Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison, 2006. Defeated at general elections 2010.
• Federal: Elected to the Senate for Tasmania 2010. Re-elected 2016. Defeated at general elections 2019.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition of Local Government served from 1.11.2012 to 21.11.2012; Constitutional Recognition of Local Government served from 29.11.2012 to 7.3.2013
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 1.7.2011 to 5.8.2013; Treaties served from 1.7.2011 to 5.8.2013; Parliamentary Library served from 1.7.2011 to 5.8.2013; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Treaties served from 1.9.2016 to 15.9.2016; Electoral Matters served from 1.12.2016 to 8.2.2017; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 8.2.2017 to 20.3.2017; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 9.5.2017 to 30.6.2019
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2014; Law Enforcement served from 12.11.2013 to 4.12.2013; Law Enforcement served as Deputy Chair from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Corporations and Financial Services served from 4.12.2013 to 1.7.2014; Human Rights served from 12.9.2016 to 15.9.2016; Law Enforcement served from 12.9.2016 to 15.9.2016; Law Enforcement served from 1.12.2016 to 30.6.2019
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Environment and Communications: References served from 1.7.2011 to 4.7.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.5.2012 to 31.5.2012; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014; Environment and Communications: References served from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.2.2015 to 27.2.2015; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.9.2016 to 30.6.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 15.2.2017 to 30.6.2019
• Senate Select: Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures served from 25.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Strengthening Multiculturalism served from 23.3.2017 to 17.8.2017; Obesity Epidemic in Australia served from 10.5.2018 to 17.5.2018; Obesity Epidemic in Australia served as Deputy Chair from 18.5.2018 to 5.12.2018
• Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Appropriations and Staffing served from 27.6.2012 to 11.11.2013; Regulations and Ordinances served from 1.12.2016 to 30.6.2019; Privileges served from 1.12.2016 to 30.6.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2011 to 30.06.2019
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General from 18.10.2013 to 24.6.2014.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water from 24.6.2014 to 23.7.2016.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Tas.) from 2000 to 2015.
• President of the Australian Labor Party New Town Branch (Tas.) from 2001 to 2005.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2004.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Tas.) from 2006 to 2008.

Personal

• Born: 20.2.1972, Hobart, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Partner

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA(Hons) (University of Tasmania).
• MIntRel (Macquarie University).
• Organiser for the Australian Education Union (Tas.), 1998.
• Adviser to Senator S Mackay, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government from 1999 to 2002.
• Director of the Working Women's Centre (Tas.) from 2003 to 2004.
• Adviser to the Minister for Tourism, Parks and Heritage (Tas.) from 2004 to 2005.
• Manager of the Art Business Unit at the Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (Tas.) from 2005 to 2006.
• Chief Executive Officer of the Asbestos Free Tasmania Foundation from 2010 to 2011.

State/Territory Government service

• Elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Denison, 2006. Defeated at general elections 2010.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier from 14.4.2008 to 24.11.2008.
• Minister for Corrections and Consumer Protection from 24.11.2008 to 13.4.2010.
• Minister for Workplace Relations from 24.11.2008 to 13.4.2010.
• Minister Assisting the Premier on Climate Change from 23.4.2009 to 13.4.2010.

Honours

• Awarded Hobart Citizen of the Year, 2004.
• Received the Pravasi Bharatiya Sammann Award, 2015.