Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of South Australia on 29.11.1995 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice J Coulter (resigned). Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1996. Re-elected 2001. Retired with the expiration of term 2008.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Republic Referendum served from 21.6.1999 to 9.8.1999
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 31.5.1996 to 30.10.1997; National Capital and External Territories served from 31.5.1996 to 1.7.1996; Treaties served from 20.10.1999 to 7.3.2000; Treaties served from 18.11.2002 to 5.12.2002; National Capital and External Territories served from 18.11.2002 to 16.6.2008; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 18.11.2002 to 30.6.2008
• Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority served from 1.7.1996 to 19.6.2000
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served from 1.7.1996 to 9.11.1998; Employment, Education and Training: References served from 1.7.1996 to 9.11.1998; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 1.7.1996 to 15.10.1996; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.10.1997 to 10.11.1997; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.12.1997 to 1.3.1998; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 2.3.1998 to 9.8.1999; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 2.3.1998 to 9.8.1999; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.11.1998 to 22.5.2001; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 24.11.1998 to 26.11.1998; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.11.1998 to 2.12.1998; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 10.12.1998 to 1.9.1999; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 29.6.2000 to 1.11.2000; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 30.11.2000 to 8.3.2001; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served from 13.2.2002 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 13.2.2002 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 17.9.2002 to 18.11.2002; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 25.3.2003 to 12.8.2004; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 26.6.2003 to 31.8.2004; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.3.2004 to 23.3.2004; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 12.5.2005 to 23.6.2005; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 23.6.2005 to 10.9.2006; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.6.2005 to 17.10.2007; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 7.9.2005 to 8.8.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.5.2006 to 17.8.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 11.9.2006 to 30.6.2008; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 16.9.2006 to 30.10.2006; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 8.2.2007 to 15.3.2007; Economics served as Substitute member from 19.6.2008 to 30.6.2008
• Senate Select: Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 15.10.1996 to 26.6.1997; Information Technologies served from 4.9.1997 to 7.12.2000; Lucas Heights Reactor served from 28.8.2000 to 5.10.2000; Lucas Heights Reactor served from 2.11.2000 to 23.5.2001

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to UK and Germany, June 1998.
• World Vision Delegate to Albania, April 1999.
• Speaker, Visions for the Future, Global Forum of Women Political Leaders, Manila, Philippines, January 2000.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Institutions, Strasbourg, Belgium and Luxembourg, June 2000.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Nigeria and South Africa, October-November 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa, December 2002.
• Australian Observer, Cambodian National Assembly Elections, July 2003.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, November 2003.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Delegations to Indonesia, February 2004.
• Member, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Delegations to Indonesia, March-April 2004.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, May 2005.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Democrats. Served: 29.11.1995 to 30.06.2008
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Electoral Matters; Higher Education, Employment and Training; Housing; Transport; Young Australians from 7.12.1995 to 30.6.1996.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Education (Higher Education and Vocational Education); Employment and Training; Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Science and Technology; Youth Affairs from 1.7.1996 to 25.2.1997.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Higher Education and Training; Consumer Affairs; Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Youth Affairs; Science and Technology from 25.2.1997 to 20.10.1997.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Consumer Affairs; Employment; Higher Education (including Vocational Education and Training); Science and Technology; Youth Affairs (including social security issues) from 20.10.1997 to 12.12.1997.
• Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Democrats from 5.12.1997 to 6.4.2001.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Attorney-General and Justice; Constitutional Convention; Employment; Higher Education; Science and Information Technology; Youth Affairs; Consumer Affairs from 12.12.1997 to 1.1.1999.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Attorney-General and Justice; Consumer Affairs; Employment; Employment Services; Higher Education; Information Technology/Information Economy; The Republic; Science; Trade; Training; Youth Affairs from 1.1.1999 to 1.7.1999.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Consumer Affairs; Employment; Higher Education; Science and Information Technology; Trade; Training; Youth Affairs from 1.7.1999 to 11.10.1999.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Consumer Affairs; Employment and Employment Services; Higher Education; Information Technology and Information Economy; Republic (until November 1999); Science; Trade; Training; Youth Affairs from 11.10.1999 to 14.2.2001.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Consumer Affairs (including Privacy); Employment and Employment Services; Higher Education; Information Technology and Economy; Republic; Science and Biotechnology; Trade; Training; Youth Affairs from 14.2.2001 to 14.4.2001.
• Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Democrats from 6.4.2001 to 21.8.2002.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Higher Education; Prime Minister and Cabinet; Republic; Science and Biotechnology; Status of Women; Treasury from 14.4.2001 to 1.7.2002.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs; Higher Education; Prime Minister and Cabinet; Republic; Science and Biotechnology; Status of Women; Treasury from 1.7.2002 to 24.10.2002.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs; Higher Education; Republic; Science and Biotechnology; Status of Women; Territories and Local Government; Work and Family from 24.10.2002 to 2.4.2004.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs; Higher Education; Republic; Science and Biotechnology; Status of Women; Territories and Local Government; Work and Family; Privacy from 2.4.2004 to 1.7.2005.
• Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Attorney-General (including Privacy); Foreign Affairs; Science, Research and Higher Education; Women (Work and Family) from 1.7.2005 to 30.6.2008.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Democrats State Council (SA).
• Officeholder of the Young Democrats from 1993.

Other positions

• Member of the Diabetes Transplant Unit Advisory Board.
• Member of the Australian Republic Movement National Committee.
• No. 1 ticket holder of the South Australian Women's Football League.
• Honorary Member of the Golden Key Society (Flinders Chapter).
• Member of the Parliamentary Education Advisory Committee from 1.7.1996.
• Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive from March 2000.

Personal

• Born: 9.9.1969, Adelaide, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Adelaide).
• Shop assistant from 1988 to 1991.
• President of the Students' Association, University of Adelaide (SA), 1991.
• Political adviser and researcher from 1991 to 1995.
• Member of the Suffrage Centenary Committee (SA) from 1992 to 1994.
• Community radio producer and freelance writer, 1995.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 13.6.2011.
• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 10.6.2019.

Publications

• Giving Generously (ed. J Scutt), Artemis, Melbourne: 1996.
• DIY Feminism (ed. K Bail), Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1996.
• Saving our ABC - the case for maintaining Australia's national broadcaster (chapter, ed. M Fraser and J O'Reilly), Hyland House, South Melbourne: 1996.
• The Australian political system (contribution, ed. D Lovell, I McAllister, W Maley and C Kukathas), Addison Wesley Longman, Melbourne: 1998.
• Girls' talk: young women speak their hearts and minds (ed. M Pallotta-Chiarolli), Finch Publishing, Lane Cove, NSW: 1998.
• What women want (ed. J Frank), Random House, Milsons Point, NSW: 2002.
• Time for change: Australia in the 21st century (ed. T Wright), Hardie Grant Books, Prahran, Vic., 2006.