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.