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 of the Speaker's Panel from 18.2.2008 to 13.2.2013.

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

• House of Representatives Standing: Procedure served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Deputy Chair from 30.5.1996 to 4.7.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 5.7.1997 to 12.1.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 6.2.2007 to 17.10.2007; Science and Innovation served from 8.5.2007 to 17.10.2007; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Appropriations and Administration served from 25.10.2010 to 13.2.2013; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts served from 25.10.2010 to 11.10.2011; Climate Change, Environment and the Arts served from 7.2.2012 to 13.2.2013
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 18.2.2008 to 15.6.2009; Treaties served as Chair from 18.2.2008 to 6.2.2013; Treaties served from 4.12.2013 to 9.12.2013; Treaties served as Deputy Chair from 10.12.2013 to 9.5.2016
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Securities served from 19.6.1997 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 10.4.2000 to 8.10.2001; Human Rights served from 14.3.2012 to 6.2.2013

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.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 26.8.1997 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 Cabinet Minister from 2.7.2003 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Sustainability, the Environment and Heritage from 8.12.2003 to 26.10.2004.
• 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 of the Australian Labor Party from 1975.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Coburg North Branch Executive from 1977 to 1988.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Wills Federal Electorate Council from 1980 to 1981.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Vic.) from 1980.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Wills Federal Electorate Council from 1985 to 1989.

Personal

• Born: 1.5.1955, Coburg, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons) (University of Melbourne).
• LLB(Hons) (University of Melbourne).
• Public servant from 1977 to 1979.
• Electorate Secretary to Senator G Evans from 1979 to 1982.
• Project Officer for the Commonwealth Ombudsman, 1983.
• Principal Project Officer for Australia Post from 1984 to 1988.

State/Territory Government service

• 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.

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.

Electorate

• Name: Wills
• 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: 105,547 (at 7.9.2013)
• Industries: paper, tiles, clothing, steel, paints, glass, textiles, defence industries, joinery, electrical goods, retailing and various hardware industries.
• Includes: 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.