I was born in Melbourne in 1949 and have lived here all of my life. I was educated at Middle Park Central School, Melbourne High School and Monash University where I obtained degrees in economics and law. I was at Monash University at the height of the anti-Vietnam war protests, and it was this that sparked my interest in a career in politics.

Following the completion of my studies I took up a number of positions in the union movement and count as some of my proudest achievements rising to head the Storemen and Packers Union and my election as President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 1985. I have also been a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Board of Qantas, the board of the AIDC and the Transport Industry Advisory Council.

In 1990 I was elected to Parliament and appointed directly to the front bench as Minister for Science and Technology in the fourth Hawke Labor Government . This meant I had to introduce a number of pieces of legislation before I had even given my maiden speech.

As Minister for Science and Technology I oversaw the stabilisation of funding to scientific organisations based on three year funding programs as well as the implementation of the Government's historic decision to establish up to fifty Co-operative Research Centres.

I was also Minister Assisting the Treasurer, with specific responsibility for the Prices Surveillance Authority, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

From June 1991 until December 1993, I was Minister for Primary Industries and Energy at a time of great hardship in the rural sector due to the drought, and the collapse of the wool floor price scheme. During my time in this portfolio I am proud of the role I played in restructuring Australia's wool industry and the drought relief system I put in place to speed up the payment of assistance to farmers, and help them keep their farms going.

From December 1993 until March 1996, I was Minister for Employment, Education and Training. In that role I had primary responsibility for developing and implementing the four-year Working Nation jobs and training strategy, an initiative focused on ensuring everyone who was out of work, especially the long-term unemployed, could receive the training and assistance they needed to get back into the workforce. I was also responsible for policy relating to higher education, schools and vocational education.

After Labor lost office in March 1996 I was appointed Shadow Minister for Industry and Regional Development and Manager of Opposition Business. Following the 1998 election, I was elected Deputy Opposition Leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer.

I was Leader of the Opposition between November 2001 and December 2003, and Shadow Treasurer and Deputy Manager of Opposition business between December 2003 and October 2004. After the election of the Rudd Labor Government in November 2007, I was appointed Minister for Trade.

I have been married to Carole since 1973 and we have two daughters. We live just around the corner from where I grew up. My mother, Mary, and father, Frank, live nearby. Dad had a long and distinguished career in the Federal Parliament, entering Parliament when Ben Chifley was Prime Minister and rising to be Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer in the Whitlam Government.

I enjoy bushwalking, tennis and swimming and am passionate about going to the football to see my team, the mighty Kangaroos play. I am the Patron of the Kangaroos Football Club and enjoy going to their games whenever I can.

NORTH MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB: Click Here to visit www.kangaroos.com.au