Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 2004. Re-elected 2010 and 2016. Resigned 6.9.2021.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples served from 29.11.2012 to 25.6.2015; DisabilityCare Australia served from 18.6.2013 to 5.8.2013; Northern Australia served from 10.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse served from 22.6.2017 to 15.12.2017; Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (2018) served from 20.3.2018 to 29.11.2018; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 19.9.2019 to 6.9.2021
• Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 3.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 12.9.2016 to 15.2.2018; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 7.3.2018 to 8.3.2018; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 26.3.2018 to 27.3.2018; Northern Australia served from 6.12.2018 to 1.7.2019; Northern Australia served from 12.6.2020 to 19.2.2021; Northern Australia served from 20.2.2021 to 2.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 3.3.2021 to 9.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 10.3.2021 to 19.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 20.3.2021 to 19.4.2021; Northern Australia served from 11.5.2021 to 18.5.2021; Northern Australia served from 19.5.2021 to 28.5.2021; Northern Australia served from 29.5.2021 to 8.6.2021; Northern Australia served from 9.6.2021 to 17.6.2021; Northern Australia served from 19.6.2021 to 21.6.2021
• Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account served from 1.7.2005 to 23.3.2006; Corporations and Financial Services served from 23.8.2012 to 28.2.2013
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 5.10.2005 to 10.9.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 7.11.2005 to 8.11.2005; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Chair from 9.11.2005 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.3.2006 to 17.10.2007; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served from 11.9.2006 to 23.8.2008; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 12.9.2006 to 8.2.2007; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 29.3.2007 to 9.5.2007; Community Affairs served from 1.7.2008 to 13.5.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 1.7.2008 to 13.5.2009; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served as Substitute member from 3.9.2008 to 4.2.2010; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 10.11.2008 to 29.4.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 4.12.2008 to 26.2.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts served as Substitute member from 4.12.2008 to 7.5.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 20.3.2009 to 13.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 4.2.2010; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 25.6.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.6.2009 to 10.9.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 13.8.2009 to 7.10.2010; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.10.2009 to 16.11.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.10.2009 to 24.2.2010; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.11.2009 to 25.2.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 4.2.2010 to 6.12.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.2.2011 to 9.11.2011; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.3.2011 to 15.6.2011; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 24.3.2011 to 16.4.2012; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 23.8.2011 to 25.11.2011; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2013 to 22.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.12.2013 to 11.12.2013; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 12.12.2013 to 9.9.2014; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.2.2014 to 28.2.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.6.2014 to 27.8.2014; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 10.7.2014 to 25.3.2015; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.10.2014 to 24.11.2014; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 19.3.2015 to 17.3.2016; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 24.11.2015; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 14.10.2015; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 2.12.2015 to 15.1.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.12.2015 to 2.3.2016; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.2016 to 28.11.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 10.11.2016 to 15.8.2017; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.11.2016 to 28.11.2016; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 23.3.2017 to 14.12.2017; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 20.6.2018 to 27.11.2018; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 16.8.2018 to 1.7.2019; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 16.8.2018 to 1.7.2019; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 21.8.2018 to 14.2.2019; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 12.9.2018 to 14.2.2019; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.12.2018 to 11.2.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.12.2018 to 10.12.2018; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 6.9.2021; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 3.7.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 3.7.2019 to 6.9.2021; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.11.2019 to 19.8.2020
• Senate Select: Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities served from 20.3.2008 to 24.9.2010; Health served as Substitute member from 10.10.2014 to 10.10.2014; Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century served from 20.6.2018 to 14.2.2019; Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda served from 1.8.2019 to 28.4.2021; COVID-19 served from 8.4.2020 to 6.9.2021
• Senate Standing: Selection of Bills served from 9.8.2005 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 1.7.2008 to 3.2.2009; Scrutiny of Bills served from 22.9.2008 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 15.6.2010 to 19.6.2012; Senators' Interests served from 25.10.2010 to 5.7.2011; Procedure served from 14.8.2012 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2005 to 06.09.2021
• Australian Greens Whip in the Senate from 9.8.2005 to 6.9.2021.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family; Community and Disability Services; Fisheries and Marine; Ageing; Indigenous Affairs and Indigenous Health; Agriculture; the Kimberley and Northern Australia; Natural Resource Management from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2012.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; Ageing; Agriculture; Family; Community and Disability Services; Fisheries and Marine; Native Title; Natural Resource Management; the Kimberley and Northern Australia from 1.7.2012 to 11.11.2013.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family, Community and Disability Services; Marine, Fisheries and Whaling; Ageing; Indigenous Affairs; Indigenous Health and Native Title; Agriculture; the Kimberley and Northern Australia; Natural Resource Management from 11.11.2013 to 1.7.2014.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Family; Ageing; Community and Disability Services; Marine from 1.7.2014 to 25.5.2015.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family, Ageing, Community and Disability Services; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Marine from 25.5.2015 to 25.8.2016.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family and Community Services; Ageing; Disability Services; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; and Mental Health from 25.8.2016 to 5.7.2019.
• Co-Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Greens from 10.11.2017 to 4.12.2018.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson for Family and Community Services, Ageing, First Nations Peoples' Issues and Mental Health from 5.7.2019 to 9.9.2020.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Health, Mental Health, Family, Ageing and Community Services and Gambling from 9.9.2020 to 6.9.2021.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Greens National Conference from 2001 to 2004.
• Co-Convener of the Australian Greens (WA) from 2002 to 2004.

Other positions

• Ambassador to the Deafness Forum.

Personal

• Born: 4.11.1961, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Single

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BSc(Ag) (University of Western Australia).
• Research officer at the Department of Agriculture (WA) from 1984 to 1987.
• Coordinator at the Conservation Council (WA) from 1987 to 2004.

Honours

• Received the Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award, 2003.
• Received the Leadership Award from Suicide Prevention Australia, 2014.

Publications

• Towards sustainability, Conservation Council of WA, WA, 1990.
• The Mallie Road catchment project: a National Soil Conservation Program project, Department of Agriculture (WA), South Perth, WA: 1991.
• Management Ramsar wetlands, Conservation Council of WA, WA, 1996.
• To drain or not to drain, Dee Margetts, MLC, WA, 2005.