Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 5.5.2005 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice J Tierney (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2004. Re-elected 2010 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.6.08 to 19.9.08

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services from 18.9.2013 to 21.9.2015.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General from 28.5.2015 to 21.9.2015.
• Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 21.9.2015 to 18.2.2016.
• Minister for International Development and the Pacific from 18.2.2016 to 22.8.2018.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances from 9.2.2006 to 11.2.2008; Privileges from 10.9.2018; Publications from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Regulations and Ordinances from 2.7.2019.
• Senate Select: Fuel and Energy from 26.6.2008 to 12.11.2008.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 6.9.2005 to 11.9.2006 (Deputy Chair from 14.9.2005 to 11.9.2006); Finance and Public Administration from 11.9.2006 to 24.11.2008; Community Affairs from 12.9.2006 to 9.5.2007; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation from 10.9.2018; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 15.11.2018 to 14.2.2019 (Substitute member from 15.11.2018 to 14.2.2019).
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 23.3.2007 to 15.10.2008; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 12.5.2010 to 27.10.2010; Law Enforcement from 2.7.2019 to 30.7.2019.
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 26.2.2007 to 11.3.2008; Migration from 4.2.2009 to 22.6.2009; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 22.7.2019.

Parliamentary party positions

• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship from 10.11.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Ageing from 8.12.2009 to 18.9.2013.
• Shadow Minister for Mental Health from 14.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (NSW) from 1995.
• President of the Liberal Party Italian Special Branch (NSW) from 1995.
• Metropolitan Representative of the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) from 1996 to 1997.
• Member of the Liberal Party Constitutional Standing Committee from 1996 to 1997.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Federal Council from 2000 to 2002.
• Urban Representative to the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW), 2003.
• Urban Representative to the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) from 2003 to 2004.
• Member of the Liberal Party Constitutional Standing Committee, 2003.
• Member of the Liberal Party Constitutional Standing Committee from 2003 to 2004.

Personal

• Born 20.5.1960, Wollongong, Australia
• Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (Australian National University)
• LLB (Australian National University)
• Articled Clerk/Solicitor, Macphillamny Cummins and Gibson 1983-84
• Legal officer, Australian Government Solicitor, Canberra 1984-86
• Legal Officer, then Senior Legal Officer, Australian Government Solicitor, Sydney 1986-90
• Acting Principal Legal Officer, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service 1990
• Policy Adviser to the Hon. JJ Carlton, MP 1990-93
• Senior Private Secretary to the State Premier (NSW), the Hon. JJ Fahey, MLA 1993-94
• Senior Lawyer, Australian Government Solicitor 1994-2004
• Consultant, Minter Ellison Lawyers 2003-04

Honours

• Awarded Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic 1998
• Community Service Award, Pittwater City Council 2002