Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for McPherson, Queensland, 1998. Re-elected 2001, 2004 and 2007. Retired prior to general elections 2010.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 23.2.2010 to 19.7.2010.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Privileges served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Employment, Education and Workplace Relations served from 1.6.2000 to 8.10.2001; Ageing served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Communications, Information Technology and the Arts served from 20.3.2002 to 18.6.2002; Procedure served as Chair from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Education and Training served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Health and Ageing served from 11.3.2008 to 3.2.2010
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 8.12.1998 to 5.3.2001; Migration served as Chair from 6.3.2001 to 8.10.2001; Treaties served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 8.5.2007 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK, May 2001.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Finland and Germany, April 2002.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Japan and South Korea, December 2003.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Indonesia from March to April 2004.
• Parliamentary delegation member to China and Mongolia, April 2005.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK and France, April 2006.
• Parliamentary Delegation member to Indonesia from March to April 2008.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Ireland and Italy from June to July 2010.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 03.10.1998 to 19.07.2010
• Shadow Minister for Ageing from 6.12.2007 to 8.12.2009.

Party positions

• Member of the Liberal Party from 1990.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party McPherson Campaign Committee (Qld) from 1990 to 1992.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Convention (Qld) from 1990 to 1992.
• Secretary of the Liberal Party Currumbin Branch (Qld) from 1990 to 1993.
• Member of the Liberal Party Currumbin Campaign Executive Committee (Qld), 1992.
• Secretary of the Liberal Party McPherson Campaign Committee (Qld), 1993.
• Member of the Liberal Party Richmond Campaign Executive Committee (Qld), 1993.
• Manager of the Liberal Party McPherson Campaign Committee (Qld), 1995.
• Executive of the Liberal Party Currumbin Campaign Committee (Qld), 1995.
• Treasurer of the Liberal Party McPherson Federal Electorate Council (Qld) from 1996 to 1997.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Convention (Qld) from 1998 to 2008.

Personal

• Born: 30.6.1950, Baa, Fiji
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipBA (NSW TAFE).
• Personal assistant from 1980 to 1982.
• Financial administration at the Department of Education (NSW) from 1982 to 1988.
• Electorate secretary from 1988 to 1998.

Electorate

• Name: McPherson
• Location: south-east Queensland, southern part of the Gold Coast and hinterland; it includes a major part of the tourist strip of the Gold Coast and includes the centres of Burleigh Heads, Clear Islands, Coolangatta, Currumbin, Currumbin Valley, Elanora, Merrimac, Mudgeeraba, Palm Beach, Robina Springbrook, Tallebudgera Valley, Tugun and Varsity Lakes.
• Area: 357 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 92,372 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: tourism, retail and service industries.
• Includes: McPherson includes the Queensland Legislative Assembly electorate of Currumbin, and parts of Burleigh, Mudgeeraba and Robina.