I was born and raised in Orbost, a small town on the mouth of the Snowy River.

In 1965 I was conscripted into the army and volunteered for active service in Vietnam the following year. After Vietnam I was selected for Officer training and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1968. I later served with the ANZUK Force in Singapore and as an exchange instructor in airborne logistics with the United States Army.

During my time with the US Army I completed the Special Forces Military Freefall course which involved high altitude, low opening (HALO) tactical parachute jumps from 7,000 metres at night. I went on to complete 200 parachute jumps and was appointed Captain of the Fort Lee Parachute Display Team.

I later studied at the Army Command and Staff College for a year ans was then assigned to the 1st Brigade at Holsworthy as the senior staff officer for Personnel and Logistics. I resigned with the rank of major in 1986 after 21 years service.

After leaving the army I organised a number of special events which included the world’s longest, toughest and richest ultra-marathon between Sydney and Melbourne, caravan safaris around Australia, the first Australian Youth Disabled Games, the Diet-Coke Mile in Sydney.

I later conducted leadership and outback survival training with Adventure West in the Kimberley region of WA, central Queensland and outback New South Wales.

In 1991 I was asked to trek across the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea with a view to organising an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the campaign. I later developed the Kokoda Adventure Leadership Program for young executives from CRA (now Rio Tinto); the University of Western Sydney National Leadership Program; and the RSL Services Clubs Kokoda Leadership Program . Since then I have led groups from the Sydney Swans AFL team, Youth Insearch, Camp Dare, the NSW Young Liberals and Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets programs as part of their personal development programs.

I have recently established Network Kokoda – a Foundation to develop a strategic plan for the Kokoda Trail to be proclaimed as a National Memorial Park and to provide health, educational and sporting assistance to the descendents of the ‘fuzzy-wuzzy angels’ who live along the track.

I now serve on the Board of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway at Concord and represent the Leader of the Opposition as a Trustee of the Anzac Memorial Building in Sydney.

I was elected to the Legislative Council as a Liberal Member in 1995. My term expires in March 2015.

Liberal Party Activity

• Vice-President of Camden Branch: 1994 – 1995
• President of Macarthur Federal Electorate Conference: 1998 – 2000

Parliamentary Committee Membership

• Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics: 1995 – 1999
• Standing Committee on Social Issues: 2005 – 2006
• Committee of the Office of Valuer General: 2005 – 2006
• General Purpose Standing Committee No 3: 1997 – 1999
• General Purpose Select Committee No 4: 1999 – 2002
• General Purpose Standing Committee No 5: 2004 – 2006
• Select Committee: Select Committee on Hospital Waiting Lists: 1995 – 1997
• Select Committee on the proposed duplication of the North Head Sewerage Tunnel: 1997
• Corrective and Emergency Services Committee: 1995
• Joint Standing Committee of the Police Integrity Commission
• Joint Standing Committee of the Ombudsman

Service/Community Involvement

• Chairman of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce and Industry: 1993 – 1994
• Chairman of The Kokoda Track Foundation
• President of the NSW Parliamentary Lions Club
• Board Member of The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway, Concord
• President of the NSW/PNG Parliamentary Friendship Group
• Trustee of the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park

Military Service – Australian Army (1965 – 1986):

• Puckapunyal: 1965
• South Vietnam: 1967
• Officer Cadet School: 1967 – 1968
• ANZUK Force, Singapore: 1972-1974
• United States Army Exchange Officer: 1977-1979
• Australian Command & Staff College: 1981
• Headquarters 1st Brigade: 1982 – 1986