Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria 1993. Re-elected 1998 and 2004. Retired with the expiration of term 2011.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 9.8.2005 to 30.6.2011.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy from 9.10.1997 to 21.10.1998.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 21.10.1998 to 26.10.2004.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Migration served from 31.5.1996 to 10.11.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 13.2.1997 to 22.10.1997
• Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority served from 7.10.1993 to 29.1.1996; Public Works served from 29.11.2004 to 13.2.2008; Public Works served as Deputy Chair from 14.2.2008 to 30.6.2011
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group A served from 19.8.1993 to 8.2.1994; Estimates Group A served as Substitute member from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994; Estimates Group E served from 8.2.1994 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs served from 1.7.1993 to 9.10.1994; Rural and Regional Affairs served from 21.10.1993 to 7.12.1993; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 1.9.1994 to 10.10.1994; Community Affairs: References served from 10.10.1994 to 30.11.1994; Employment, Education and Training: Legislation served from 10.10.1994 to 21.10.1997; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 17.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Employment, Education and Training: References served from 30.11.1994 to 21.10.1997; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.8.1995 to 30.8.1995; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 2.5.1996 to 19.6.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 8.5.1996 to 30.6.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 8.5.1996 to 9.5.1996; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served from 9.5.1996 to 21.10.1997; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Chair from 1.7.1996 to 10.11.1997; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 14.4.2005 to 10.9.2006; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 14.4.2005 to 11.10.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served from 14.4.2005 to 9.5.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Chair from 10.5.2005 to 10.9.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 31.10.2005 to 1.11.2005; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 11.9.2006 to 11.9.2006; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served as Chair from 12.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts served from 24.11.2008 to 13.5.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 27.9.2010; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served from 14.5.2009 to 27.9.2010; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 30.9.2010 to 30.6.2011; Environment and Communications: References served from 30.9.2010 to 30.6.2011
• Senate Select: Land Fund Bill served from 30.11.1994 to 9.2.1995; Certain Land Fund Matters served from 19.9.1995 to 30.11.1995; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies served from 22.5.1996 to 26.6.1997; Victorian Casino Inquiry served from 15.10.1996 to 5.12.1996; Mental Health served from 10.3.2005 to 28.4.2006; Men's Health served from 13.11.2008 to 29.5.2009
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills served from 17.8.1993 to 11.10.1994; Scrutiny of Bills served as Chair from 12.10.1994 to 29.4.1996; Scrutiny of Bills served from 13.2.2008 to 30.6.2011

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Attended official meetings in the USA and Canada from March to April 1995.
• Attended official meetings in Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, June 1999.
• Attended official meetings in Spain, France, Germany and the UK from September to October 2002.
• Attended official meetings in the USA, June 2003.
• Attended official meetings in China and Mongolia, April 2005.
• Attend study tour in Tanzania, May 2005.
• Attended official meetings in Chile and Peru, November 2006.
• Attended official meetings in Papua New Guinea and East Timor from October to November 2008.
• Attended official meetings in Ethiopia and Switzerland, April 2009.
• Attended official meetings in Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland, October 2009.
• Attended official meetings in Thailand, Hong Kong and China from March to April 2010.
• Attended official meetings in Switzerland and France, October 2010.
• Attended official meetings in Brazil and Panama, April 2011.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 01.07.1993 to 30.06.2011
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Employment, Training and Family Services from 26.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Party local branch from 1982 to 1991.
• Member of the Liberal Party Policy Assembly from 1985 to 1992.
• Member of the Liberal Party Rural Committee (Vic.) from 1985 to 1992.
• Member of the Liberal Party Administrative Committee (Vic.) from 1988 to 1992.
• Vice-President of the Liberal Party Country Committee (Vic.) from 1989 to 1992.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Strategy Committee (Vic.) from 1991 to 1992.
• Chair of the Liberal Party Federal Regional and Rural Committee from 1996 to 2002.

Personal

• Born: 3.8.1940, Brighton, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Divorced

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipEd (University of Melbourne).
• BA (University of Melbourne).
• Teacher from 1962 to 1965.
• Partner in family farm from 1965 to 1999.
• Teacher from 1980 to 1987.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 11.6.2012.