Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly on 16.6.1998 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that Territory in the Senate, vice the Hon. R Collins (resigned). Elected to the Senate for the Northern Territory 1998. Re-elected 2001 and 2004, 2007 and 2010. Retired with the expiration of term 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 16.11.2004 to 12.2.2008.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 4.9.2008 to 6.9.2013.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Gambling Reform served from 30.9.2010 to 21.6.2012; Christmas Island Tragedy served from 3.3.2011 to 29.6.2011; Australia's Immigration Detention Network served from 1.7.2011 to 30.3.2012; Constitutional Recognition of Local Government served from 21.11.2012 to 29.11.2012; Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples served as Chair from 29.11.2012 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 23.6.1998 to 7.12.1998; National Capital and External Territories served as Deputy Chair from 8.12.1998 to 28.3.2006; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.12.2004 to 6.12.2004; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 28.11.2005 to 17.10.2007; National Capital and External Territories served from 8.2.2007 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 8.12.1998 to 31.8.2004; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account served from 1.12.2004 to 23.3.2006; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 29.3.2007 to 17.10.2007
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: References served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2002; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.4.1999 to 25.5.1999; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.4.1999 to 12.8.1999; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 28.4.1999 to 30.6.1999; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 8.12.1999 to 30.11.2000; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.6.2000 to 28.11.2000; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 13.2.2002 to 1.12.2004; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 20.6.2002 to 14.10.2003; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.7.2002 to 18.9.2002; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 5.2.2003 to 8.10.2003; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 18.11.2004 to 22.6.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.12.2004 to 30.6.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Chair from 2.12.2004 to 30.6.2005; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Chair from 23.6.2005 to 10.9.2006; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 1.7.2005 to 1.7.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.8.2005 to 10.10.2005; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 11.10.2005 to 20.6.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.11.2005 to 29.11.2005; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.6.2006 to 1.8.2006; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 5.9.2006 to 20.6.2007; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts served as Substitute member from 11.9.2006 to 20.6.2007; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 11.9.2006 to 13.2.2008; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served as Substitute member from 1.3.2007 to 13.9.2007; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Chair from 14.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 17.3.2008 to 13.5.2009; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 20.3.2008 to 15.5.2008; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 16.10.2008 to 4.12.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts served as Substitute member from 18.3.2009 to 29.10.2009; Economics served as Substitute member from 31.3.2009 to 1.4.2009; Economics served as Substitute member from 8.4.2009 to 8.4.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 29.10.2009; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 26.11.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 6.9.2013; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 14.5.2009 to 6.9.2013; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.2.2010 to 10.3.2010; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 9.2.2011; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.11.2011 to 14.3.2012
• Senate Select: Administration of Indigenous Affairs served from 23.6.2004 to 23.6.2004; Administration of Indigenous Affairs served as Chair from 24.6.2004 to 15.11.2004; Administration of Indigenous Affairs served from 16.11.2004 to 8.3.2005; Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities served from 19.3.2008 to 24.9.2010
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 23.6.1998 to 9.11.1998; Publications served from 23.6.1998 to 9.8.1999; Scrutiny of Bills served from 24.11.1998 to 17.6.2003; Selection of Bills served from 13.2.2002 to 1.7.2002; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 18.6.2003 to 23.6.2004; House served from 15.9.2003 to 27.9.2010; Scrutiny of Bills served from 24.6.2004 to 24.6.2004

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the 45th CPA Conference, Trinidad and Tobago, September 1999.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, August 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, August 2009.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Singapore and Indonesia, July 2010.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Switzerland and France, October 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 16.06.1998 to 06.09.2013
• Chair of the Australian Labor Party Caucus Committee on the Status of Women from 1998 to 2004.
• Opposition Deputy Whip in the Senate from 22.11.2001 to 22.10.2004.

Party positions

• Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Buffalo Creek Branch (NT) from 1988 to 1998.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (NT) from 1991 to 1993.
• Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party (NT) from 1993 to 1995.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1993.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1995.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1998.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2001.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2004.

Other positions

• Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Personal

• Born: 21.3.1956, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEd (Deakin University).
• DipT (Mercy College).
• Teacher from 1978 to 1989.
• Industrial Officer from 1990 to 1996.
• Secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union (NT) from 1996 to 1998.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 12.6.2023.