Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Charlton, New South Wales, 2013. Elected to the House of Representatives for Shortland, New South Wales, 2016, following electoral redistribution. Re-elected 2019 and 2022 and 2025.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 26.3.2015 to 9.5.2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Defence Industry from 1.6.2022 to 29.7.2024.
• Minister for International Development and the Pacific from 1.6.2022 to 13.5.2025.
• Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery from 29.7.2024 to 13.5.2025.
• Cabinet Minister from 29.7.2024.
• Minister for Defence Industry from 13.5.2025.
• Minister for Pacific Island Affairs from 13.5.2025.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Intergenerational Welfare Dependence served from 30.5.2018 to 3.7.2018; Intergenerational Welfare Dependence served as Deputy Chair from 4.7.2018 to 10.9.2018
• House of Representatives Standing: Economics served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Economics served from 15.9.2016 to 7.11.2016; Environment and Energy served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 10.10.2016 to 11.4.2019; Publications served from 21.5.2018 to 10.9.2018
• Joint Select: Trade and Investment Growth served from 2.10.2014 to 15.10.2015; Trade and Investment Growth served as Deputy Chair from 16.10.2015 to 9.5.2016
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served as Deputy Chair from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Public Accounts and Audit served from 23.3.2020 to 25.2.2021; Public Accounts and Audit served from 9.8.2021 to 30.11.2021

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 07.09.2013 to present
• Opposition Spokesperson for Labor Waste Watch from 2014 to 2016.
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister Assisting on Government Accountability from 28.1.2021 to 23.5.2022.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Charlton Federal Electorate Council (NSW).
• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1994.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Environment, Planning and Natural Resources Committee (NSW) from 2001 to 2002.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (NSW) from 2002 to 2016.
• Vice-President of Young Labor (NSW) from 2003 to 2004.
• Vice-President of Federal Young Labor from 2003 to 2004.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Machinery Proxies Committee (NSW) from 2003 to 2006.
• Proxy Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 2004 to 2007.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Infrastructure Inquiry from 2005 to 2007.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2015.

Personal

• Born: 10.5.1979, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEc(Hons) (University of Sydney).
• Customer service assistant at Coles from 1995 to 2000.
• Electorate officer to the Hon. A Albanese, MP, 2000.
• Industrial/Policy Organiser (Forestry Division) at the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (NSW) from 2000 to 2002.
• Policy Adviser to Senator G Campbell from 2002 to 2004.
• National Economist at the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union from 2004 to 2008.
• Principal Policy Adviser to the Hon. G Combet, AM, MP from 2008 to 2011.
• Deputy Chief of Staff to the Hon. G Combet, AM, MP from 2011 to 2013.

Electorate

• Name: Shortland
• Location: Shortland covers an area from Highfields, Cardiff and Boolaroo in the north to Budgewoi and San Remo in the south and is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean and on the west by Wallsend Road, Reservoir Road, Lowry Street, Main Road, Lake Macquarie, Wyee Road and Pacific Highway. The main suburbs include Belmont, Boolaroo, Budgewoi, Catherine Hill Bay, Cardiff, Caves Beach, Chain Valley Bay, Charlestown, Doyalson, Dudley, Eleebana, Gateshead, Gwandalan, Highfields, Hillsborough, Mannering Park, Redhead, San Remo, Speers Point, Swansea, Valentine and Windale.
• Area: 265 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 114,054 (at 7.6.2019)
• Industries: Coal mining, tourism, fishing, power stations, building industry and poultry farming.