Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Sydney, New South Wales, 1998. Re-elected 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Housing from 3.12.2007 to 14.9.2010.
• Minister for the Status of Women from 3.12.2007 to 14.9.2010.
• Minister for Human Services from 14.9.2010 to 14.12.2011.
• Minister for Social Inclusion from 14.9.2010 to 14.12.2011.
• Minister for Health from 14.12.2011 to 1.7.2013.
• Cabinet Minister from 14.12.2011 to 18.9.2013.
• Minister for Health and Medical Research from 1.7.2013 to 18.9.2013.
• Cabinet Minister from 1.6.2022.
• Minister for the Environment and Water from 1.6.2022.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Economics, Finance and Public Administration served from 31.8.2000 to 8.10.2001; Privileges served from 12.2.2002 to 17.10.2007; Education and Training served from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004
• Joint Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 4.12.2013 to 24.6.2015
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit served from 8.12.1998 to 10.4.2000; Public Accounts and Audit served as Deputy Chair from 20.3.2002 to 31.8.2004; Intelligence and Security served from 12.12.2013 to 24.11.2014

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 03.10.1998 to present
• Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Status of Women from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Minister for Youth from 26.10.2004 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Work and Family, Community and Early Childhood Education from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 26.10.2004 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Child Care from 24.6.2005 to 10.12.2006.
• Shadow Minister for the Status of Women from 24.6.2005 to 3.12.2007.
• Shadow Minister for Human Services and Housing from 10.12.2006 to 3.12.2007.
• Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 14.10.2013 to 30.5.2019.
• Shadow Cabinet Minister from 14.10.2013 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
• Shadow Minister for Education from 23.7.2016 to 24.10.2017.
• Shadow Minister for Women from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
• Shadow Minister for Education and Training from 24.10.2017 to 28.1.2021.
• Shadow Minister for Education from 28.1.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Shadow Minister for Women from 28.1.2021 to 23.5.2022.
• Deputy Chair of the Australian Labor Party Living Standards and Economic Development Caucus Committee.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Social Policy Caucus Committee.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Women's Caucus Committee.
• Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party from 14.10.2013 to 30.5.2019.

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Rosebery Branch (NSW).
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Status of Women Committee (NSW) from 1994 to 1998.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Economics Committee (NSW) from 1996 to 1998.
• Delegate to the Australian Labor Party State Conference (NSW) from 1996 to 2004.

Personal

• Born: 2.12.1969, Sydney, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Women's Officer.
• BA(Comms)(Hons) (University of Technology, Sydney).
• MPol&PubPol (Macquarie University).
• Member of the Domestic Violence Unit, Ministry for the Status of Women (NSW).
• Electorate officer.

Electorate

• Name: Sydney
• Location: Sydney covers an area from Pyrmont, The Rocks and Potts Point (including Sydney Harbour) in the north to Rosebery in the south. Bounded in the east by the eastern border of Potts Point and Darlinghurst to Oxford Street, Flinders Street, South Dowling Street and Southern Cross Drive, the division extends to Glebe, Camperdown, Newtown and Erskineville in the west. The main suburbs include Camperdown, Darlinghurst (part), Erskineville, Glebe, Haymarket, Newtown, Potts Point, Pyrmont, Rosebery, Surry Hills, The Rocks, Waterloo and Woolloomooloo.
• Area: 44 Sq km
• Electors enrolled: 114,215 (at 13.6.2019)
• Industries: Commercial, financial, retail, merchandising, service, transport, entertainment and shipping industries.

Publications

• Upturn: a better normal after COVID-19, NewSouth Books, Sydney: 2020.