Member for Macarthur 1975-83; Senator for New South Wales 1985-96
Liberal Party of Australia
Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Macarthur, New South Wales, 1975, 1977 and 1980. Defeated 1983.
Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 1984 (term began 1.7.85), 1987 and 1993. Resigned 9.9.96.
Parliamentary Appointments
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, May 1982-March 1983.
Committee Service
Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills from 22.8.85 to 5.6.87; House from 24.9.87 to 10.11.88; Appropriations and Staffing from 2.5.96 to 30.6.96.
Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Full member, Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation Committee from 10.10.94 to 9.9.96 and References Committee from 10.10.94 to 19.6.96 and from 20.8.96 to 9.9.96; Participating member, Community Affairs: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Economics: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Employment, Education and Training: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Finance and Public Administration: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Legal and Constitutional: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation Committee from 17.10.94 to 29.4.96; Participating member, Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References Committee from 24.6.96 to 9.9.96.
Senate Estimates: D from 9.4.86 to 21.8.86; E from 21.8.86 to 24.3.87 and on 10.10.89; B from 24.3.87 to 5.6.87 and from 9.5.90 to 24.8.90; C from 20.8.92 to 6.5.93.
House of Representatives Standing: Publications from 26.11.80 (Chair from 4.12.80) to 4.2.83.
Joint Statutory: Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings from 7.10.87 to 27.10.89; Public Accounts from 29.5.96 to 1.7.96.
Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory from 13.10.76 to 10.11.77; New Parliament House from 24.9.87 to 19.2.90.
Conferences, Delegations and Visits
Member, OECD-Council of Europe Parliamentary Symposium on Development Co-operation, Paris, December 1978.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Peru, Venezuela and Brazil, July-August 1980.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, June-July 1988.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to European Parliamentary Institutions and Italy, September-October 1988.
Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), September- December 1993.
Parliamentary Party Positions
Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 21.4.87 to 14.8.87 and from 11.4.90 to 7.4.93. Spokesman on Health from 21.4.87 to 14.8.87; Secretary to the Shadow Cabinet from 16.9.88 to 9.5.89 and from 11.4.90 to 9.5.90; Co-ordinator of Election Strategy from 11.4.90 to 28.4.92; Spokesman on Arts, Heritage, Sport and Youth Affairs from 9.5.90 to 28.4.92; on Arts, Heritage and Sport from 28.4.92 to 7.4.93.
Party Positions
Member, Liberal Party State Council (NSW) from 1974.
President, Liberal Party Shellharbour Branch 1974-75.
Member, Liberal Party Macarthur FEC 1975-84.
Member, Convention Committee 1974-75.
Editor, The Australian Liberal 1975.
Member, State Executive, Liberal Party (NSW) 1983-84.
Personal
Born 6.7.30 at Sydney, NSW.
Married.
Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament
BA (Syd), ASIA.
Senior Adviser to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Hon. J.W. Howard 1983-84.
Company director, journalist, author, music critic, television panellist and radio commentator.
Councillor, Musica Viva, Australia.
Publications
The Sydney Opera House Affair, Melbourne: Nelson, 1967.