Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Gilmore, New South Wales, 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Retired prior to general elections 2013.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 23.11.1998 to 8.10.2001.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Select: Recent Australian Bushfires served from 27.3.2003 to 5.11.2003
• House of Representatives Standing: Employment, Education and Training served from 30.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 14.12.1996 to 31.8.1998; Selection served from 24.11.1998 to 17.10.2007; Employment, Education and Workplace Relations served from 8.12.1998 to 31.5.2000; Procedure served from 8.12.1998 to 8.10.2001; Family and Community Affairs served from 31.5.2000 to 8.10.2001; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry served from 20.3.2002 to 2.12.2003; Privileges served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government served from 11.3.2008 to 19.7.2010; Privileges and Members' Interests served from 11.3.2008 to 19.7.2010; Health and Ageing served from 4.6.2009 to 19.7.2010
• Joint Select: Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation served from 13.9.2011 to 7.10.2011
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 20.3.2002 to 17.10.2007; Migration served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Migration served from 10.2.2010 to 19.7.2010; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served as Deputy Chair from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013
• Joint Statutory: Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings served from 8.12.1998 to 31.8.2004; Australian Crime Commission served from 1.12.2004 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Iran and Jordan, October-November 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Syria, Lebanon and Israel, November 2003.
• Observer in Jordan for the elections in Iraq, January 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to USA, June-July 2005.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to USA, September-December 2008.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Timor-Leste and Indonesia, November 2011.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 02.03.1996 to 05.08.2013
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism from 6.12.2007 to 22.9.2008.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism from 8.12.2009 to 14.9.2010.
• Government Whip in the House of Representatives from 23.11.2001 to 17.10.2007.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Liberal Party State Electorate Conference (NSW).
• Member of the Liberal Party Women's Forum.
• Delegate to the Liberal Party Federal Electorate Conference.

Other positions

• Member of the Amnesty International Parliamentary Group.

Personal

• Born: 21.7.1944, Groningen, Netherlands
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Divorced

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• DipTourism&Hospitality (Institute of Administration, Sydney).
• Manager for the Outer Sydney Region at the Tourism Commission (NSW).
• Director, Southern Highlands Tourism Agency.
• Consultant for the Macarthur Country Tourist Association.
• Guest house co-proprietor.

Local Government service

• Councillor, Wingecarribee Shire Council.
• Mayor, City of Shoalhaven from 2013.

Electorate

• Name: Gilmore
• Location: south-eastern New South Wales; it includes the centres of Berry, Bomaderry, Gerringong, Kangaroo Valley, Kiama, Milton, Minnamurra, Nowra, Shellharbour, Shell Cove, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla and Warilla.
• Area: 4,878 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 96,317 (at 21.8.2010)
• Industries: tourism, timber, dairy and beef cattle, paper mill, brickworks, light engineering, dairy products, steel fabrication and fishing.
• Includes: Gilmore includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of South Coast, and parts of Kiama and Shellharbour.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2017.

Publications

• Case histories of tourism and hospitality (contribution, ed. J Blackwell and L Shear), Australian-International Services, Sydney: 1989.