Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Isaacs, Victoria at by-election 2000, vice G Wilton (deceased). Re-elected 2001 and 2004 Retired prior to general elections 2007.

Parliamentary positions

• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 19.2.2002 to 31.8.2004.
• Member of the Speaker's Panel from 6.2.2007 to 17.10.2007.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Environment and Heritage served from 27.11.2000 to 8.10.2001; Science and Innovation served as Deputy Chair from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Ageing served from 14.5.2002 to 31.8.2004; Education and Vocational Training served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007; Publications served from 2.12.2004 to 17.10.2007

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Fiji and Papua New Guinea, October-November 2002.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Chile and Peru, November 2006.
• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa, February-March 2007.

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 12.08.2000 to 17.10.2007
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 26.10.2004 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration from 24.6.2005 to 10.12.2006.

Party positions

• Member of Australian Labor Party Committees from 1980.

Personal

• Born: 21.9.1951, Dandenong, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• CPA (CPA Australia).
• DipBusSt (Swinburne College of Technology).
• GradDipBus (Monash University).
• Deputy Manager (General Accounting) at the University of Melbourne from 1988 to 1992.
• Management Accountant at Frankston Hospital from 1992 to 1995.
• Deputy Director (Finance) at Royal Melbourne Hospital from 1995 to 1996.
• Business Manager at Kilvington Baptist Girls' Grammar School from 1996 to 1999.
• Business Manager at Woodleigh School, 1999.

Electorate

• Name: Isaacs
• Location: south-eastern Melbourne; it includes the suburbs of Aspendale, Aspendale Gardens, Bonbeach, Braeside, Carrum, Carrum Downs, Chelsea, Chelsea Heights, Cheltenham, Dandenong South, Edithvale, Keysborough, Lyndhurst, Mentone, Mordialloc, Noble Park, Parkdale, Patterson Lakes, Skye, Springvale South and Waterways.
• Area: 179 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 92,938 (at 9.10.2004)
• Industries: light manufacturing.
• Includes: Isaacs includes parts of the Victorian Legislative Assembly electorates of Carrum, Cranbourne, Dandenong, Lyndhurst, Mordialloc and Sandringham.