Member for Charlton (NSW)

Greg was appointed Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change on 9 June 2009. He was also appointed as the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science on 9 June 2009.

He grew up in western Sydney and worked as a trades assistant, in coal mining, and in a range of community organisations, before becoming a union official.

He has university degrees in mining engineering and economics. He also has a graduate diploma in labour relations and the law.

After working for the Waterside Workers Federation for some years, Greg joined the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 1993 and was leader of the ACTU from 1999 to 2007.

During his time at the ACTU,  Greg oversaw numerous national wage cases to secure pay rises for low-paid Australian workers.

Greg also led the union movement in the high profile 1998 waterfront dispute, the union campaign that secured employee entitlements for 16,000 workers after the collapse of Ansett, and the campaign that secured a multi-billion dollar settlement for Australian asbestos victims from James Hardie.

Greg is a former director of Members Equity Bank and the $30 billion superannuation fund, Australian Super.

He was awarded a member of the Order of Australia in 2006.

Following the Labor Party's Federal Election win in November 2007, Greg was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement in the Rudd Labor Government.

On 25th February 2009 the Prime Minister announced a portfolio reshuffle and Greg was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change.

• First speech to parliament