Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 2010. Resigned 10.9.2015.

Committee service

• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 4.7.2011 to 22.3.2012; Law Enforcement served from 4.7.2011 to 9.5.2012; Human Rights served from 22.3.2012 to 5.8.2013; Human Rights served from 2.12.2013 to 10.9.2015
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 5.7.2011 to 10.9.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 5.7.2011 to 2.11.2011; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 7.7.2011 to 6.10.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 7.7.2011 to 18.8.2011; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.8.2011 to 15.9.2011; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Chair from 3.11.2011 to 24.6.2015; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.6.2012 to 14.8.2012; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 31.10.2012 to 14.5.2013; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 16.5.2013 to 11.11.2013; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.6.2013 to 24.6.2013; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 4.12.2013 to 27.3.2014; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.3.2014 to 5.6.2014; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.3.2014 to 14.5.2014; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.6.2014 to 8.7.2014; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 24.6.2015 to 10.9.2015
• Senate Select: School Funding served from 12.12.2013 to 9.7.2014; Health served as Substitute member from 9.10.2014 to 9.10.2014

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2011 to 10.09.2015
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Attorney-General (excluding National Security), Native Title, Veterans' Affairs, Social Inclusion, Mental Health, Heritage from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2012.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Attorney-General (excluding National Security), Mental Health, Schools and Education, Social Inclusion, Veterans' Affairs from 1.7.2012 to 11.11.2013.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Attorney-General, Schools, Veterans' Affairs, Mental Health, Employment and Workplace Relations (Senate) from 11.11.2013 to 1.7.2014.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Attorney-General, Mental Health, Schools from 1.7.2014 to 25.5.2015.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Attorney-General, Schools, Mental Health from 25.5.2015 to 10.9.2015.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Greens from 1995.
• Delegate to the Australian Greens State Council (SA) from 2008 to 2010.
• Member of the Australian Greens Grievance Committee from 2008 to 2010.
• Convener of the Australian Greens Inner Southern Branch (SA) from 2009 to 2010.

Personal

• Born: 19.1.1961, Red Cliffs, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• GradDipEnvSt (University of Adelaide).
• BA (University of Melbourne).
• LLB (University of Melbourne).
• Solicitor, Ballarat (Vic.) from 1984 to 1986.
• Solicitor for the Tenants' Union (Vic.) from 1986 to 1988.
• Member of the Residential Tenancies Tribunal from 1993 to 2003.
• Lecturer at Flinders University from 1994 to 1998.
• Deputy President of the Guardianship Board from 1996 to 2010.
• Conciliator and Investigating Solicitor for the Legal Practitioners Conduct Board from 2003 to 2006.
• Member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal from 2006 to 2007.
• Family mediator from 2007 to 2010.