Biography for RIPOLL, the Hon. Bernard (Bernie) FernandMember for Oxley (Qld)
Australian Labor Party
Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Oxley, Queensland, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Parliamentary Positions
Member, Speaker's Panel from 27.2.12 to 13.3.12.
Ministerial Appointments
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer from 5.3.12.
Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business from 25.3.13.
Committee Service
House of Representatives Standing: Transport and Regional Services from 2.12.04 to 17.10.07.
Joint Statutory: Public Works from 8.12.98 to 17.10.07 and from 25.10.10 to 14.3.12; Corporations and Financial Services from 18.2.08 to 14.3.12.
Joint Standing: Migration from 8.12.98 to 31.8.04; Treaties from 2.12.04 to 17.10.07; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 18.2.08 to 19.7.10.
Joint Select: Cyber-Safety from 18.3.10 to 19.7.10; Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation from 14.9.11 to 7.10.11.
Conferences, Delegations and Visits
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to India and Bangladesh, November-December 2000.
Deputy Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum, Hawaii, January 2002.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to China, January 2004.
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Malta and Spain, April 2007.
Official visits to the Solomon Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu and Samoa, December 2011; the Philippines, May 2012; Kiribati, July 2012.
Parliamentary Party Positions
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure from 26.10.04 to 24.6.05; Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations from 24.6.05 to 10.12.06; Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation from 10.12.06 to 3.12.07.
Party Positions
Branch President 1994-96.
Branch Secretary 1996-99.
Branch Treasurer 1996-99.
Delegate, ALP State Conference (Qld) from 1997.
Personal
Born 6.1.1966, Pezenas, France.
Married.
Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament
BBus (Mkt) (QUT).
Electrician 1986-90.
Union Organiser, State Public Services Federation of Queensland 1995-98.
Military Service
Apprentice aircraft electrician, RAAF 1983-84.
Electorate
Description: outer metropolitan.
Location: south-east Queensland to the south west of Brisbane; it includes the centres of Augustine Heights, Bellbird Park, Brookwater, Camira, Carole Park, Darra, Doolandella, Durack, Ellen Grove, Forest Lake, Gailes, Goodna, Heathwood, Inala, Jamboree Heights, Jindalee, Middle Park, Mt Ommaney, Pallara, Redbank, Richlands, Riverhills, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Sinnamon Park, Sumner, Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Wacol, and parts of Collingwood Park and Redbank Plains.
Area: 155 sq km (approx.).
Electors enrolled: 82 782 (at 21.8.10).
Industries: railway workshops, industrial, light industrial and commercial activities.
State electorates: Oxley includes parts of the Queensland Legislative Assembly electorates of Algester, Bundamba, Inala, Mount Ommaney and Sunnybank.