Biography

Parliamentary service

• Appointed by the Governor of New South Wales on 11.2.1991 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. P Baume (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 1993. Re-elected 1998. Defeated at general elections 2004. Resigned 14.4.2005.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the National Library of Australia Council from 22.11.1992 to 14.3.2005.
• Member of the Australian National University Council from 1996 to 2000.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 28.10.1993 to 28.3.1995; Migration served from 31.5.1996 to 1.7.2002
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group D served as Substitute member from 15.4.1991 to 8.2.1993; Estimates Group F served as Substitute member from 5.3.1992 to 8.2.1993; Estimates Group B served from 3.12.1992 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group E served as Substitute member from 19.8.1993 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Employment, Education and Training served from 14.2.1991 to 17.5.1993; Employment, Education and Training served as Chair from 18.5.1993 to 29.4.1996; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 1.5.1996; Employment, Education and Training: References served as Chair from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.11.1995 to 6.11.1995; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.11.1995 to 13.11.1995; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.11.1995 to 15.11.1995; Employment, Education and Training: References served from 30.4.1996 to 9.11.1998; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served as Chair from 2.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 2.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.3.1997 to 16.6.1997; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.5.1997 to 21.9.1997; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 22.9.1997 to 22.9.1997; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Chair from 23.9.1997 to 27.1.1998; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 25.11.1998; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 24.11.1998 to 30.6.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served from 24.11.1998 to 3.12.1998; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Chair from 26.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.12.1998 to 2.12.1998; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 3.12.1998 to 5.4.2000; Community Affairs: References served from 3.12.1998 to 30.6.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served from 30.6.1999 to 11.2.2002; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 12.8.1999 to 14.4.2005; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.5.2000 to 2.5.2000; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 18.9.2000 to 19.9.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.9.2000 to 21.9.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.10.2000 to 7.10.2000; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served from 13.2.2002 to 13.2.2002; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 13.2.2002 to 14.4.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Chair from 14.2.2002 to 14.4.2005; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.5.2002 to 18.6.2002; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 1.7.2002 to 18.11.2002
• Senate Select: Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 21.6.1991 to 29.5.1996; Matters Arising from Pay Television Tendering Processes served from 27.5.1993 to 16.12.1993; Australian Broadcasting Corporation Management and Operations served from 22.9.1994 to 30.3.1995; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served as Chair from 30.5.1996 to 26.6.1997; Information Technologies served from 1.9.1997 to 7.12.2000
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.6.1992 to 17.8.1993; Regulations and Ordinances served from 8.5.1996 to 7.5.1997; Parliamentary Library served from 14.2.2002 to 15.3.2005

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Attended official meetings in New Caledonia, October 1993.
• Attended study tour in the USA, August 1994.
• Attended official meetings in India and Pakistan from August to September 1996.
• Delegate to the 42nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, Malaysia from August to September 1996.
• Attended study tour in Sweden, Scotland, Ireland and the USA from July to August 2000.
• Attended official meetings in Brazil and Argentina, October 2000.
• Attended official meetings in New Zealand, April 2002.
• Attended official meetings in Nigeria and South Africa from October to November 2002.
• Attended official meetings in France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands from April to May 2004.
• Delegate to the United Nation General Assembly, the USA from September to December 2004.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 11.02.1991 to 14.04.2005
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 14.2.1995 to 11.3.1996.
• Chair of the Government Transport and Regional Affairs Committee from 1996.
• Chair of the Government Education, Training and Youth Affairs Committee from 1998.

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Party Charlestown State Electorate Conference (NSW) from 1973 to 1975.
• President of the Liberal Party Charlestown State Electorate Conference (NSW) from 1982 to 1983.
• President of the Liberal Party Shortland Federal Electorate Conference (NSW) from 1983 to 1985.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Education Policy Committee from 1986 to 1987.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) from 1987 to 1991.
• President of the Liberal Party Central Coast Region (NSW) from 1987 to 1989.
• Member of the Liberal Party Joint Standing Committee on State Policy (NSW) from 1987 to 1989.
• Member of the Liberal Party Coalition Relations Committee (NSW) from 1990 to 1991.
• Member of the Liberal Party Redistribution Committee (NSW) from 1990 to 1991.
• President of the Liberal Party Shortland Federal Electorate Conference (NSW) from 1990 to 1991.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) from 1996 to 2000.

Other positions

• Chair of the Australia/India Parliamentary Group from 1996 to 1998.
• Chair of the Australia/Argentina Parliamentary Group from 2002.
• Chair of the Australia/Brazil Parliamentary Group from 2002.

Personal

• Born: 21.1.1946, Cooma, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• PhD (University of Newcastle).
• MEd (University of Sydney).
• DipEd (University of Sydney).
• BEc (University of Sydney).
• Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Newcastle (NSW).
• Chair of the Governing Board at St Philips Christian College, Waratah (NSW).
• Lecturer in Economics at the Newcastle College of Advanced Education.
• Demonstration teacher in Economics at Sydney Boys' High School.

Honours

• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2012.
• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 10.6.2019.

Publications

• On-line gambling, John Tierney, Canberra: 2000.