Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Bennelong, New South Wales, 2007. Defeated at general elections 2010.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care from 3.12.2007 to 9.6.2009.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government from 9.6.2009 to 14.9.2010.

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Official visit to Chile and Peru, June 2008.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 24.11.2007 to 21.08.2010

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party from 2007.

Personal

• Born: 22.7.1953, Brisbane, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1976 to 2006.

Electorate

• Name: Bennelong
• Location: northern Sydney; it includes the suburbs of Denistone, East Ryde, Eastwood, Epping, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Putney, North Ryde, Ryde, West Ryde and parts of Carlingford, Ermington and Gladesville.
• Area: 58 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 97,573 (at 24.11.2007)
• Industries: light manufacturing, commercial and retail businesses.
• Includes: Bennelong includes the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Ryde, and parts of Epping, Lane Cove and Parramatta.

Honours

• Awarded the Centenary Medal, 1.1.2001.
• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 12.6.2023.

Publications

• Tales from the political trenches, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic.: 2012.
• Class Act: ending the education wars, Melbourne University Publishing, Carlton, Vic.: 2014.