Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Bennelong, New South Wales, 1974. Re-elected 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Defeated at general elections 2007.

Parliamentary appointments

• President of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 19.11.1977 to 12.6.1978.
• President of the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 23.2.1979 to 27.2.1979.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs from 22.12.1975 to 17.7.1977.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister from 24.5.1977 to 20.12.1977.
• Minister for Special Trade Negotiations from 17.7.1977 to 20.12.1977.
• Treasurer from 19.11.1977 to 11.3.1983.
• Cabinet Minister from 20.12.1977 to 11.3.1983.
• Minister for Finance from 23.2.1979 to 27.2.1979.
• Prime Minister from 11.3.1996 to 3.12.2007.
• Cabinet Minister from 11.3.1996 to 3.12.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Address in Reply served from 10.11.1998 to 10.11.1998; Address in Reply served from 12.2.2002 to 13.2.2002; Address in Reply served from 16.11.2004 to 17.11.2004
• House of Representatives Standing: Standing Orders served from 11.5.1983 to 26.10.1984; Privileges served from 11.5.1983 to 5.9.1985
• Joint Select: Prices served from 25.7.1974 to 11.11.1975
• Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory served from 25.7.1974 to 11.11.1975

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visits to USA, Canada and UK, June-July 1977.
• Official visit to Europe for discussions with the Commission of European Communities and with individual EEC member governments, September-October 1977.
• IMF Interim Committee, Washington, March 1979.
• Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting, Europe, September-October 1979.
• Annual meeting of the IMF, Europe, October 1979.
• IMF and Asian Development Bank, West Germany, April 1980.
• The Asian Development Bank, Manila, April-May 1980.
• IMF, Washington 1981.
• Asian Development Bank, Manila, April 1982.
• Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting, London, August 1982.
• Annual meeting of the IMF, Toronto, August 1982.
• Official visits to New Zealand, January 1984.
• Official visits to USA and Japan, January 1985.
• Official visits to Indonesia, China and Thailand, June 1985.
• Official visits to USA, July 1986.
• Official visits to Israel, Italy and UK, July 1988.
• Official visits to Japan and Philippines, March 1988.
• Visited New York to address the McIntosh Hoare Govett Australian Investment Conference, October 1988.
• 77th International Labour Conference, Geneva, June 1990.
• 78th International Labour Conference, Geneva, June 1991.
• 79th International Labour Conference, Geneva, June 1992.
• Visited Hong Kong to address the County NatWest Australian Investment Conference, April 1992.
• 80th International Labour Conference, Geneva, June 1993.
• South Pacific Forum, Marshall Islands, September 1996.
• Official visit to Indonesia and Japan, September 1996.
• APEC, the Philippines, November 1996.
• Official visit to New Zealand, February 1997.
• Official visit to Singapore and China, March-April 1997.
• Official visit to UK and USA, June-July 1997.
• Official visit to South Pacific Forum, Cook Islands, September 1997.
• CHOGM, UK, October 1997.
• Official visit to Indonesia, October 1997.
• APEC, Canada, November 1997.
• Official visit to Thailand, April 1998.
• APEC, Malaysia, November 1998.
• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• Official visit to New Zealand, February 1999.
• Official visit to Bali, April 1999.
• Official visit to Japan and USA, July 1999.
• Official visit to New Zealand, September 1999.
• Official visit to Papua-New Guinea, October 1999.
• CHOGM, South Africa, November 1999.
• Official visit to East Timor, November 1999.
• Official visit to Turkey, France and Israel, April-May 2000.
• Official visit to Republic of Korea, May 2000.
• Official visit to Japan, June 2000.
• Official visit to UK and India, July 2000.
• Official visit to USA, September 2000.
• Pacific Islands Forum, Kiribati, October 2000.
• Official visit to APEC, Brunei, November 2000.
• Official visit to New Zealand, February 2001.
• Official visit to Japan, August 2001.
• Official visit to Indonesia, August 2001.
• Official visit to USA, September 2001.
• Official visit to China, October 2001.
• Official visit to USA, Singapore and Indonesia, January-February 2002.
• Official visit to UK, March 2002.
• Official visit to UK, April 2002.
• Official visit to East Timor and China, May 2002.
• Official visit to USA, June 2002.
• Official visit to Germany, Greece, Italy, The Vatican and Belgium, July 2002.
• Official visit to Papua New Guinea, August 2002.
• Pacific Islands Forum, Fiji, August 2002.
• Official visit to Nigeria and UK, September 2002.
• Official visit to Bali and Mexico, October 2002.
• Official visit to USA, UK and Indonesia, February 2003.
• Official visit to New Zealand, March 2003.
• Official visit to USA, UK and Qatar, May 2003.
• Official visit to Philippines, Japan and Republic of Korea, July 2003.
• Pacific Islands Forum, New Zealand, August 2003.
• Official visit to China, August 2003.
• Official visit to Solomon Islands, August 2003.
• Official visit to Bali, October 2003.
• Official visit to Thailand, October 2003.
• Official visit to UK, November 2003.
• CHOGM, Nigeria, December 2003.
• Official visit to Solomon Islands, December 2003.
• Pacific Islands Forum Special Retreat, New Zealand, April 2004.
• Official visit to Iraq, April 2004.
• Official visit to USA, UK and France, June 2004.
• Pacific Islands Forum, Samoa, August 2004.
• Official visit to Indonesia, October 2004.
• Official visit to Chile, November 2004.
• Official visit to Laos, November 2004.
• Official visit to Indonesia, January 2005.
• Official visit to Switzerland, Indonesia, January-February 2005.
• Official visit to New Zealand, February 2005.
• Official visit to China, Japan, Turkey and Greece, April 2005.
• Official visit to USA, UK, Iraq and United Arab Emirates, July 2005.
• Official visit to USA, September 2005.
• Pacific Islands Forum, Papua New Guinea, October 2005.
• APEC, Korea, Pakistan and CHOGM, Malta, November 2005.
• Official visit to India, March 2006.
• Official visit to USA, Canada and Ireland, May 2006.
• Official visit to Indonesia and China, June 2006.
• Official visit to East Timor, July 2006.
• Pacific Islands Forum, Fiji, October 2006.
• APEC, Vietnam, November 2006.
• Official visit to Malaysia, November-December 2006.
• Official visit to Philippines, January 2007.
• Official visit to New Zealand, February 2007.
• Official visit to Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan, March 2007.
• Official visit to East Timor and Bali, July 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 18.05.1974 to 24.11.2007
• Opposition Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs and Commerce from 26.3.1975 to 11.11.1975.
• Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 16.3.1983 to 5.9.1985.
• Shadow Treasurer from 16.3.1983 to 5.9.1985.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 16.3.1983 to 9.5.1989.
• Leader of the Opposition from 5.9.1985 to 9.5.1989.
• Shadow Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce from 28.10.1989 to 11.4.1990.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 28.10.1989 to 11.3.1996.
• Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Public Service from 11.4.1990 to 7.4.1993.
• Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Employment and Training from 11.4.1990 to 7.4.1993.
• Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations from 7.4.1993 to 31.1.1995.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the House from 7.4.1993 to 31.1.1995.
• Leader of the Opposition from 30.1.1995 to 11.3.1996.
• Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party from 8.4.1982 to 5.9.1985.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party from 5.9.1985 to 9.5.1989.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party from 30.1.1995 to 24.11.2007.

