Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Hinkler, Queensland, 1993. Re-elected 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Retired prior to general elections 2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Employment, Education and Training served from 12.5.1993 to 31.8.1998; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 12.5.1993 to 20.9.1994; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 9.5.1995 to 29.1.1996; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 27.6.1996; Members' Interests served from 29.5.1996 to 17.10.2007; Communications, Transport and Microeconomic Reform served from 29.5.1996 to 21.10.1997; Communications, Transport and Microeconomic Reform served as Chair from 22.10.1997 to 31.8.1998; Selection served from 23.11.1998 to 17.10.2007; Privileges served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Communications, Transport and the Arts served as Chair from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Transport and Regional Services served as Chair from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Procedure served from 1.12.2004 to 31.5.2005; Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government served as Deputy Chair from 11.3.2008 to 19.7.2010; Infrastructure and Communications served as Deputy Chair from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Selection served from 9.2.2012 to 13.3.2012
• Joint Select: Broadcasting Legislation served from 14.3.2013 to 24.6.2013
• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 26.6.1996 to 17.10.2007; National Capital and External Territories served from 11.3.2008 to 19.7.2010

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Commonwealth Parliamentary Visit to UK, May 1996.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to France and Belgium, June-July 1997.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 6th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, Seoul, January 1998.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Japan and the Republic of Korea, December 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK, Poland and Italy, June-July 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, August 2009.
• Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, September-December 2009.

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 11.10.2003 to 05.08.2013
• National Party of Australia. Served: 13.03.1993 to 11.10.2003
• National Party Whip in the House of Representatives from 23.10.1998 to 11.10.2003.
• Nationals Whip in the House of Representatives from 11.10.2003 to 5.8.2013.

Party positions

• Officeholder of the National Party Wide Bay Division (Qld).
• Chair of the National Party Bundaberg State Electorate Council (Qld).
• President of the Young Nationals (Qld) from 1969 to 1970.
• Vice-President of the National Party Hinkler Division (Qld) from 1984 to 1986.
• Secretary of the National Party Hinkler Division (Qld) from 1987 to 1989.
• Chair of the National Party Tourism Committee (Qld) from 1988 to 1989.
• Vice-President of the National Party Hinkler Division (Qld) from 1990 to 1992.

Personal

• Born: 28.3.1940, Warwick, Australia
• Died: 1.1.2019
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Secretary of the Arts Council (Qld) from 1963 to 1966.
• Theatre supervisor from 1967 to 1981.
• Manager of the Tourism and Development Board, Bundaberg District (Qld) from 1981 to 1993.
• Councillor at the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education and University College of Central Queensland from 1988 to 1991.

Electorate

• Name: Hinkler
• Location: southern central Queensland coast; it includes the centres of Bundaberg, Bargara, Burrum Heads, Childers and Hervey Bay.
• Area: 3,504 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 91,397 (at 21.8.2010)
• Industries: sugar, small crops (including tomatoes, avocados and macadamia nuts), rum, fishing, seafood industries and tourism.
• Includes: Hinkler includes the Queensland Legislative Assembly electorate of Bundaberg, and parts of Burnett, Hervey Bay and Maryborough.

Honours

• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2019.