Elected to the House of Representatives for Hunter, New South Wales, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

Trustee, Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust from 19.10.10.

Minister for Defence from 3.12.07 to 9.6.09.

House of Representatives Standing: Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs from 29.5.96 to 31.8.98; Industry and Resources from 21.10.02 to 31.8.04; Economics, Finance and Public Administration from 2.12.04 to 7.2.07; Economics from 15.6.09 to 19.7.10 and from 20.9.12; Employment and Workplace Relations from 11.2.10 to 19.7.10; Selection from 30.9.10 to 14.5.13; House from 25.10.10; House Appropriations and Administration from 25.10.10; Procedure from 25.10.10 to 14.5.13; Regional Australia from 9.5.12 to 6.2.13; Publications from 14.5.13.

Joint Statutory: Public Accounts from 29.5.96 to 1.1.98; Public Accounts and Audit from 1.1.98 to 31.8.98.

Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 15.6.09.

Joint Select: Retailing Sector from 9.2.99 to 30.8.99.

Attended CPA Regional Seminar, New Zealand and Sydney, September-October 1996.

Bilateral visits to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, July 1999; USA, Canada and Ireland, May-June 2000.

Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, August 2006.

Official visits to UK, December 2007; Kuwait, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, December 2007; Lithuania, February 2008; Romania, April 2008; Turkey and United Arab Emirates, April 2008; Singapore, May-June 2008; USA, July 2008; New Zealand, August 2008; Solomon Islands, September 2008; Indonesia and East Timor, September 2008; Canada, Spain, Portugal and UK, November 2008; Japan, December 2008; Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates and Poland, February 2009; Timor-Leste, March 2009; USA, April 2009; United Arab Emirates, April 2009; Malaysia and Singapore, May-June 2009.

Member, Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Ethiopia, April 2011.

Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Uganda, March-April 2012.

Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19.10.98 to 3.12.07. Shadow Minister for Small Business and Tourism from 20.10.98 to 25.11.01; Shadow Minister for Resources from 25.11.01 to 8.12.03; and Tourism from 2.7.03 to 8.12.03; Shadow Minister for Mining, Energy and Forestry from 8.12.03 to 26.10.04; Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services from 26.10.04 to 24.6.05; Assistant Shadow Treasurer and Revenue from 26.10.04; Shadow Minister for Small Business and Competition from 24.6.05 to 10.12.06; Shadow Minister for Defence from 10.12.06 to 3.12.07.

Chief Government Whip from 27.9.10 to 13.5.13.

Delegate, NSW Young Labor 1985-86.

Senior Vice-President, ALP Cessnock Branch 1985-96.

Delegate, Cessnock State Electorate Council 1986-96.

Secretary, Hunter Federal Electorate Council 1990-96.

Delegate, ALP State Conference (NSW) 1990-96.

Campaign Director, NSW State Elections 1991 and 1995.

Born 16.1.1962, Bellingen, NSW.

Married.

Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Ncle).

Automotive electrician 1978-90.

Electorate officer to EJ Fitzgibbon, MP 1990-96.

Part-time TAFE lecturer.

Small business operator.

Councillor, Cessnock City Council 1987-95; Deputy Mayor of Cessnock 1989-90.

Director, Hunter-Manning Tourist Authority 1987-89.

Delegate, Hunter Region Association of Councils 1994-95.

Description: rural.

Location: central New South Wales, to the north-west of Newcastle; it includes the towns of Aberdeen, Branxton, Cessnock, Denman, Kandos, Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Merriwa, Murrurundi, Muswellbrook, Scone and Singleton.

Area: 20 111 sq km (approx.).

Electors enrolled: 91 516 (at 21.8.10).

Industries: agriculture, aluminium smelting, coal-mining, dairy farming, engineering, farming, forestry, fruit and vegetables, horse studs and racing, timber milling, tourism, wine grapes, wineries and wool and the Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations.

State electorates: Hunter includes parts of the New South Wales Assembly electorates of Bathurst, Cessnock, Maitland and Upper Hunter.