Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Menzies, Victoria, at by-election 11.5.1991, vice the Hon. NA Brown, QC (resigned). Re-elected 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Member, Speaker's Panel from 4.3.98 to 8.10.01 and from 18.2.08 to 23.2.10.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Ageing from 26.11.01 to 7.10.03.
• Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 7.10.03 to 30.1.07.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service from 7.10.03 to 30.1.07.
• Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from 30.1.07 to 3.12.07.
• Minister for Social Services from 18.9.13 to 23.12.14.
• Minister for Defence from 23.12.14 to 21.9.15.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Long Term Strategies from 21.6.91 to 8.2.93; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 19.12.91 to 8.2.93 and from 30.5.96 (Chair from 30.5.96) to 8.10.01 and from 11.3.08 to 3.2.10; Privileges from 25.6.92 to 8.10.01; Members' Interests from 14.10.96 to 8.10.01; Family and Community Affairs from 8.12.98 to 8.10.01; Family, Community, Housing and Youth from 3.2.10 to 19.7.10; Health and Ageing from 11.3.08 to 10.11.08; Economics from 10.11.08 to 3.2.10; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 3.2.10 to 19.7.10; Privileges and Members' Interests from 14.9.16.
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 8.12.98 to 11.2.02.
• Joint Standing: Treaties from 11.3.08 to 10.11.08; Migration from 22.10.15 to 9.5.16; National Disability Insurance Scheme from 5.9.16 (Chair from 5.9.16); Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings from 14.9.16; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 14.9.16.
• Joint Select: Certain Family Law Issues from 26.5.93 to 28.11.95; Intelligence Services from 28.6.01 to 27.8.01.
• House of Representatives Select: Intergenerational Welfare Dependence from 28.6.18.

Parliamentary party positions

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition from 7.8.92 to 7.4.93; Shadow Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training from 7.4.93 to 26.5.94; Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 26.5.94 to 11.3.96.
• Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 8.12.09 to 18.9.13. Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services from 8.12.09 to 18.9.13.

Party positions

• Chairman, Coalition's Federalism Taskforce from 6.4.08 to 16.9.08.
• Chairman, Coalition Policy Review Committee and Chairman, Coalition Policy Coordination Committee from 14.10.08 to 8.12.09.
• Deputy Chairman, Coalition Policy Development Committee from 8.12.09.

Personal

• Born 9.11.1955, Sale, Vic.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA, LLB (Melb), LLM (Monash).
• Research solicitor, Law Institute of Victoria 1980-81.
• Co-ordinator, Continuing Legal Education, Law Institute of Victoria 1981-83.
• Associate to the Hon. Sir James Gobbo, Supreme Court of Victoria 1983-85.
• Barrister-at-law, Victoria 1985-91.

Electorate

Description: outer metropolitan.
Location: eastern Melbourne; it includes the suburbs of Bulleen, Croydon Hills, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Donvale, Park Orchards, Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Warrandyte, Warrandyte South, and parts of Croydon North, Ringwood North, Warranwood and Wonga Park.
Area: 125 sq km (approx.).
Electors enrolled: 99 205 (at 2.7.16).
Industries: various light industries

Publications

• Rights and Freedoms in Australia (chapter, ed. J Wallace and T Pagone), Sydney: Federation Press, 1990.
• Trends in Biomedical Regulation (chapter, ed. H Caton), Sydney: Butterworths, 1990.
• Issues in Biomedical Ethics (chapter, ed. Dr CJ Vas and EJ de Souza), Delhi: Macmillan, 1990.
• The Heart of Liberalism: the Albury Papers (co-editor with K Aldred and P Filing), Mitcham, Vic: The editors, 1994.
• Changing Australia: social, cultural and economic trends shaping the nation (co-author with M Curtis), Sydney: Federation Press, 1998.