Biography
- Parliamentary service
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- Elected to the House of Representatives for Blair, Queensland, 2007. Re-elected 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019.
- Ministerial appointments
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- Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General from 25.3.2013 to 18.9.2013.
- Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing from 25.3.2013 to 18.9.2013.
- Committee service
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- Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 18.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Public Accounts and Audit from 6.2.2013 to 14.5.2013.
- Joint Standing: Migration from 15.9.2016 to 1.7.2019.
- Joint Select: Gambling Reform from 21.10.2010 to 13.2.2013; Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (2015) from 4.12.2013 to 25.6.2015.
- House of Representatives Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Petitions from 19.2.2008 to 17.6.2009; Employment and Workplace Relations from 17.6.2009 to 11.2.2010; Health and Ageing from 11.2.2010 to 19.7.2010; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (Aboriginal Affairs before 4.5.1992) from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013 (Chair from 25.10.2010 to 23.4.2013); Social Policy and Legal Affairs from 25.10.2010 to 14.5.2013; Indigenous Affairs from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016.
- Parliamentary party positions
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- Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
- Shadow Minister for Ageing from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
- Shadow Minister for Northern Australia from 4.5.2016 to 23.7.2016.
- Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
- Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
- Party positions
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- Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1983.
- President of the Australian Labor Party Raceview Flinders Branch from 1990.
- President of the Australian Labor Party Ipswich State Electorate Council from 1995 to 2008.
- Director of the Australian Labor Party Ipswich Campaign Committee from 1998 to 2007.
- Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Qld.) from 2000 to 2008.
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Rules Committee (Qld.) from 2002 to 2008.
- Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 2004 to 2007.
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee from 2005 to 2008.
- Personal
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- Born 26.8.1961, Ipswich, Australia
- Married
- Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
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- BA (University of Queensland).
- LLB (University of Queensland).
- Lawyer from 1985 to 2007.
- Electorate
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- Name: Blair
- Location: The Division of Blair consists of: part of the Brisbane City Council, part of the Ipswich City Council, part of the Scenic Rim Regional Council, and part of the Somerset Regional Council.
- Area: 6,472 Sq km
- Electors enrolled: 113,520 (at 6.6.2019)
- Industries: Dairy and beef cattle farming, small crop production, commercial, construction and infrastructure industries, tourism and defence.