Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Indi, Victoria, 2013. Re-elected 2016.

Committee service

• Joint Statutory: Human Rights from 14.5.2015 to 9.5.2016.
• Joint Standing: National Broadband Network from 10.10.2016.
• Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from 26.3.2018.
• House of Representatives Standing: Agriculture and Industry from 4.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Infrastructure, Transport and Cities from 15.9.2016.
• House of Representatives Select: Regional Development and Decentralisation from 13.6.2017 to 28.6.2018.

Personal

• Born 29.11.1953, Albury, Australia.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• B.A (Monash)
• Dip.Ed (Melb.)
• M.App.Sc (UWS)
• Teacher
• Legislative and research assistant to the Member for Indi, EC Cameron, MP 1980-83
• Rural community consultant 1984-87
• Rural Affairs Adviser, Dept of Agriculture (Vic.) 1987-90
• Managing Director, Catherine McGowan Consulting (leadership, agriculture, community development) 1990-2013
• Lecturer, University of Western Sydney 1992-2003

Electorate

• Description: Rural
• Location: north-eastern Victoria; the main towns include main towns include Alexandra, Beechworth, Benalla, Bright, Corryong, Eildon, Kinglake, Mansfield, Marysville, Mount Beauty, Myrtleford, Rutherglen, Tallangatta, Wangaratta, Wodonga and Yea.
• Area: 28567 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 103734 (at 2.7.2016)
• Industries: tourism, forestry, wood chipping, viticulture, agriculture, timber processing and manufacturing.

Honours

• Awarded Centenary Medal, 01.01.2001
• Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia, 14.06.2004