Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Pascoe Vale, 1988. Resigned 5.2.1996 to contest the House of Representatives division of Wills, Victoria.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for Wills, Victoria, 1996. Re-elected 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 4.2.2013 to 1.7.2013.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Schools from 1.7.2013 to 18.9.2013.

Committee service

• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Securities from 19.6.1997 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit from 10.4.2000 to 11.2.2002; Human Rights from 14.3.2012 to 6.2.2013.
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 18.2.2008 to 15.6.2009; Treaties from 18.2.2008 to 6.2.2013; Treaties from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016.
• House of Representatives Standing: Procedure from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 30.5.1996 to 17.11.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 6.2.2007 to 17.10.2007; Science and Innovation from 8.5.2007 to 17.10.2007; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts from 25.10.2010 to 11.10.2011; Appropriations and Administration from 25.10.2010 to 13.2.2013; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts from 7.2.2012 to 13.2.2013.

Parliamentary party positions

• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19.10.1998 to 9.3.2007.
• Shadow Assistant Treasurer from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage from 25.11.2001 to 18.2.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Sustainability and the Environment from 18.2.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Sustainability, the Environment and Heritage from 8.12.2003 to 26.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Roads from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Roads and Housing and Urban Development from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Minister for Public Accountability and Human Services from 24.6.2005 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Attorney-General from 10.12.2006 to 9.3.2007.
• Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 10.12.2006 to 9.3.2007.

Party positions

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

Personal

• Born 1.5.1955, Coburg, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• B.A(Hons)(Melb)
• LL.B(Hons)(Melb)
• Member, Victorian Legislative Assembly
• Public servant 1977-79
• Electorate Secretary to Senator GJ Evans 1979-82
• Project Officer, Commonwealth Ombudsman 1983
• Principal Project Officer, Australia Post 1984-88

Local government service

• Councillor, Coburg City Council from 1981 to 1988.
• Deputy Mayor, Coburg City Council from 1983 to 1984.
• Deputy Mayor, Coburg City Council from 1987 to 1988.
• Elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Pascoe Vale, 1988. Resigned 5.2.1996 to contest the House of Representatives division of Wills, Victoria.
• Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 1992 to 1994.
• Shadow Minister for Energy and Minerals, Shadow Minister responsible for State Owned Enterprises and Shadow Minister for Tourism from 1992 to 1993.
• Shadow Minister for Employment, Industry and Industrial Relations, 1994.
• Manager of Opposition Business, 1994.

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
• Electors enrolled: 105547 (at 7.9.2013)
• Industries: paper, tiles, clothing, steel, paints, glass, textiles, defence industries, joinery, electrical goods, retailing and various hardware industries.
• Electorate: 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), Dove Communications, Richmond, Vic: 1983