Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 2004. Re-elected 2010. Defeated at general elections 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.2.2008 to 4.9.2008.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Migration served from 14.2.2008 to 1.7.2011; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.7.2011 to 9.5.2016
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 1.7.2005 to 10.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.11.2005 to 29.11.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts served as Chair from 12.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 12.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Economics served from 17.3.2008 to 1.7.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 27.9.2010; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served from 14.5.2009 to 27.9.2010; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.10.2009 to 23.10.2009; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.2.2010 to 12.2.2010; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 10.2.2010 to 12.2.2010; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 1.7.2011; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.5.2011 to 3.6.2011; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 13.2.2012 to 14.2.2012; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.2.2012 to 15.2.2012; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 17.2.2012 to 17.2.2012; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.5.2012 to 18.6.2012; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.2013 to 21.11.2013; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 6.3.2014 to 9.5.2016; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 1.7.2014 to 1.7.2014; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.7.2014 to 22.8.2014; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 21.7.2014 to 22.8.2014; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.3.2015 to 6.3.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 18.9.2015 to 18.9.2015; Environment and Communications: References served from 18.4.2016 to 9.5.2016
• Senate Select: Fuel and Energy served from 26.6.2008 to 30.8.2010; Electricity Prices served from 23.8.2012 to 1.11.2012; National Broadband Network served as Substitute member from 12.3.2015 to 12.3.2015; National Broadband Network served from 26.3.2015 to 31.3.2015; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 1.4.2015 to 13.5.2015; Unconventional Gas Mining served from 3.12.2015 to 9.5.2016
• Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 1.7.2005 to 11.2.2008; Scrutiny of Bills served from 1.7.2005 to 1.7.2008; Senators' Interests served from 1.7.2005 to 11.2.2008; Selection of Bills served from 1.7.2008 to 14.9.2008; Selection of Bills served as Acting Chair from 15.9.2008 to 11.12.2008; Selection of Bills served from 12.12.2008 to 27.9.2010; Selection of Bills served as Chair from 28.9.2010 to 11.11.2013; House served from 26.10.2010 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 18.8.2011 to 9.5.2016; Selection of Bills served from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Privileges served from 12.2.2015 to 9.5.2016; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 12.11.2015 to 9.5.2016

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2005 to 02.07.2016
• Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 1.7.2008 to 27.9.2010.
• Government Chief Whip in the Senate from 27.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
• Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate from 18.10.2013 to 9.5.2016.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Convention (SA) from 1996.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2004.
• Senior Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party (SA), 2004.
• President of the Australian Labor Party (SA), 2005.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2009.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2011.

Personal

• Born: 3.8.1954, Adelaide, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (University of Adelaide).
• Clerk and administrator prior to 1993.
• Union organiser from 1993 to 2002.
• Secretary of the Australian Services Union (SA/NT) from 2002 to 2005.

Honours

• Awarded the Centenary Medal, 1.1.2001.
• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2020.