Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1983. Re-elected 1984, 1987, 1990 and 1996. Retired with the expiration of term 2002.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 23.8.1990 to 5.5.1993.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.9.1996 to 30.6.2002.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Family Services from 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996.
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women from 24.3.1993 to 23.12.1993.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Certain Aspects of the Operation and Interpretation of the Family Law Act served from 17.4.1991 to 8.2.1993
• Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority served from 11.10.1984 to 5.6.1987; Public Accounts served from 29.5.1996 to 26.6.1997; Public Accounts served from 18.11.1997 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 1.1.1998 to 10.12.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 12.10.2000 to 28.6.2001; Public Accounts and Audit served from 14.2.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group B served from 4.5.1983 to 24.3.1987; Estimates Group F served from 24.3.1987 to 5.6.1987; Estimates Group C served from 24.9.1987 to 5.10.1987; Estimates Group C served as Chair from 6.10.1987 to 21.9.1990; Estimates Group C served as Chair from 10.10.1990 to 3.5.1993
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Social Welfare served from 21.4.1983 to 5.6.1987; Constitutional and Legal Affairs served from 30.11.1983 to 20.2.1985; Community Affairs served from 24.9.1987 to 7.5.1990; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served from 11.5.1990 to 23.8.1990; Industry, Science and Technology served from 11.5.1990 to 16.6.1992; Environment, Recreation and the Arts served as Chair from 24.8.1990 to 3.5.1993; Industry, Science and Technology served from 23.6.1992 to 3.5.1993; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served from 2.5.1996 to 4.9.1997; Employment, Education and Training: References served as Chair from 2.5.1996 to 9.11.1998; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 24.11.1998 to 30.8.2001; Community Affairs: References served from 31.8.2001 to 31.8.2001; Community Affairs: References served from 13.2.2002 to 13.2.2002; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 14.2.2002 to 30.6.2002
• Senate Select: Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes served from 11.5.1983 to 29.4.1987; Conduct of a Judge served from 30.3.1984 to 24.8.1984; Human Embryo Experimentation Bill 1985 served from 28.11.1985 to 8.10.1986; Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals in Australia served from 3.11.1988 to 23.8.1990; Health Legislation and Health Insurance served as Chair from 16.6.1989 to 20.12.1990; Functions, Powers and Operation of the Australian Loan Council served from 10.11.1992 to 8.2.1993
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 22.4.1983 to 24.2.1987; House served from 26.5.1983 to 20.2.1985; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 25.2.1987 to 13.9.1987; Scrutiny of Bills served from 14.9.1987 to 3.5.1993; Parliamentary Library served from 4.9.1997 to 30.6.2002

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Delegate to United Nations World Conference for the End of the Decade for Women, Kenya, July 1985.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the Middle East, June 1988.
• Delegate to the Commonwealth Delegated Legislation Conference, the UK 1989.
• Delegate to the 81st Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Hungary, March 1989.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the USSR, September 1990.
• Delegate to the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference from January to February 1992.
• Parliamentary delegation member to Argentina and Brazil from June to July 1992.
• Attended official meetings in New Zealand, August 1993.
• Attended official meetings in Indonesia, June 1994.
• Attended official meetings in the USA and Canada, October 1994.
• Attended official meetings in South Africa, December 1995.
• Delegate to the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, South Korea, April 1997.
• Attended official meetings in Japan, April 1997.
• Attended study tour in the USA and Canada from July to August 2000.
• Parliamentary delegation member to the UK and Canada, April 2001.
• Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, the USA from September to December 2001.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 05.03.1983 to 30.06.2002

Party positions

• President of the Australian Labor Party Mitcham Branch (SA) from 1974 to 1975.
• Junior Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party Mitcham Branch (SA) from 1974 to 1975.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Council (SA), 1979.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Women's Policy Steering Committee from 1979 to 1983.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party State Executive (SA) from 1980 to 1981.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party State Executive (SA) from 1981 to 1982.
• Convenor of the Australian Labor Party Health Platform Committee (SA) from 1981 to 1983.
• Convenor of the Australian Labor Party Affirmative Action Group (SA) from 1981 to 1982.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Health Platform Committee from 1981 to 1982.
• President of the Australian Labor Party Unley Branch (SA) from 1982 to 1983.

Personal

• Born: 30.7.1938, Melbourne, Australia
• Died: 1.3.2025
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• MBBS (University of Melbourne).
• Medical practitioner and parent education counsellor at Clovelly Park Community Health Centre (SA).
• Tutor at the Flinders Medical Centre (SA).
• Lecturer at Child Birth, Mother and Babies Health Association from 1973 to 1983.
• Member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal (SA) from 1979 to 1983.

Honours

• Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2015.

Publications

• One of a kind: Parliamentary information and research services for Parliamentarians: an Australian senator tells, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Boston, USA: 2001.