Biography

Parliamentary service

• State: Deputy Chair of Committees from 1986 to 1988.
• Federal: Elected to the House of Representatives for Fremantle, Western Australia at by-election 1994, vice the Hon. J Dawkins (resigned). Re-elected 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004. Retired prior to general elections 2007.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Human Services and Health from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Cabinet Minister from 25.3.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 30.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Environment and Heritage served from 8.12.1998 to 27.11.2000; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 20.3.2002 to 1.12.2004; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served as Deputy Chair from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund served from 20.3.2002 to 20.3.2003

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visits to Indonesia, June-July 1994.
• Official visits to France, November 1994.
• Official visits to China, September 1995.
• Study tour, UK and Italy, December 1999-January 2000.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 12.03.1994 to 17.10.2007
• Shadow Minister for the Environment and Arts from 20.3.1996 to 21.4.1997.
• Assistant to the Opposition Leader on the Status of Women from 20.3.1996 to 21.4.1997.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 20.3.1996 to 5.12.2002.
• Shadow Minister for the Status of Women from 5.9.2000 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation and Technology from 5.9.2000 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Reconciliation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, the Arts and Status of Women from 25.11.2001 to 5.12.2002.

Party positions

• Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party Subiaco-Wembley Branch (WA) from 1982 to 1987.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party Curtin Federal Electorate Council (WA) from 1982 to 1988.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (WA) from 1985 to 1988.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 1986.

Other positions

• Founding Member of the Women's Electoral Lobby, 1972.
• Chair of the Child Sexual Abuse Task Force from 1986 to 1988.

Personal

• Born: 2.3.1948, Northam, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• PhD (University of Western Australia).
• BPsych (University of Western Australia).
• Research assistant from 1969 to 1971.
• Tutor at the University of Melbourne from 1972 to 1973.
• Part-time lecturer at the Western Australia Institute of Technology from 1974 to 1978.
• Research psychologist, 1974.
• Research psychologist, 1978.
• Lecturer at the University of Western Australia from 1979 to 1983.
• Researcher at the Department of Health (WA) from 1983 to 1986.

State/Territory Government service

• Deputy Chair of Committees from 1986 to 1988.
• Elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Subiaco, 1986. .
• Minister for Education from 25.2.1988 to 28.2.1989.
• Elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Glendalough, 4.2.1989. Resigned 14.2.1994 to contest the House of Representatives division of Fremantle, Western Australia at by-election.
• Minister for Education and Aboriginal Affairs from 28.2.1989 to 19.2.1990.
• Premier and Treasurer from 12.2.1990 to 16.2.1993.
• Minister for the Family, Minister for Womens' Interests from 12.2.1990 to 7.9.1992.
• Leader, State Parliamentary Labor Party from 12.2.1990 to 7.2.1994.
• Minister for Employment and Minister for Trade and Investment from 5.2.1991 to 16.2.1993.
• Leader of the Opposition from 16.2.1993 to 7.2.1994.
• Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs from 12.2.1990 to 5.2.1991.

Electorate

• Name: Fremantle
• Location: south-western Perth; it includes the city of Fremantle and the suburbs of Atwell, Banjup, Beaconsfield, Beeliar, Bibra Lake, Bicton, Coogee, Coolbellup, East Fremantle, Hamilton Hill, Hilton, Jandakot, North Fremantle, Palmyra, Samson, South Fremantle, South Lake, Spearwood, Success, Wattleup, White Gum Valley, Willagee and Yangebup. It also includes Rottnest Island.
• Area: 200 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 83,698 (at 9.10.2004)
• Industries: small goods factories, shipbuilding, market gardens, brewing, tourism and fishing.
• Includes: Fremantle includes the Western Australian Legislative Assembly electorates of Fremantle and Willagee, and parts of Cockburn and Serpentine-Jarrahdale.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 13.6.2022.

Publications

• Fear and politics, Scribe short books, Melbourne: 2006.