 He joined the Liberal Party in 1988 and was vice-president of the Golden Square branch in 1991, subsequently serving as a state council delegate and member of the provincial and federal electorate committees (1991–93).In the 1992 state election, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Bendigo West, serving until his defeat in 1996.He unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of Bendigo in 1998.