Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Pascoe Vale from 1.10.1988. Resigned 5.2.1996.
• Federal: elected to the House of Representatives for Wills, Victoria, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013. Retired prior to general elections 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Member, Speaker's Panel from 18.2.08 to 13.2.13.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary for Trade from 4.2.13 to 1.7.13.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Schools from 1.7.13 to 18.9.13.

Committee service

• State: Legal and Constitutional Committee (Vic) 1988-92; Public Accounts and Estimates Committees (Vic) 1992-96.
• Federal: House of Representatives Standing: Procedure from 29.5.96 to 31.8.98; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 30.5.96 to 17.11.97 and from 6.2.07 to 17.10.07; Science and Innovation from 8.5.07 to 17.10.07; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 19.2.08 to 19.7.10; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts from 25.10.10 to 11.10.11 and from 7.2.12 to 13.2.13; Appropriations and Administration from 25.10.10 to 13.2.13.
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Securities from 19.6.97 to 31.8.98; Public Accounts and Audit from 10.4.00 to 11.2.02; Human Rights from 14.3.12 to 6.2.13.
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 18.2.08 to 15.6.09; Treaties from 18.2.08 to 6.2.13 and from 4.12.13 to 9.5.16.

Parliamentary party positions

• State: Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry (Vic) 1992-94. Shadow Minister for Energy and Minerals, Shadow Minister responsible for State Owned Enterprises and Shadow Minister for Tourism (Vic) 1992-93; Shadow Minister for Employment, Industry and Industrial Relations (Vic) 1994.
• Manager, Opposition Business (Vic) 1994.
• Federal: Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer and to the Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration from 26.8.97 to 20.10.98.
• Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19.10.98 to 9.3.07. Shadow Assistant Treasurer from 20.10.98 to 25.11.01; Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage from 25.11.01 to 18.2.03; Shadow Minister for Sustainability and the Environment from 18.2.03 to 26.10.04; and Heritage from 8.12.03 to 26.10.04; Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Roads from 26.10.04 to 24.6.05; and Housing and Urban Development from 26.10.04 to 24.6.05; Shadow Minister for Public Accountability and Human Services from 24.6.05 to 10.12.06; Shadow Attorney-General from 10.12.06 to 9.3.07.
• Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 10.12.06 to 9.3.07.

Party positions

• Member, ALP from 1975.
• Executive Member, ALP Coburg North Branch 1977-88.
• President, Wills Federal Electoral Assembly 1980-81 and 1985-89.
• Delegate, ALP State Conference (Vic) from 1980.

Personal

• Born 1.5.1955 at Coburg, Vic.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons), LLB(Hons)(Melb).
• Public servant 1977-79.
• Electorate Secretary to Senator GJ Evans 1979-82.
• Project Officer, Commonwealth Ombudsman 1983.
• Principal Project Officer, Australia Post 1984-88.
• Member, Victorian Legislative Assembly (see Parliamentary Service above).

Local government service

• Councillor, Coburg City Council 1981-88; Deputy Mayor 1983-84 and 1987-88.

Electorate

• Description: inner metropolitan.
• Location: inner-north Melbourne; it includes the suburbs of Brunswick, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale, and parts of Coburg, Fawkner and Strathmore.
• Area: 57 sq km (approx.).
• Electors enrolled: 105 547 (at 7.9.13).
• Industries: paper, tiles, clothing, steel, paints, glass, textiles, defence industries, joinery, electrical goods, retailing and various hardware industries.
• State electorates: Wills includes the Victorian Legislative Assembly electorate of Pascoe Vale, and parts of Broadmeadows, Brunswick, Essendon, Niddrie and Sunbury.

Publications

• Labor essays 1983 (co-editor with J Reeves), Richmond, Vic: Dove Communications, 1983.