Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Queensland 2001. Re-elected 2007, 2013 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 17.11.04 to 11.11.13

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Publications from 1.7.2002 to 1.7.2005; Regulations and Ordinances from 1.7.2002 to 1.7.2005; Regulations and Ordinances from 14.2.2008 to 11.11.2013; Selection of Bills from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Procedure from 12.2.2015 to 9.5.2016; Regulations and Ordinances from 12.11.2015 to 9.5.2016; Regulations and Ordinances from 1.9.2016 to 1.12.2016; Library from 1.9.2016.
• Senate Select: Lindeberg Grievance from 1.4.2004 to 16.11.2004; Administration of Indigenous Affairs from 18.11.2004 to 8.3.2005; Mental Health from 10.3.2005 to 28.4.2006; Housing Affordability in Australia from 14.2.2008 to 16.6.2008; Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities from 19.3.2008 to 24.9.2010; Reform of the Australian Federation from 30.9.2010 to 30.6.2011; Health from 26.11.2015 to 27.11.2015.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: References from 1.7.2002 to 11.9.2006 (Chair from 1.7.2005 to 11.9.2006); Finance and Public Administration: References from 25.6.2003 to 11.9.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation from 1.12.2004 to 11.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration from 11.9.2006 to 14.5.2009; Community Affairs from 11.9.2006 to 14.5.2009 (Chair from 13.2.2008 to 14.5.2009); Community Affairs: Legislation from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013 (Chair from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013); Community Affairs: References from 14.5.2009 to 11.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: References from 12.2.2015 to 9.5.2016; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 20.8.2015 to 7.9.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References from 7.9.2015 to 16.9.2015 (Substitute member from 7.9.2015 to 16.9.2015); Finance and Public Administration: Legislation from 12.2.2016 to 12.2.2016 (Substitute member from 12.2.2016 to 12.2.2016); Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation from 1.9.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References from 1.9.2016.
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 1.7.2002 to 19.11.2002; Public Accounts and Audit from 1.4.2004 to 10.5.2006; Human Rights from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings from 12.11.2015 to 9.5.2016; Human Rights from 15.9.2016.
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 1.7.2005 to 5.8.2013; Parliamentary Library from 27.8.2014 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 12.9.2016; Parliamentary Library from 10.10.2016.
• Joint Select: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse from 22.6.2017.

Parliamentary party positions

• Shadow Minister for Women from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Minister for Carers from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Minister for Communities from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016.
• Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific from 23.7.2016.

Party positions

• Member, ALP from 1996

Personal

• Born 19.2.1956, Toowoomba, Australia
• Single

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Public servant 1980-94
• State Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union (Qld) 1994-2001