 He was Minister for Primary Industry and Resources and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the Gunner government from 2016 to 2018.He was sacked as a minister and expelled from the Labor caucus in December 2018 and subsequently remained in parliament as a Labor backbencher outside caucus, but announced his resignation from parliament in November 2019 with effect from January 2020.Born in Darwin, Vowles attended the Australian Cricket Academy on a scholarship from 1989 to 1990, during which time he toured internationally with the Australian Under-19 team.