Biography for TRUSS, the Hon. Warren ErrolMember for Wide Bay (Qld)
Nationals
Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Wide Bay, Queensland, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Parliamentary Positions
Deputy Chair of Committees from 12.9.91 to 21.2.94.
Member, Speaker's Panel from 21.2.94 to 31.1.95 and from 1.5.96 to 20.10.97.
Ministerial Appointments
Minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs from 9.10.97 to 21.10.98.
Minister for Community Services from 21.10.98 to 20.7.99.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 20.7.99 to 6.7.05.
Minister for Transport and Regional Services from 6.7.05 to 29.9.06.
Minister for Trade from 29.9.06 to 3.12.07.
Committee Service
House of Representatives Standing: Library from 16.5.90 to 8.2.93; Procedure from 16.5.90 to 8.2.93 and from 29.5.96 to 30.10.97; Environment, Recreation and the Arts from 16.5.90 (Chair from 30.5.96) to 22.10.97; Long Term Strategies from 26.5.93 to 29.1.96.
Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority from 18.6.96 to 23.10.97.
Joint Standing: Treaties from 17.6.96 to 23.10.97; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 3.2.10 to 22.2.10.
Conferences, Delegations and Visits
Member, 39th CPA Conference, Cyprus, and bilateral visits to Germany and Malta, September 1993.
Member, Delegation to the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum Annual Meeting, Acapulco, and bilateral visits to Chile and Barbados, December 1994-January 1995.
Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to AIPO meeting, Phuket, Thailand, September 1996.
Official visits to New Zealand, July-August 1998 and May 1999; Canada and USA, September-October 1999; Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland and UK, November 1999; Singapore, France and Germany, October 2000; New Zealand, March 2001; USA, December 2001; Japan, Korea and the Philippines, January 2002; Indonesia, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, June 2002; Japan, July 2002; Indonesia, March 2003; Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, June-July 2003; China, August-September 2003; Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Israel, April-May 2004; New Zealand, December 2004; United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, April-May 2005; Malaysia, China and Japan, June-July 2005; China, Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, January 2006; Japan, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Belgium, November 2006; the Philippines, January 2007; Switzerland, UK and USA, January-February 2007; India, February-March 2007; United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan and China, April 2007; France, May 2007; Germany and Indonesia, June 2007; New Zealand and Vanuatu, July-August 2007; Malaysia and the Philippines, August 2007; Bali, Indonesia, June 2009; Taiwan, September 2009.
Parliamentary Party Positions
Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 13.12.94 to 11.3.96 and from 6.12.07. Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs from 13.12.94 to 11.3.96; Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Local Government from 6.12.07 to 22.9.08; Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government from 22.9.08 to 25.3.10; Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport and Local Government from 25.3.10 to 14.9.10; Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport from 14.9.10.
Deputy Leader of the House from 5.10.97 to 21.10.98.
Federal Parliamentary Deputy Leader, The Nationals from 6.7.05 to 3.12.07.
Federal Parliamentary Leader, The Nationals from 3.12.07.
Party Positions
Member, NPA Central Council (Qld) 1981-2008.
President, NPA Kumbia Branch 1974-87.
Vice-President, NPA Barambah State Electorate Council 1978-88.
President, NPA Wide Bay Divisional Council 1984-90.
Personal
Born 8.10.1948 at Kingaroy, Qld.
Married.
Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament
Farmer.
President, Australian Council of Rural Youth 1973-74.
Member, Queensland Graingrowers' Association State Council 1979-90.
Chair, Sugar Coast Burnett Regional Tourism Board 1985-89.
Deputy Chair, Bulk Grains Queensland 1985-90.
Local Government Service
Member, Kingaroy Shire Council 1976-90.
Chair, Kingaroy Shire Council 1983-90.
President, Burnett District Local Government Association 1989-90.
President, South Burnett Local Government Association 1984-85 and 1989-90.
Electorate
Description: rural.
Location: southern eastern Queensland coast and hinterland; it includes the centres of Gympie, Maryborough, Murgon and Noosa Heads. It also includes Fraser Island.
Area: 14 573 sq km (approx.).
Electors enrolled: 92 636 (at 21.8.10).
Industries: tourism, timber, dairying, grain, grazing, sugar, tropical fruit orchards and railway rolling stock.
State electorates: Wide Bay includes the Queensland Legislative Assembly electorate of Gympie, and parts of Callide, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Nicklin and Noosa.