About Andrew

1951 - 1964: Grew up on a dairy farm in Epping (north of Melbourne) with his parents and 8 brothers and sisters.

1964 - 1976: Moved to Reservoir, attended Parade Christian Brothers College and later gained a Diploma of Agricultural Science from Dookie Agricultural College and a first class Honours Degree in Economics from La Trobe University.

1975: Married Maureen and later had three children Tom, Joe and Pip.

1972 - 1989: Worked as an animal health officer and agricultural economist for the Department of Agriculture (Victoria), as an economist for the National Farmers' Federation, and then became Executive Director of the Cattle Council of Australia and later Executive Director of the National Farmers' Federation.

1990 - 1997: Served as Federal Director and Campaign Director of the Liberal Party (including directing the succesful 1996 campaign).

1997 - 2001: Worked for Publishing and Broadcasting Limited and then built an Australia wide direct marketing technology company.

2001 - 2004: Worked independently providing strategic advice to major companies around Australia and overseas, including as a member of the investment team for the Gorgon Gas Project.

2003: Awarded the Order of Australia and Centenary Medal for service to agriculture and politics, all the while being heavily involved in the community from 1998 serving as a Board Member of Sinclair Knight Merz, Garvan Medical Research Foundation, Menzies Research Centre, Australian Direct Marketing Association, Big Brother Big Sister and the YWCA Leadership Group.

2004: Elected to the Federal seat of Goldstein.

2005: Became Chairman of the Government's Workplace Relations Taskforce.

2006: Appointed Parliamentary Secretary with ministerial responsibilities for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

2007: Appointed Minister for Vocational and Further Education and then following the Coalition's move to Opposition became Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.

2008: Appointed Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Climate Change.

2009: Appointed Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee.

2010: Appointed the additional responsibility of Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction.

2011: Andrew released his book on his struggle with a depressive illness, Black Dog Daze: Public Life, Private Demons, which was published by Melbourne University Publishing