Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 1980. Re-elected 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1996 and 2001. Resigned 5.5.2008.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Australian Council for Union Training from 1983 to 1985.
• Member of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 18.2.1987 to 22.9.1987.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Home Affairs from 24.7.1987 to 2.9.1988.
• Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport and Communications from 19.1.1988 to 2.9.1988.
• Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs from 2.9.1988 to 4.4.1990.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 2.9.1988 to 4.4.1990.
• Cabinet Minister from 2.9.1988 to 11.3.1996.
• Minister for Defence from 4.4.1990 to 11.3.1996.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Electoral Reform served from 12.5.1983 to 19.3.1985; Electoral Reform served as Chair from 20.3.1985 to 5.6.1987; Intelligence Services served from 28.6.2001 to 27.8.2001
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 14.2.2002 to 31.8.2004
• Joint Statutory: Australian Security Intelligence Organization served from 31.5.1996 to 8.10.2001; ASIO, ASIS and DSD served from 14.2.2002 to 31.8.2004; Intelligence and Security served from 1.12.2004 to 5.5.2008
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group C served from 26.8.1981 to 4.2.1983; Estimates Group A served from 4.5.1983 to 9.5.1983; Estimates Group A served as Chair from 10.5.1983 to 9.9.1985; Estimates Group A served from 10.9.1985 to 23.9.1985; Estimates Group A served from 12.3.1986 to 5.6.1987
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education and the Arts served from 9.9.1981 to 4.2.1983; Finance and Government Operations served from 21.4.1983 to 20.2.1985; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 2.5.1996 to 4.12.1996; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 9.10.1996 to 11.2.2002; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 4.12.1997 to 14.5.1998; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.4.2000 to 11.4.2000; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 15.6.2005 to 21.6.2005
• Senate Select: Television Equalisation served from 5.12.1986 to 23.3.1987; Victorian Casino Inquiry served from 20.5.1996 to 5.12.1996; Scrafton Evidence served as Chair from 30.8.2004 to 15.11.2004
• Senate Standing: Standing Orders served from 25.8.1981 to 5.6.1987; Privileges served from 25.8.1981 to 5.6.1987; Disputed Returns and Qualifications served from 4.5.1983 to 5.6.1987; Parliamentary Library served from 11.9.1985 to 5.6.1987; Procedure served from 9.10.1987 to 7.9.2005; Privileges served from 2.5.1996 to 8.5.1996; Appropriations and Staffing served from 2.5.1996 to 5.5.2008; Privileges served as Chair from 9.5.1996 to 15.11.2004; Privileges served from 16.11.2004 to 7.9.2005; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 18.11.2004 to 11.2.2008; Procedure served from 11.12.2005 to 5.5.2008; Privileges served from 11.12.2005 to 5.5.2008; Scrutiny of Bills served from 12.2.2008 to 5.5.2008

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Parliamentary Institutions, Strasbourg and Berlin, September-October 1985.
• Observer, US Congressional Elections, Washington DC, October-November 1986.
• Official visits to New Zealand, March 1988.
• Official visits to USA, Canada and Hong Kong, January-February 1989.
• Official visits to Europe, June 1989.
• Official visits to USA, October 1990.
• Official visits to Middle East, November 1990.
• Official visits to New Zealand, April 1991.
• Official visits to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, April-May 1991.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, August 1991.
• Official visits to Italy, France, Germany, UK and Hong Kong, October-November 1991.
• Official visits to Malaysia, November 1991.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, February 1992.
• Official visits to Japan, USA and Fiji, September-October 1992.
• Official visits to Egypt, October 1992.
• Official visits to New Zealand, July 1993.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea and Malaysia, December 1993.
• Official visits to Indonesia, July-August 1994.
• Official visits to Malaysia and Singapore, September 1994.
• Official visits to Philippines, October 1994.
• Official visits to Italy, France, USA and Israel, April-May 1995.
• Official visits to New Zealand, July 1995.
• Official visits to Hawaii, September 1995.
• Official visits to Indonesia, December 1995.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to France and Belgium, June-July 1997.
• Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, September-December 1999.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, September-October 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, December 2003.
• Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, September-December 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa, September-October 2006.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.1981 to 05.05.2008
• Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 24.7.1987 to 2.9.1988.
• Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 2.9.1988 to 4.6.1991.
• Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Vic.) from 1970 to 1996.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1982.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 1983 to 1998.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1984.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1986.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1988.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1990.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1994.

Personal

• Born: 8.4.1947, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (Monash University).
• BA(Hons) (Monash University).
• School teacher.

Publications

• The case for death duties, Victorian Fabian Society, Melbourne: 1983.