Career
Born in Bundaberg, Queensland, he was a cane farmer and an organiser of the Australian Workers" Union before entering politics. In 1987, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Hinkler, defeating sitting National Member of Parliament Bryan Conquest. He held the seat until his defeat in 1993 by National challenger Paul Neville.
He tried to regain his seat in 1996, but was roundly defeated by Neville.
In the 2007 federal election campaign he appeared in a Liberal television advertisement opposing Kevin Rudd but has denied that this made him a Labor rat.
