Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 2013. Re-elected 2016 and 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 10.9.2018.

Ministerial appointments

• Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister from 21.9.2015 to 28.8.2018.
• Assistant Minister for Immigration from 18.2.2016 to 19.7.2016.
• Assistant Minister for Regulatory Reform from 29.3.2017 to 20.12.2017.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples served from 1.7.2014 to 23.6.2015
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Treaties served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Parliamentary Library served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Treaties served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Electoral Matters served from 10.9.2018 to 11.9.2018; Electoral Matters served from 10.9.2018 to 11.4.2022; Electoral Matters served as Chair from 12.9.2018 to 11.4.2022; Electoral Matters served as Deputy Chair from 3.8.2022 to present
• Joint Statutory: National Anti-Corruption Commission served from 19.10.2023 to present
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Environment and Communications: References served from 1.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.10.2014 to 17.10.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.2014 to 20.11.2014; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 10.9.2018 to 13.2.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 14.2.2019 to 25.2.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 26.2.2019 to 1.7.2019; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 2.7.2019; Education and Employment: References served from 2.7.2019 to 2.7.2019; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 3.7.2019; Education and Employment: References served as Deputy Chair from 3.7.2019 to 2.9.2021; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Chair from 3.7.2019 to 2.9.2021; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.8.2022 to present; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 1.8.2022 to present
• Senate Select: Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures served from 17.7.2014 to 12.10.2015; Fair Dinkum Power served from 5.12.2018 to 28.6.2019; Adopting Artificial Intelligence served from 27.3.2024 to present
• Senate Standing: Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Senators' Interests served from 10.9.2018 to 1.7.2019; Selection of Bills served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; Procedure served from 21.10.2021 to 25.7.2022; Privileges served from 1.8.2022 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.2014 to present
• Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition from 5.6.2022.
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Finance from 5.6.2022.
• Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 30.8.2016 to 22.8.2018.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 2.7.2019.

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Club (Griffith University).
• Chair of the Young Liberals Sunshine Coast Branch (Qld).

Personal

• Born: 14.5.1974, Toowoomba, Australia
• Gender: Male

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom (Griffith University).
• LLB (Griffith University).
• LLM (Queensland University of Technology).
• Admission as Solicitor.
• Solicitor and Articled Clerk at Bennett Carroll and Gibbons (Qld) from 1996 to 1999.
• Investigating Officer at the Parliamentary Ombudsman (Qld) from 1999 to 2001.
• Ministerial Adviser (SA) from 2001 to 2002.
• Various roles with the Conservative Party (UK) including Deputy Campaign Director for the Boris Johnson Mayoral Campaign, Special Adviser to Shadow Chancellor, Chief of Staff to the Party Chairman, Campaign Co-ordinator 2002-08.
• National Presidential Campaign Director for the Maldivian Democratic Party, 2008.
• Deputy Director of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2009 to 2010.
• Campaign Director for the Liberal National Party (Qld) from 2010 to 2012.
• Campaign Director for the Country Liberal Party (NT), 2012.
• Self-employed contractor from 2012 to 2014.