Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Robertson, New South Wales, 2010. Defeated at general elections 2013. Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 13.11.2013 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. R Carr (resigned). Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 2.7.2014 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice the Hon. R Carr (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2016. Re-elected 2022.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 13.3.2012 to 5.8.2013.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 7.7.2014 to 9.5.2016.
• Temporary Chair of Committees from 1.9.2020.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Address in Reply served from 28.9.2010 to 29.9.2010
• House of Representatives Standing: Health and Ageing served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Education and Employment served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Select: Northern Australia served from 9.12.2013 to 30.6.2014; Northern Australia served from 27.8.2014 to 9.5.2016; Parliamentary Standards served from 1.8.2022 to 29.11.2022
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 7.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 12.9.2016 to 15.2.2018; Electoral Matters served from 12.9.2016 to 15.9.2016; National Broadband Network served from 15.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 22.7.2019 to present; Treaties served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Corporations and Financial Services served from 14.3.2012 to 14.3.2012; Corporations and Financial Services served as Chair from 15.3.2012 to 5.8.2013; Corporations and Financial Services served from 15.7.2014 to 15.7.2014; Corporations and Financial Services served from 15.7.2014 to 16.7.2014; Corporations and Financial Services served as Deputy Chair from 16.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Corporations and Financial Services served from 12.9.2016 to 13.2.2019; Corporations and Financial Services served from 4.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Human Rights served from 1.12.2021 to 11.4.2022; Corporations and Financial Services served from 28.7.2022 to 3.8.2022; Corporations and Financial Services served as Chair from 3.8.2022 to present
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education and Employment: Legislation served from 7.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Education and Employment: References served from 7.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 12.11.2014 to 12.11.2014; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 1.9.2016 to 8.11.2016; Education and Employment: References served from 1.9.2016 to 8.11.2016; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.11.2016 to 18.11.2016; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 20.11.2017 to 24.11.2017; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 5.12.2017 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 22.3.2018 to 4.12.2018; Education and Employment: References served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 5.12.2019; Community Affairs: References served from 2.7.2019 to 5.12.2019; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 25.7.2022; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 15.5.2020 to 15.5.2020; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 24.6.2021 to 30.3.2022; Community Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 12.8.2021 to 13.5.2022; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.2.2022 to 18.2.2022; Economics: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to present; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 13.6.2023 to present
• Senate Select: School Funding served from 12.12.2013 to 9.7.2014; National Broadband Network served as Substitute member from 13.12.2013 to 19.12.2013; National Broadband Network served as Substitute member from 11.3.2014 to 12.3.2014; National Broadband Network served as Substitute member from 5.5.2014 to 5.5.2014; Health served from 26.6.2014 to 30.6.2014; Health served as Chair from 7.7.2014 to 5.5.2016; School Funding Investment served from 4.2.2016 to 9.5.2016; Multi-Jurisdictional Management and Execution of the Murray Darling Basin Plan served from 31.7.2019 to 30.9.2021; Work and Care served from 4.8.2022 to 8.8.2022; Work and Care served as Deputy Chair from 9.8.2022 to 9.3.2023
• Senate Standing: Senators' Interests served from 7.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Senators' Interests served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Privileges served from 15.10.2018 to 13.2.2019; Privileges served from 15.10.2018 to 25.7.2022; Privileges served as Chair from 14.2.2019 to 25.7.2022; Appropriations, Staffing and Security served from 3.4.2019 to 1.7.2019; Selection of Bills served from 3.4.2019 to 1.7.2019; House served from 3.4.2019 to 25.7.2022; Procedure served from 3.4.2019 to 1.7.2019; Privileges served as Deputy Chair from 4.8.2022 to present; Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation served from 29.2.2024 to 18.3.2024; Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation served as Chair from 18.3.2024 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 21.08.2010 to 07.09.2013, 13.11.2013 to 30.06.2014, 02.07.2014 to present
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation from 14.9.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health from 14.9.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from 15.2.2019 to 2.6.2019.

Party positions

• Junior Vice President of the Australian Labor Party (NSW).
• Deputy Co-Chair of the Australian Labor Party National Policy Forum.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (NSW) from 1996.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2007.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party National Conference, 2009.

Personal

• Born: 4.6.1961, Parramatta, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipT (Australian Catholic University).
• GradDipLitEd (Deakin University).
• BA (University of Sydney and University of New England).
• MA (Australian Catholic University).
• High school teacher.
• Lecturer in the School of Education at the Central Coast Campus, University of Newcastle.