Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Paterson, New South Wales, 2016. Re-elected 2019 and 2022.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Regional Development and Decentralisation served from 13.6.2017 to 28.6.2018; Regional Australia served from 29.7.2019 to 18.9.2019; Regional Australia served as Deputy Chair from 19.9.2019 to 7.12.2020
• House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture and Water Resources served from 15.9.2016 to 15.6.2017; Agriculture and Water Resources served as Deputy Chair from 21.5.2018 to 11.4.2019; Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources served from 22.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Agriculture served from 28.7.2022 to 21.8.2022; Petitions served from 28.7.2022 to present; Agriculture served as Chair from 22.8.2022 to present
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 23.7.2019 to 8.12.2020; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Deputy Chair from 9.12.2020 to 11.4.2022; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 28.7.2022 to present; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 14.9.2023 to present
• Joint Statutory: Intelligence and Security served from 9.10.2024 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.07.2016 to present
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence from 11.8.2020 to 23.5.2022.

Personal

• Born: 3.9.1970, Kurri Kurri, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom (University of Newcastle).
• BA (University of Newcastle).
• Researcher, Producer and Reporter for NBN Television from 1991 to 1993.
• Radio Presenter for 2KO, 1992.
• Business Manager for the Hunter Region Organisation of Councils from 1993 to 1996.
• Electorate Officer for J Fitzgibbon, MP from 1996 to 1997.
• Executive Director for Hunter Tourism, 1997.
• Student and mother from 1998 to 2001.
• Small business owner and cafe operator from 2001 to 2004.
• Radio Broadcaster from 2004 to 2016.

Local Government service

• Member, Hunter Region Organisation of Councils from 1993 to 1996.

Electorate

• Name: Paterson
• Location: Paterson extends from Neath, Kurri Kurri and Williamtown in the south, along the Hunter River and Port Stephens in the north and along the Hunter Expressway to the west. The main towns include Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Medowie, Neath, Nelson Bay, Raymond Terrace and Williamtown.
• Area: 1,123 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 122,820 (at 7.6.2019)
• Industries: Beef and dairy cattle, mixed farming, maize, fishing and oyster farming, general engineering, transport, construction, tourism and recreational industries.