Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 1984. Re-elected 1987, 1990 and 1996. Resigned 14.4.2000.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade from 11.3.1996 to 21.10.1998.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy from 11.3.1996 to 9.10.1997.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Certain Aspects of the Operation and Interpretation of the Family Law Act served from 17.4.1991 to 8.2.1993; Certain Family Law Issues served from 18.5.1993 to 28.11.1995
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 17.5.1990 to 29.1.1996; Treaties served from 8.12.1998 to 30.6.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 30.6.1999 to 14.4.2000
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group C served from 26.3.1985 to 5.6.1987; Estimates Group B served from 24.9.1987 to 7.5.1990; Estimates Group F served from 9.5.1990 to 24.8.1990; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Industry and Trade served from 26.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Industry, Science and Technology served from 24.9.1987 to 17.9.1990; Rural and Regional Affairs served from 10.9.1991 to 9.10.1994; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Chair from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 14.4.2000; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 7.6.1999 to 8.6.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 7.6.1999 to 8.6.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 30.6.1999 to 11.8.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 30.6.1999 to 14.4.2000; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 30.6.1999 to 31.8.1999; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 12.8.1999 to 13.4.2000
• Senate Select: Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes served from 22.4.1985 to 29.4.1987; Animal Welfare served from 31.5.1985 to 30.6.1985; Animal Welfare served as Deputy Chair from 1.7.1985 to 3.9.1991; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals in Australia served as Deputy Chair from 3.11.1988 to 10.5.1990; Certain Aspects of the Airline Pilots' Dispute served from 25.10.1989 to 8.5.1990; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals in Australia served from 11.5.1990 to 23.8.1990; New Tax System served as Substitute member from 26.11.1998 to 30.4.1999
• Senate Standing: Publications served from 26.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Scrutiny of Bills served from 24.9.1987 to 31.5.1989; Selection of Bills served from 24.8.1990 to 3.5.1993; Senators' Interests served from 24.3.1994 to 14.4.2000; House served from 2.5.1996 to 14.4.2000

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, September-December 1990.
• Member, Official Delegation to the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan, July 1994.
• Official visits to Western Samoa, May 1996.
• Official visits to Fiji, September 1996.
• Official visits to Russia, Poland, Hungary and Germany, September-October 1996.
• Official visits to Chile, September-October 1997.
• Official visits to Malaysia and Singapore, June 1998.
• Study tour, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, July 1999.

Parliamentary party positions

• National Party of Australia. Served: 01.12.1984 to 14.04.2000
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the National Party from 12.5.1989 to 11.3.1996.
• National Party Spokesman on Finance from 30.4.1987 to 6.8.1987.
• National Party Whip in the Senate from 1.7.1990 to 23.3.1993.
• Deputy Leader of the National Party in the Senate from 23.3.1993 to 14.4.2000.

Party positions

• Member of the National Party Central Council (NSW) from 1976.
• Member of the National Party Central Executive (NSW) from 1978.
• Chair of the National Party Paterson Federal Electorate Council (NSW) from 1978 to 1984.
• Campaign Director of the National Party (NSW), 1981.
• Delegate to the National Party Federal Council from 1982 to 1986.
• Vice-Chair of the National Party (NSW) from 1982 to 1983.
• Chair of the National Party (NSW) from 1983 to 1986.
• Campaign Director for the National Party (NSW), 1984.
• Chair of the National Party Rural and Regional Committee from 1989 to 1990.

Other positions

• Patron of the RSPCA (NSW).
• Patron for Work Skills Australia, Northern NSW district.

Personal

• Born: 16.11.1935, Mudgee, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Farmer and grazier.
• Founder and Chair of the Yarraman Soil Conservation Project from 1977 to 1990.
• Chair of the North West Advisory Committee of the Australian Broadcasting Commission from 1982 to 1983.

Military Service

• National Service 1954.

Honours

• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 12.6.2023.

Publications

• North, south, east and west: Australia's trade relations with Europe - a personal perspective, D Brownhill, 1993.