Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 1998. Re-elected 2004 and 2010. Retired with the expiration of term 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.2.2002 to 16.11.2004.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing from 3.12.2007 to 9.6.2009.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers from 14.9.2010 to 25.3.2013.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 5.3.2012 to 25.3.2013.
• Minister for Human Services from 25.3.2013 to 18.9.2013.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Northern Australia served from 9.12.2013 to 9.5.2016
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 9.8.1999 to 13.2.2002; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served as Deputy Chair from 14.2.2002 to 31.8.2004; Corporations and Financial Services served from 24.6.2009 to 26.10.2010; Public Works served as Chair from 24.6.2009 to 19.7.2010
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 29.6.2000 to 15.8.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 29.8.2000 to 7.11.2000; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 18.6.2001 to 23.8.2001; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 13.2.2002 to 1.7.2002; Community Affairs: References served from 13.2.2002 to 28.3.2004; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.9.2002 to 11.11.2002; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.11.2002 to 22.11.2002; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.3.2004 to 15.11.2004; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 25.3.2004 to 15.11.2004; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 29.3.2004 to 15.11.2004; Community Affairs: References served from 1.7.2005 to 15.9.2005; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 12.2.2008 to 17.3.2008; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.10.2009 to 20.10.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.2.2010 to 9.2.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 24.5.2010 to 26.5.2010; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 15.7.2014 to 8.5.2015; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.4.2015 to 4.8.2015; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 21.8.2015 to 21.8.2015
• Senate Select: Lucas Heights Reactor served from 17.8.2000 to 23.5.2001; Medicare served as Chair from 15.5.2003 to 11.2.2004; Administration of Indigenous Affairs served from 23.6.2004 to 15.11.2004; Health served from 26.6.2014 to 26.11.2015; National Broadband Network served from 12.11.2015 to 25.11.2015; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 26.11.2015 to 4.5.2016; Health served as Substitute member from 27.11.2015 to 27.11.2015; Health served as Substitute member from 7.3.2016 to 8.3.2016
• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances served from 9.8.1999 to 4.10.2000; Publications served from 9.8.1999 to 1.7.2002; Senators' Interests served from 9.8.1999 to 11.2.2002; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 1.7.2002 to 17.6.2003; Scrutiny of Bills served from 18.6.2003 to 15.11.2004; Privileges served from 14.2.2008 to 27.9.2010

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.1999 to 09.05.2016
• Shadow Minister for Ageing and Disabilities from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 26.10.2004 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers from 24.6.2005 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for Ageing, Disabilities and Carers from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health from 18.10.2013 to 13.10.2015.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Council (Qld) from 1986 to 1997.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Qld) from 1990 to 1999.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Leichhardt Federal Electorate Council (Qld) from 1996 to 1998.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1998.

Personal

• Born: 27.3.1958, Atherton, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipT (Townsville College of Advanced Education).
• Teacher from 1979 to 1988.
• Electorate officer from 1991 to 1994.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Cairns City Council from 1995 to 1999.