Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Herbert, Queensland, 2016. Defeated at general elections 2019.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Northern Australia served from 7.11.2016 to 11.4.2019

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 02.07.2016 to 18.05.2019

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Townsville Branch (Qld).
• President of the Australian Labor Party North Ward Branch (Qld).
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (Qld).
• President of the Australian Labor Party Herbert Federal Electorate Council (Qld).
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Townsville State Electorate Council (Qld).

Personal

• Born: 30.8.1956, Townsville, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BEd (Central Queensland University).
• CertIVWorkplaceTraining ().
• DipT (TAFE and Brisbane College of Advanced Education).
• DipTraining&Assessment (Southern Cross Connection).
• CertIIILadiesHairdressing (Department of Education, Queensland).
• CertIVBus (Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE).
• DipFrontlineMgt (Southern Cross Connection).
• MMSc (University of Sedona).
• DippCommunityWelfareWk (Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE).
• BMSc (University of Sedona).
• Business Owner and Apprentice Hairdresser from 1972 to 1987.
• Teacher at the Townsville and Kangaroo Colleges of TAFE from 1988 to 1991.
• Small Business Owner from 1990 to 2002.
• Program Manager and Curriculum Designer at TAFE, Townsville (Qld) from 1991 to 1993.
• Associate at Tropical Industry Training Associates from 1994 to 1995.
• Director and Owner of O'Toole Enterprises Pty. Ltd., 1996.
• Manager at Workplace Training Tropical Industry Training and Associates from 1996 to 1997.
• Managing Director and Owner of Future Skills & Training from 1997 to 2000.
• Chief Executive Officer at Advance Employment Inc. from 2002 to 2011.
• Project Development Manager at Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access Services Ltd. from 2012 to 2013.
• Chief Executive Offiver of Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access Services Ltd. from 2013 to 2016.

Electorate

• Name: Herbert
• Location: north Queensland coast; it includes the city of Townsville and also includes Magnetic and Palm Islands.
• Area: 946 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 104,815 (at 2.7.2016)
• Industries: copper, nickel and zinc refineries, bulk sugar terminal, and tropical fruits, prawn and fishing industry, beef cattle and tourism, James Cook University, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and large defence establishments at Lavarack Barracks (Army) and Garbutt (RAAF).
• Includes: Herbert includes the Queensland Legislative Assembly electorate of Townsville, and parts of Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Mundingburra and Thuringowa.

Honours

• Received the Rotary Sunflower Award for Community Work, 2008.
• Awarded Woman of the Year Finalist (Corporate Business) by the Townsville Business Women's Network, 2010.