Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Newcastle, New South Wales, 2013. Re-elected 2016, 2019 and 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 26.3.2015 to 9.5.2016.
• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 11.10.2016 to 11.4.2022.
• Deputy Speaker from 26.7.2022.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Social Media and Online Safety served from 2.12.2021 to 15.3.2022
• House of Representatives Standing: Social Policy and Legal Affairs served as Deputy Chair from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Publications served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Appropriations and Administration served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Indigenous Affairs served from 19.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Indigenous Affairs served from 15.9.2016 to 11.4.2022; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served from 22.9.2016 to 11.4.2019; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served as Deputy Chair from 22.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served from 22.7.2019 to 23.7.2019; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 28.7.2022 to present; Selection served from 28.7.2022 to present; Appropriations and Administration served from 28.7.2022 to present
• Joint Select: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse served from 7.12.2017 to 14.2.2018; Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse served as Deputy Chair from 15.2.2018 to 2.4.2019; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 24.10.2019 to 4.12.2019; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served as Deputy Chair from 5.12.2019 to 11.4.2022; Parliamentary Standards served from 17.2.2022 to 11.4.2022; Parliamentary Standards served as Chair from 4.8.2022 to 29.11.2022; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum served from 30.3.2023 to 12.5.2023; Social Media and Australian Society served from 16.5.2024 to 13.8.2024; Social Media and Australian Society served as Chair from 13.8.2024 to present
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 15.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Parliamentary Library served from 23.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; National Capital and External Territories served from 28.7.2022 to present; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 28.7.2022 to present
• Joint Statutory: Public Works served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Intelligence and Security served from 12.8.2024 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 07.09.2013 to present
• Chair of the Australian Labor Party Caucus.
• Chair of the Australian Labor Party Status of Women Caucus Committee.
• Chair of the Australian Labor Party Medicare Caucus Committee.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Social Policy Caucus Committee.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party International and Legal Affairs Caucus Committee.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party First Nations Caucus Committee.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Policy Forum.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Newcastle Branch (NSW) from 1999.
• Delegate of the Australian Labor Party State Conference (NSW) from 2002.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs Committee (NSW) from 2002 to 2007.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 2007.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (NSW) from 2007 to 2013.

Personal

• Born: 26.4.1964, Camperdown, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons) (University of Sydney).
• Disability support worker.
• Social anthropologist.
• Electorate officer.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Newcastle City Council from 2008 to 2012.

Electorate

• Name: Newcastle
• Location: Newcastle covers an area from the Hunter River and the Rail Trail in the north, Minmi in the west and Newcastle Link Road, Lake Road, Reservoir Road, Wallsend Road, Newcastle Inner City Bypass, the Main Northern Railway line, Marshall Street and Main Road in the south and the coast from Merewether to Stockton in the east. The main suburbs include Adamstown, Broadmeadow, Cardiff Heights, Carrington, Elermore Vale, Fletcher, Jesmond, Kooragang, Kotara, Lambton, Maryland, Merewether, Minmi, Newcastle, New Lambton, Sandgate, Shortland, Stockton, Waratah and Wallsend.
• Area: 171 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 117,650 (at 6.6.2019)
• Industries: Ship-building and repairs, transport equipment, tourism, tertiary education, food-processing, railway goods, chemicals and heavy engineering. Newcastle is the second largest city in NSW and is a busy port, handling imports and exports.