Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Corangamite, Victoria, 2019. Re-elected 2022 and 2025.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Appropriations and Administration served from 22.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; Communications and the Arts served from 28.7.2022 to present; Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water served from 28.7.2022 to present
• Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 23.7.2019 to 11.4.2022; National Disability Insurance Scheme served as Chair from 28.7.2022 to present; Treaties served from 12.8.2024 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 18.05.2019 to present
• Chairperson of the Australian Labor Party Education, Science, Research and the Arts Caucus Committee from 2019 to 2022.

Other positions

• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Waste and Recycling from 2020.
• Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Surfing from 2022.

Personal

• Born: 11.6.1962, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• (BA) (University of New England).
• (DipEd) (Monash University).
• (BLitt) (Deakin University).
• Grad(AICD) (Australian Institute of Company Directors).
• Cadet journalist at the Geelong Advertiser.
• Secondary school teacher.
• Communications consultant.
• Communications/PR Manager at the Department of Education (Vic.).
• Journalist.

Local Government service

• Councillor for the Surf Coast Shire from 2008 to 2019.
• Mayor of Surf Coast Shire from 2009 to 2010.
• Mayor of Surf Coast Shire from 2012 to 2013.

Electorate

• Name: Corangamite
• Location: The Division of Corangamite consists of: Borough of Queenscliff Surf Coast Shire Council, part of the Colac Otway Shire Council, part of the Golden Plains Shire Council, and part of the Greater Geelong City Council.
• Area: 5,441 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 111,601 (at 24.6.2019)
• Industries: Tourism, retail, healthcare, agriculture, food production and processing, manufacturing and commercial fishing.

Honours

• Received the Victorian Government media in education award.