Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Jagajaga, Victoria, 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016. Retired prior to general elections 2019.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs from 3.12.2007 to 14.12.2011.
• Cabinet Minister from 3.12.2007 to 18.9.2013.
• Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs from 14.12.2011 to 18.9.2013.
• Minister for Disability Reform from 14.12.2011 to 18.9.2013.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Family and Community Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served from 4.12.2013 to 18.3.2014
• Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 15.9.2016 to 10.9.2018

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.03.1996 to 11.04.2019
• Shadow Minister for the Aged, Family and Community Services from 20.3.1996 to 27.3.1997.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Social Security, the Aged and Family Services from 27.3.1997 to 26.8.1997.
• Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition on the Status of Women from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Social Security and the Aged from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Minister for Health from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Status of Women from 20.10.1998 to 5.9.2000.
• Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 22.11.2001 to 4.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Science from 25.11.2001 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Status of Women from 6.12.2002 to 18.2.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing from 16.6.2003 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Employment, Education and Training from 2.7.2003 to 26.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science and Research from 26.10.2004 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Families and Payments from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Minister for Disability Reform from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 18.10.2013 to 21.8.2018.
• Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services from 23.7.2016 to 21.8.2018.
• Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party from 22.11.2001 to 4.12.2006.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Manufacturing Industry Policy Committee (Vic.) from 1981 to 1985.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Vic.) from 1995.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference from 1998.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 1998 to 2001.
• Senior Vice-President of the Federal Australian Labor Party from 2000 to 2003.

Personal

• Born: 29.12.1953, Brisbane, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom(Hons) (University of Melbourne).
• Researcher at the Australian National University from 1976 to 1978.
• Economics Research Specialist in the Legislative Research Service, Parliamentary Library, Canberra from 1978 to 1981.
• Research Coordinator at the Labor Resource Centre from 1981 to 1985.
• Adviser to the Minister for Health, the Hon. D White, MLC (Vic.) from 1985 to 1988.
• Director of the National Health Strategy from 1990 to 1993.
• Director of the Australian Urban and Regional Development Review from 1993 to 1995.

Electorate

• Name: Jagajaga
• Location: north-eastern Melbourne; it includes the suburbs of Bellfield, Briar Hill, Bundoora (part), Eaglemont, Eltham, Greensborough (part), Heidelberg, Heidelberg West, Ivanhoe, Kangaroo Ground, Macleod (part), Montmorency, Research, Rosanna, St Helena, Viewbank, North Warrandyte, Watsonia and Yallambie.
• Area: 128 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 103,132 (at 2.7.2016)
• Industries: commercial and light industries, Simpson Army Barracks and Austin Hospital.
• Includes:

Honours

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

Publications

• No boom for women, Labor Resource Centre, Carlton South, Vic.: 1982.
• Part time work: not for the State Bank, Labor Resource Centre, Carlton South, Vic: 1982.
• Industry and employment in the northwest, Labor Resource Centre, Carlton South, Vic: 1982.
• The national health strategy: setting the agenda for change, National Health Strategy Unit, Melbourne: 1990.
• Private investment in public infrastructure: who wins, who loses?, Union Research Centre on Organisation and Technology, Melbourne: 1995.
• Enough is enough, Monash University Publishing, Clayton, Vic: 2021.