Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for the Australian Capital Territory 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013. Resigned 24.3.2015.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives from 12.3.2008 to 30.9.2010.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 14.9.2010 to 5.3.2012.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship from 14.9.2010 to 16.2.2011.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from 16.2.2011 to 5.3.2012.
• Minister for Sport from 5.3.2012 to 1.7.2013.
• Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 5.3.2012 to 18.9.2013.
• Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation from 5.3.2012 to 18.9.2013.
• Minister Assisting for the Digital Economy from 1.7.2013 to 18.9.2013.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Cyber-Safety served from 16.3.2010 to 19.7.2010
• Joint Standing: National Capital and External Territories served from 31.5.1996 to 4.3.1997; National Capital and External Territories served as Deputy Chair from 5.3.1997 to 7.12.1998; National Capital and External Territories served from 8.12.1998 to 2.12.2004; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 1.12.2004 to 1.7.2005; National Capital and External Territories served from 10.8.2005 to 8.12.2005; National Capital and External Territories served from 12.3.2006 to 28.3.2006; National Capital and External Territories served as Deputy Chair from 29.3.2006 to 9.5.2007; National Capital and External Territories served from 10.5.2007 to 13.2.2008; National Capital and External Territories served as Chair from 14.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; National Capital and External Territories served from 4.12.2013 to 24.3.2015
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served from 19.11.2002 to 1.4.2004; Corporations and Financial Services served from 1.12.2004 to 1.7.2005; Public Accounts and Audit served from 14.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Public Accounts and Audit served from 12.11.2013 to 24.3.2015; Human Rights served from 12.11.2013 to 1.7.2014
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 2.5.1996 to 4.12.1996; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 2.5.1996 to 18.6.2001; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 1.7.1996 to 11.9.1996; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: References served from 1.7.1996 to 9.11.1998; Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 4.12.1996 to 9.11.1998; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 26.3.1997 to 6.5.1997; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 4.9.1997 to 3.3.1998; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.3.1998 to 8.4.1998; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References served from 24.11.1998 to 10.9.2006; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.12.1999 to 3.12.1999; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 17.8.2000 to 4.9.2000; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.2.2001 to 22.2.2001; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 23.2.2001 to 23.2.2001; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.3.2001 to 23.5.2001; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 5.4.2001 to 23.5.2001; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.6.2001 to 7.6.2001; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 4.6.2001 to 7.6.2001; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 23.8.2001 to 1.7.2002; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 27.9.2001 to 8.10.2001; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 13.2.2002 to 10.9.2006; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 13.3.2002 to 16.5.2002; Economics: References served from 18.11.2004 to 10.9.2006; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.3.2005 to 16.3.2005; Economics served from 11.9.2006 to 28.2.2007; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts served from 11.9.2006 to 11.2.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts served from 12.2.2008 to 13.5.2009; Community Affairs served from 12.2.2008 to 28.8.2008; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 27.9.2010; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 12.11.2013 to 24.3.2015; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 12.11.2013 to 13.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Chair from 14.11.2013 to 24.3.2015
• Senate Select: Information Technologies served from 30.9.1997 to 27.1.1998; Information Technologies served from 31.3.1999 to 7.12.2000; Housing Affordability in Australia served from 14.2.2008 to 16.6.2008; National Broadband Network served from 26.6.2008 to 17.6.2010; Men's Health served from 27.11.2008 to 29.5.2009; Reform of the Australian Federation served from 13.5.2010 to 27.9.2010; National Broadband Network served from 14.11.2013 to 14.11.2013; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 15.11.2013 to 5.12.2013; Abbott Government's Commission of Audit served as Deputy Chair from 12.12.2013 to 19.6.2014; National Broadband Network served as Chair from 20.12.2013 to 24.3.2015
• Senate Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 2.5.1996 to 4.9.1997; Appropriations and Staffing served from 14.2.2008 to 13.3.2012; Privileges served from 15.9.2008 to 12.12.2008; Scrutiny of Bills served from 12.11.2013 to 24.3.2015

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Leader, APEC Delegation, Japan, October 1997.
• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Institutions, Strasbourg, Belgium and Luxembourg, January 2000.
• Information Technology Trade Mission and study tour, Israel, USA and Canada, March-April 2000.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to New Zealand, August 2009.
• Official visits to Switzerland, January-February 2011.
• Official visits to Thailand, March-April 2011.
• Official visits to India, April-May 2012.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.03.1996 to 24.03.2015
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Sport and Tourism from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Assistant to the Shadow Ministers for Science and Information Technology, Youth Affairs and the Arts from 26.8.1997 to 20.10.1998.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 26.8.1997 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister Assisting the Shadow Minister for Industry and Technology on Information Technology from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Sport and Youth Affairs from 20.10.1998 to 25.11.2001.
• Shadow Minister for Information Technology and Sport from 25.11.2001 to 2.7.2003.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 2.7.2003 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Information Technology, Sport and the Arts from 2.7.2003 to 8.12.2003.
• Shadow Minister for Information Technology, Sport, the Arts and Recreation from 8.12.2003 to 26.10.2004.
• Shadow Minister for Manufacturing and Consumer Affairs from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation from 24.6.2005 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for Sport, Recreation and Health Promotion from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Local Government from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1987.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party Branch Council (ACT) from 1988.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party Branch Conference (ACT) from 1988.

Personal

• Born: 15.12.1967, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Builder's labourer from 1984 to 1986.
• Organiser for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (ACT) from 1986 to 1996.
• Vice-President of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (ACT) from 1987 to 1996.
• Member of the Trades and Labour Council Executive (ACT) from 1988.
• President of the Trades and Labour Council Executive (ACT) from 1993 to 1996.