Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Richmond, New South Wales, 1996. Re-elected 1998 and 2001. Defeated at general elections, 2004.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade from 21.10.1998 to 20.7.1999.
• Minister for Community Services from 20.7.1999 to 26.11.2001.
• Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from 26.11.2001 to 26.10.2004.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Financial Institutions and Public Administration served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 30.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Selection served from 22.10.1997 to 31.8.1998
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 1.1.1998 to 31.8.1998; Corporations and Securities served from 10.3.1998 to 31.8.1998

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Attended official meetings in New Zealand, July 2000.
• Attended official meetings in Canada, May 2002.
• Delegate to the United Nations Special Session on Children, the USA, May 2002.
• Attended official meetings in Indonesia, May 2003.
• Attended official meetings in Botswana and South Africa from May to June 2003.

Parliamentary party positions

• The Nationals. Served: 11.10.2003 to 09.10.2004
• National Party of Australia. Served: 02.03.1996 to 11.10.2003
• National Party Whip in the House of Representatives from 21.10.1997 to 23.10.1998.

Party positions

• Secretary of the National Party Sydney Metropolitan Branch (NSW) from 1983 to 1984.
• Chair of the National Party Sydney Eastern Suburbs Branch (NSW) from 1987 to 1989.
• Chair of the National Party Sydney Metropolitan Branch (NSW) from 1989 to 1990.
• Vice-Chair of the National Party Murwillumbah Branch (NSW) from 1992 to 1994.
• Member of the National Party Central Council (NSW) from 1993 to 1996.
• Chair of the National Party Richmond Electorate Council (NSW) from 1993 to 1996.
• Member of the National Party Central Executive (NSW) from 1994 to 1996.

Personal

• Born: 17.12.1961, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom (University of New South Wales).
• DipAppFinInv (Securities Industry Association).
• Jackeroo from 1979 to 1980.
• Small business and industrial advocate adviser at the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1984 to 1985.
• Stockbroker and investment banker at Potter Warburg and Merrill Lynch from 1985 to 1991.
• Railway company manager and director from 1991 to 1993.
• Stockbroker and investment banker at Potter Warburg and Merrill Lynch from 1993 to 1996.

Electorate

• Name: Richmond
• Location: New South Wales north coast; it includes the towns of Alstonville, Bangalow, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Wollongbar.
• Area: 2,137 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 81,312 (at 10.11.2001)
• Industries: commercial fishing, dairying, beef cattle, maize, fruit (bananas, pawpaws, macadamia nuts, protein stock feeds, tourism, sugar, bacon and butter factories, timber, pigs, engineering, steel fabrication and clothing manufacturing.
• Includes: Richmond includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Tweed, and parts of Ballina and Lismore.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 13.6.2022.