Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 1993. Re-elected 1998. Resigned 27.7.2001.

Committee service

• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 20.10.1997 to 27.7.2001
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Rural and Regional Affairs served from 1.7.1993 to 9.10.1994; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 18.8.1993 to 9.10.1994; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 23.6.1994 to 27.6.1994; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 11.5.1995; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 27.7.2001; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 10.10.1994 to 8.5.1996; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 30.3.1995 to 29.1.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Chair from 9.5.1996 to 28.6.2001; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 15.10.1996 to 12.5.1999; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 4.3.1997 to 19.6.1997; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.10.1997 to 27.10.1997; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 24.3.1998 to 9.11.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.2.1999 to 31.3.1999; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 29.6.2001 to 27.7.2001
• Senate Select: Superannuation served from 28.10.1993 to 1.7.1996; Unresolved Whistleblower Cases served from 1.12.1994 to 26.10.1995; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 22.5.1996 to 15.10.1996; Victorian Casino Inquiry served from 1.7.1996 to 5.12.1996; New Tax System served as Substitute member from 3.3.1999 to 3.3.1999

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Official Delegation to 92nd IPU Conference, Denmark and bilateral visits to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, August-September 1994.
• Study tour to UK, July 1996.
• Member, Official Australian Observer Mission to the Indonesian Elections, June 1999.
• Study tour, UK and Ireland, July-August 2000.
• Member, Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs Legislation visit to New Zealand, May 2001.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Democrats. Served: 01.07.1993 to 27.07.2001
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Australia's Security (including Defence), Rural Australia (including Primary Industry), Social Security and Tourism from 1.7.1993 to 7.12.1995.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Australia's Security (including Defence and Peace), Rural Australia, Social Security, Consumer Affairs and Tourism from 7.12.1995 to 30.6.1996.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Family Services (excluding Youth), Rural Australia, Social Security, Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel from 1.7.1996 to 25.2.1997.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Family Services and Aged Care, Rural Australia, Social Security, Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel from 25.2.1997 to 20.10.1997.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and Reconciliation, Family Services (including Aged Care and Child Care), Children, Regional Development (excluding Local Government), Rural Australia and Transport from 20.10.1997 to 1.1.1999.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Aged Care, Agriculture, Children, Family and Community Services (including Child Care and Child Support) and Indigenous Affairs, Reconciliation, Regional Services and Transport from 1.1.1999 to 1.7.1999.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Aged Care, Agriculture, Children, Family and Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and Regional Services from 1.7.1999 to 14.2.2001.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Agriculture, Children, Family and Community Services (including Child Care and Child Support), Indigenous Affairs and Regional Services from 14.2.2001 to 27.7.2001.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Democrats from 1981.
• Ombudsman of the Federal Australian Democrats from 1988 to 1991.
• President of the Australian Democrats (Qld) from 1991 to 1993.

Other positions

• President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship.
• Minister of Methodist and Uniting Churches from 1962.
• Director for Social Responsibility in the Uniting Church from 1977 to 1984.
• Chaplain of the Queensland University of Technology from 1988 to 1993.

Personal

• Born: 9.2.1938, Brisbane, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BTh (Brisbane College of Theology).
• LTh (Melbourne College of Divinity).
• Clerk from 1953 to 1959.

Military Service

• Royal Australian Naval Reserve (National Service), 1957-59.

Publications

• Bulldust and Spinifex, Redland Printery. Brisbane: 1973.
• Technicolour Fantasy, Uniting Church. Brisbane: 1982.
• Uniting Church and Aboriginal Land Rights, Uniting Church. Brisbane: 1983.
• Aboriginal land rights, missionary policy and the gospel, Nungalinya College, Casuarina, NT: 1984.