Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 2007 (term began 1.7.2008), 2013 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 15.6.09 to 28.9.10.
• President of the Senate from 13.11.17.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education from 18.9.13 to 23.12.14.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Training from 23.12.14 to 21.9.15.
• Assistant Cabinet Secretary from 21.9.15 to 18.2.16
• Minister for Vocational Education and Skills from 18.2.16 to 19.7.16.
• Minister Assisting the Cabinet Secretary from 19.7.16 to 24.1.17.
• Special Minister of State from 19.7.16 to 13.11.17.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cabinet from 24.1.17 to 13.11.17.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances from 18.11.10 to 11.11.13.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration from 1.7.08 to 14.5.09; Finance and Public Administration: References Committee from 14.5.09 to 27.9.10 (Chair from 1.2.10 to 27.9.10 ) and from 1.7.11 to 11.11.13 and Legislation Committee from 14.5.09 to 27.9.10 (Deputy Chair from 5.2.10 to 27.9.10) and from 7.7.11 to 11.11.13.
• Senate Select: Reform of the Australian Federation from 11.5.10 to 30.6.11; Australia's Food Processing Sector from 16.6.11 to 16.8.12.
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 24.6.09 to 5.8.13.

Parliamentary party positions

• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Fair Competition from 14.9.10 to 18.9.13.
• Assistant Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 30.9.15 to 19.7.16.

Party positions

• Delegate, State Council.
• Delegate, Federal Council 2007.
• Member, Liberal Party Futures Committee 2007-10.
• Honorary Life Member and President (1994), Melbourne University Liberal Club.
• Patron and Honorary Life Member, Australian Liberal Students' Federation.
• Member, Liberal Party (Vic.) from 1990.
• Member, Administrative Committee 2005-07; Vice-President (Metropolitan Male) 2006-07.
• Chair, Constitutional Committee 2004-08.

Personal

• Born 12.5.1973, Brisbane, Qld.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (Hons)(Melb.).
• Tutor, Dept of Political Science, University of Melbourne 1998-99.
• Dept of Industry, Tourism and Resources 1999.
• Office of the Leader of the Opposition (Vic.) 2000-02.
• GlaxoSmithKline Australia 2002-07.
• Consultant 2007-08.
• Research Fellow, Institute of Public Affairs 2007-08.