Party positions

• State Representative of the Young Liberals (NSW) from 1962 to 1964.
• Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) from 1963 to 1974.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party (NSW) from 1972 to 1974.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Federal Council from 1973 to 1974.

Personal

• Born: 26.7.1939, Earlwood, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• LLB (University of Sydney).
• Solicitor.

Electorate

• Name: Bennelong
• Location: northern Sydney; it includes the suburbs of Denistone, East Ryde, Eastwood, Epping, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Putney, North Ryde, Ryde, West Ryde and parts of Carlingford, Ermington and Gladesville.
• Area: 58 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 97,573 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: light manufacturing, commercial and retail businesses.
• Includes: Bennelong includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Ryde, and parts of Epping, Lane Cove and Parramatta.

Honours

• Awarded the Centenary Medal, 1.1.2001.
• Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, 9.6.2008.

Publications

• The Government's approach to corporate regulation, Monash University, Clayton, Vic.: 1976.
• The new challenge of liberalism: hope through freedom, choice and incentive, Alfred Deakin Lecture Trust, Melbourne: 1986.
• Major problems in the Australian economy, John Howard, Canberra: 1987.
• Lazarus rising: a personal and political autobiography, HarperCollins Publishers, Sydney: 2013.
• The Menzies era: the years that shaped modern Australia, HarperCollins Publishers, Sydney: 2014.