.2019; Foreign Interference through Social Media served as Deputy Chair from 10.12.2019 to 21.4.2022
• Senate Standing: Senators' Interests served from 5.2.2018 to 30.6.2019

Personal

• Born 11.4.1950, East Melbourne, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Graduate.
• BA (University of New South Wales).
• BEc (University of Queensland).
• Defence and Security Commentator.
• Consultant on Defence issues.
• Director, National Aerial Firefighting Centre.
• Co-author, Operation Sovereign Borders, 2013.
• Prime Minister's Special Envoy, Operation Sovereign Borders from 2013 to 2014.
• Special Adviser to the Defence Minister, 2014.

Military Service

• Major-General.
• Defence Materiel Advocate.
• Adviser, Vice Chief of the Defence Force on Joint Warfighting.
• Commander, Australian Defence Colleges.
• Officer, Australian Army.
• Chief of Operations, Coalition Forces, Iraq.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 1992.
• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 2000.

Publications

• Running the War in Iraq, HarperCollins, Sydney, 2008.