Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 2007. Defeated at general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 28.9.2010 to 6.7.2011.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 2.12.2013 to 30.6.2014; Electoral Matters served from 2.12.2013 to 30.6.2014; Treaties served from 2.12.2013 to 11.2.2014; National Capital and External Territories served from 5.12.2013 to 11.2.2014
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served from 2.2.2010 to 12.9.2012
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.7.2008 to 13.5.2009; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 7.7.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 14.5.2009 to 22.6.2010; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 2.2.2010 to 7.7.2011; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 2.2.2010 to 7.7.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Chair from 23.6.2010 to 6.7.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 7.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 19.10.2011 to 20.10.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.2.2013 to 14.2.2013; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 2.12.2013 to 30.6.2014
• Senate Select: School Funding served from 12.12.2013 to 11.2.2014
• Senate Standing: Selection of Bills served from 4.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Senators' Interests served from 9.5.2012 to 11.11.2013; Procedure served from 9.5.2012 to 30.6.2014; Selection of Bills served as Chair from 12.11.2013 to 30.6.2014; House served from 13.11.2013 to 30.6.2014

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Vietnam and Laos, January 2009.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Malaysia and Sri Lanka, December 2011.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.2008 to 30.06.2014
• Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate from 4.7.2011 to 18.9.2013.
• Government Chief Whip in the Senate from 18.9.2013 to 30.6.2014.

Party positions

• President of the Springvale Young Liberals (Vic.).
• Vice-President of the Springvale Young Liberals (Vic.).
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Malvern State Electorate Conference (Vic.) from 1985 to 2003.
• Officeholder of the Liberal Party Malvern East Branch (Vic.) from 1985 to 2003.
• Delegate to the Higgins Federal Electorate Conference (Vic.) from 1985 to 2003.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Council (Vic.) from 1992 to 2003.
• President of the Liberal Party Malvern East Branch (Vic.) from 1992 to 1996.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Policy Assembly from 1997 to 2003.
• Member of the Liberal Party Steering Committee from 1997 to 1998.
• Member of the Liberal Party Administrative Committee from 1999 to 2008.
• Treasurer of the Liberal Party Malvern State Electorate Conference (Vic.) from 2000 to 2001.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Media and Communications Committee from 2000 to 2002.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party Malvern East Branch (Vic.) from 2000 to 2003.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Training Committee from 2002 to 2003.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Campaign Committee (Vic.) from 2003 to 2006.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Strategy and Campaign Committee (Vic.) from 2003 to 2006.
• President of the Liberal Party (Vic.) from 2003 to 2006.
• Member of the Liberal Party Federal Awards Executive Committee from 2005 to 2008.
• Vice-President of the Federal Liberal Party from 2005 to 2008.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Federal Constitutional Review Committee, 2008.

Personal

• Born: 11.3.1959, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Single

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Graduate trainee and recruitment officer at IBM Australia from 1981 to 1985.
• Human resource manager at KPMG from 1985 to 1987.
• Owner and operator of Blacamoor Delicatessen from 1988 to 1993.
• Fundraising director for Wesley College, Melbourne (Vic.) from 1997 to 2003.
• President of the Liberal Party (Vic.) from 2003 to 2006.
• Member of the La Trobe University Council from 2003 to 2006.