He has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2006, representing the electorate of Bundoora.
Born in Sydney, he was educated at De La Salle College in Ashfield before receiving an electrical trades certificate from Petersham TAFE.
In 2006, he was selected as the Labor candidate for the safe seat of Bundoora in the 2006 state election, after the retirement of sitting member Sherryl Garbutt.
[1] In March 2017, he was chosen by the Labor Caucus to replace Telmo Languiller as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
[5] Brooks is a member of the Australian Workers Union component of the Victorian Labor Right.