Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Grey, South Australia, 1993. Re-elected 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Retired prior to general elections 2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 12.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Long Term Strategies served from 26.5.1993 to 29.1.1996; Employment, Education and Training served from 26.10.1993 to 29.1.1996; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 30.6.1994 to 29.1.1996; Communications, Transport and Microeconomic Reform served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Family and Community Affairs served as Chair from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 8.12.1998 to 19.3.2002; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served as Chair from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Parliamentary Library served from 28.2.2006 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 12.8.2004 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to USA, Belgium and UK, September 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK, May 2004.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Hong Kong, December 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK, Poland and Italy, June-July 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Brazil and Uruguay, June-July 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 13.03.1993 to 17.10.2007

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Party local branch.
• Member of the Liberal Party from 1983.

Personal

• Born: 7.5.1946, Kimba, Australia
• Died: 19.12.2023
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Bank clerk.
• Sharefarmer.
• Shearer.
• Labourer.
• Farmer.
• Small businessman.

Electorate

• Name: Grey
• Location: a large electorate covering most of rural South Australia apart from south-east corner; it includes the centres of Burra, Ceduna, Coober Pedy, Eudunda, Kadina, Maitland, Orroroo, Peterborough, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Roxby Downs and Whyalla.
• Area: 904,881 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 97,291 (at 9.10.2004)
• Industries: lead smelting, steel industry, tourism, fishing, oil, gas, opals, jade, iron ore, uranium, wheat, cattle, wool, forestry, salt and slate.
• Includes: Grey includes the South Australian House of Assembly electorates of Flinders and Giles, and parts of Chaffey, Frome, Goyder and Stuart.

Honours

• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2011.