Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Murray, Victoria, 1996. Re-elected 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013. Retired prior to general elections 2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from 21.10.1998 to 26.10.2004.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration from 26.10.2004 to 27.1.2006.
• Minister for Workforce Participation from 27.1.2006 to 3.12.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Primary Industries, Resources and Rural and Regional Affairs served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 4.6.1997 to 31.8.1998; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 11.3.2008 to 10.11.2008; Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government served from 17.3.2008 to 10.11.2008; Education and Training served from 3.2.2010 to 19.7.2010; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs served from 25.10.2010 to 5.8.2013; Social Policy and Legal Affairs served from 25.10.2010 to 22.10.2015; Regional Australia served from 16.11.2010 to 25.8.2011; Indigenous Affairs served as Chair from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Education and Employment served from 9.9.2015 to 11.11.2015
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 10.11.2008 to 3.2.2010; Treaties served from 25.10.2010 to 11.12.2013; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 25.10.2010 to 9.5.2016; Treaties served from 25.2.2014 to 11.11.2015
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served from 29.5.1996 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 1.1.1998 to 31.8.1998; Public Accounts and Audit served from 4.12.2013 to 25.2.2014

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 02.03.1996 to 09.05.2016
• Shadow Minister for the Environment, Heritage, the Arts and Indigenous Affairs from 6.12.2007 to 22.9.2008.
• Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 22.9.2008 to 8.12.2009.
• Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare from 8.12.2009 to 14.9.2010.
• Shadow Minister for the Status of Women from 8.12.2009 to 14.9.2010.
• Chair of the Coalition Agriculture Policy Committee.

Party positions

• President of the Liberal Party Burwood Women's Committee (Vic.).
• Member of the Liberal Party Rural and Regional Standing Committee (Vic.).

Other positions

• Member of the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council from 1997 to 2000.

Personal

• Born: 23.4.1951, Pyramid Hill, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• GradDipTertEd (Hawthorn College of Advanced Education).
• BA(Anthropology)(Hons) (Monash University).
• PhD (Monash University).
• MA(Econ&Bus) (La Trobe University).
• Community Development Officer at the Westernport Regional Council for Social Development from 1976 to 1978.
• Lecturer in the Institute of Early Childhood Development at the University of Melbourne from 1977 to 1982.
• Curriculum Development and Prison Liaison Officer at the Aboriginal Education Service (Vic.),1984.
• Regional Assistant Manager (Southern Metropolitan Region) at the Office of Corrections (Vic.) from 1985 to 1986.
• Manager for Community Engagement and the Salinity Program at the Department of Planning & Environment (Vic.) from 1986 to 1987.
• Manager of Consumer Policy at the Rural Water Corporation (Vic.) from 1987 to 1989.
• Member of the Governing Council at La Trobe University from 1987 to 1993.
• Director of Communications at the Department of Agriculture (Vic.) from 1989 to 1990.
• Director for Social Policy & Communications at the Farmers Federation (Vic.) from 1990 to 1991.
• Pricing and Water Conservation Consultant for Melbourne Water, 1991.
• Manager of International Development at the University of Melbourne from 1994 to 1995.

Electorate

• Name: Murray
• Location: Northern Victoria; it includes the towns of Shepparton and Echuca and centres of Avenel, Boort, Bridgewater, Cobram, Euroa, Kyabram, Mooroopna, Murchison, Nagambie, Nathalia, Numurkah, Rochester, Rushworth, Tatura, Violet Town, Wedderburn and Yarrawonga.
• Area: 19,500 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 100,185 (at 7.9.2013)
• Industries: sheep, wheat, dairy, viticulture and fruit processing industries.
• Includes: Murray includes the Victorian Legislative Assembly electorate of Shepparton, and parts of Bendigo East, Euroa, Murray Valley, Ovens Valley and Swan Hill.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2024.

Publications

• Aborigines in white Australia: a documentary history of the attitudes affecting official policy and the Australian Aborigine, 1697-1973, Heinemann Educational Books, South Yarra, Vic: 1974.