Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of Tasmania on 22.2.1994 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice B Archer (resigned). Re-elected 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 21.10.1998 to 30.1.2001.
• Special Minister of State from 30.1.2001 to 27.1.2006.
• Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation from 27.1.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Minister for Employment from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Cabinet Minister from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation (formerly Regulations and Ordinances) from 24.2.1994 to 29.4.1996; Senators' Interests from 24.3.1994 to 8.2.2001; Selection of Bills from 20.3.2007 to 11.2.2008; Procedure from 20.6.2007 to 11.2.2008; Procedure from 3.2.2009 to 9.5.2016; Privileges from 4.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Privileges from 1.9.2016 (Deputy Chair from 4.7.2019); Senators' Interests from 12.9.2016 to 28.11.2016.
• Senate Select: Unresolved Whistleblower Cases from 1.12.1994 to 26.10.1995; Victorian Casino Inquiry from 20.5.1996 to 5.12.1996; Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures (formerly Abbott Government's Budget Cuts) from 23.2.2016 to 15.3.2016; Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century from 27.6.2018 to 14.2.2019; Administration of Sports Grants from 5.2.2020.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Recreation and the Arts from 1.3.1994 to 10.10.1994; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 10.10.1994 to 9.11.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation from 10.10.1994 to 17.10.1994; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation from 8.5.1996 to 9.11.1998 (Chair from 3.3.1997 to 9.11.1998); Environment and Communications: Legislation from 4.2.2016 to 15.3.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation from 4.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation from 1.9.2016 to 13.2.2019; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation from 1.9.2016 to 12.2.2018; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References from 10.9.2018 (Deputy Chair from 3.7.2019); Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation from 25.2.2019 (Chair from 25.2.2019).
• Senate Estimates: D from 28.2.1994 to 12.5.1994; F from 12.5.1994 to 10.10.1994.
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund from 31.5.1996 to 8.2.2001 (Chair from 19.6.1996 to 4.6.1997); Law Enforcement (formerly National Crime Authority from 15.6.1984 to 1.1.2003 and Australian Crime Commission from 1.1.2003 to 24.11.2010) from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Public Accounts and Audit from 15.2.2017 to 1.7.2019; Intelligence and Security from 7.2.2018.
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 28.3.1995 to 3.9.1997; Treaties from 31.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Trade and Investment Growth from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 10.9.2018.
• Joint Select: Republic Referendum from 21.6.1999 to 9.8.1999; Government Procurement from 1.12.2016 to 29.6.2017.

Parliamentary party positions

• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 9.3.2007 to 17.10.2007.
• Leader of the Government in the Senate from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 6.12.2007 to 3.5.2010.
• Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research from 6.12.2007 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 8.12.2009 to 18.9.2013.
• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 3.5.2010 to 18.9.2013.

Party positions

• President of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation, 1978.
• State President of the Liberal Party (Tas.) from 1990 to 1994.

Personal

• Born 25.1.1958, Stuttgart, Germany
• Widower

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Tasmania).
• LLB (University of Tasmania).
• Barrister and solicitor.