Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 1984. Re-elected 1987, 1990 and 1996. Retired with the expiration of term 2002.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Telecommunications Interception served from 13.6.1986 to 20.11.1986; Corporations Legislation served from 20.10.1988 to 13.4.1989; Tenure of Appointees to Commonwealth Tribunals served from 9.3.1989 to 30.11.1989
• Joint Standing: Migration Regulations served from 17.5.1990 to 8.2.1993; Migration served from 18.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Treaties served from 4.12.1996 to 7.12.1998; Treaties served as Deputy Chair from 8.12.1998 to 13.2.2002; Treaties served from 14.2.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 26.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; National Crime Authority served from 1.12.1988 to 19.2.1990; Corporations and Securities served from 6.3.1991 to 8.10.2001; Public Accounts served from 19.8.1993 to 29.1.1996; Corporations and Financial Services served from 14.2.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group A served from 26.3.1985 to 22.8.1985; Estimates Group A served from 9.10.1985 to 12.3.1986; Estimates Group D served from 20.3.1986 to 29.3.1987; Estimates Group D served as Chair from 30.3.1987 to 5.6.1987; Estimates Group F served from 24.9.1987 to 29.9.1988; Estimates Group D served from 29.9.1988 to 7.5.1990; Estimates Group C served from 9.5.1990 to 11.5.1990; Estimates Group E served from 11.5.1990 to 12.9.1990; Estimates Group E served as Chair from 13.9.1990 to 8.9.1992; Estimates Group E served as Chair from 27.9.1992 to 3.5.1993; Estimates Group F served from 6.5.1993 to 23.2.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Constitutional and Legal Affairs served from 26.2.1985 to 5.6.1987; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 24.9.1987 to 24.2.1988; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Chair from 25.2.1988 to 9.10.1994; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 10.10.1994 to 30.6.2002; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 10.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 29.7.1996 to 30.7.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 17.11.1997 to 24.11.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Select: Animal Welfare served from 31.5.1985 to 3.9.1991; Certain Aspects of the Airline Pilots' Dispute served as Chair from 25.10.1989 to 8.5.1990; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 12.5.1993 to 29.4.1996; Matters Arising from Pay Television Tendering Processes served as Chair from 27.5.1993 to 16.12.1993; Land Fund Bill served from 30.11.1994 to 9.2.1995
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 26.2.1985 to 13.11.1985; Scrutiny of Bills served from 26.2.1985 to 6.10.1987; Regulations and Ordinances served as Chair from 14.11.1985 to 5.6.1987; Privileges served from 24.9.1987 to 18.3.1988; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 7.10.1987 to 17.8.1993; Privileges served from 11.5.1990 to 1.7.1993; Scrutiny of Bills served from 18.8.1993 to 21.5.1996; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 22.5.1996 to 30.6.2002; Privileges served from 11.9.1996 to 9.11.1998

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to the 32nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference, the UK from September to October 1986.
• Delegate to the 8th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, Cuba from August to September 1990.
• Delegate to the 88th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Sweden, September 1992.
• Attended official meetings in Italy, September 1992.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the USA and Canada from March to April 1995.
• Attended official meetings in Zimbabwe, Angola and Mozambique, April 1998.
• Attended official meetings in Zimbabwe, Angola and Mozambique, April 1998.
• Delegate to the 99th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Namibia, April 1998.
• Parliamentary delegation member to New Zealand, March 2000.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.12.1984 to 30.06.2002

Personal

• Born: 11.7.1934, Currie, King Island, Australia
• Died: 9.2.2019
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• LLB (University of Melbourne).
• Barrister.