Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 1996. Re-elected 2001 and 2007. Resigned 22.8.2011.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 16.8.2011 to 22.8.2011.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer from 26.11.2001 to 18.7.2004.
• Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts from 18.7.2004 to 3.12.2007.
• Cabinet Minister from 18.7.2004 to 3.12.2007.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Intelligence Services served from 28.6.2001 to 27.8.2001
• Joint Standing: Treaties served from 26.2.1997 to 8.10.2001; Treaties served from 1.7.2011 to 22.8.2011
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 7.5.1997 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 1.1.1998 to 8.10.2001; Corporations and Financial Services served from 1.7.2008 to 26.8.2008; Corporations and Financial Services served as Deputy Chair from 27.8.2008 to 13.10.2008; Intelligence and Security served from 5.12.2008 to 25.6.2009
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation served from 1.7.1996 to 15.5.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 1.7.1996 to 15.10.1996; Community Affairs: References served from 22.8.1996 to 15.5.1997; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.9.1996 to 16.9.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 1.10.1996 to 1.10.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.10.1996 to 23.10.1996; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.11.1996 to 29.11.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 13.2.1997 to 1.9.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 26.2.1997 to 11.2.2002; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 26.2.1997 to 11.2.2002; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.11.1997 to 14.11.1997; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.6.1998 to 4.6.1998; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 5.5.1999 to 6.5.1999; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 31.5.1999 to 3.6.1999; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.6.1999 to 10.6.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.6.1999 to 10.6.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.10.1999 to 26.10.1999; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2000 to 22.11.2000; Community Affairs: References served from 2.2.2010 to 1.7.2011
• Senate Select: Socio-Economic Consequences of the National Competition Policy served from 10.3.1999 to 17.2.2000
• Senate Standing: Privileges served from 1.7.1996 to 31.8.1999; Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.7.1996 to 31.8.1999; Regulations and Ordinances served from 22.9.1997 to 28.1.1998; Selection of Bills served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Regulations and Ordinances served from 31.3.1999 to 11.8.1999; Regulations and Ordinances served as Chair from 12.8.1999 to 11.2.2002; Procedure served from 22.6.2006 to 11.8.2006; Selection of Bills served from 23.9.2008 to 13.5.2009; Scrutiny of Bills served from 13.10.2008 to 14.10.2008; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 15.10.2008 to 1.7.2011

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Taiwan, 2000.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, March 2000.
• Official visits to Fiji, July 2003.
• Official visits to USA, January 2005.
• Official visits to UK and Italy, April-May 2005.
• Official visits to Peru, Chile, Brazil and Republic of Korea, May-June 2005.
• Official visits to India, October 2005.
• Official visits to USA, April-May 2006.
• Official visits to Israel and UK, November 2006.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1996 to 22.08.2011
• Shadow Minister for Human Services from 6.12.2007 to 22.9.2008.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 6.12.2007 to 8.12.2009.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from 22.9.2008 to 20.2.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs from 22.9.2008 to 20.2.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation from 20.2.2009 to 8.12.2009.
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 10.11.1998 to 23.11.2001.
• Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate from 27.1.2006 to 3.12.2007.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party from 1990.
• Member of the Liberal Party Sydney City Branch Executive Committee (NSW) from 1991 to 1992.
• President of the Liberal Party Watson's Bay Branch (NSW) from 1994 to 1995.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Women's Council from 1994 to 1996.
• Member of the Liberal Party Women's Forum from 1994 to 1996.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party Watson's Bay Branch (NSW) from 1995 to 1996.

Other positions

• Member of the Convocation of the Senate (University of Sydney) from 1983 to 1984.
• Member (Part-time) of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, 1987.
• Trustee of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW from 1988 to 1992.
• Chair of the Law Foundation of NSW Board of Governors from 1991 to 1992.
• Chair of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW Board from 1992 to 1995.
• Director and Fellow of the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation from 1995 to 1996.

Personal

• Born: 29.10.1947, Wagga Wagga, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Sydney).
• LLB (University of Sydney).
• Barrister and solicitor.
• Attorney, New York (USA).
• Mediator.

Publications

• 'Law of contract' in An annual survey of Australian law (with K Lindgren), Law Book Company, Sydney: 1987.
• 'Law of contract' in An annual survey of Australian law (with K Lindgren), Law Book Company, Sydney: 1988.
• ,A year in review: 1996-97 Helen Coonan, Sydney: 1997.
• Sticky Wik-kit: a beginners guide to Wik, Helen Coonan, Canberra: 1998.
• Senate goes bush, Helen Coonan, Sydney: 1999.