Biography
- Parliamentary service
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- 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
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- Member, Speaker's Panel from 18.2.08 to 13.2.13
- Ministerial appointments
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Born 1.5.1955, Coburg, Australia
- Married
- Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Labor essays 1983 (co-editor with J Reeves), Dove Communications, Richmond, Vic: 1983