Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the House of Representatives for Richmond, New South Wales, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Ageing from 3.12.07 to 14.9.10.
• Parliamentary Secretary for Trade from 14.9.10 to 4.2.13.

Committee service

• House of Representatives Standing: Health and Ageing from 2.12.04 to 17.10.07; Regional Australia from 6.2.13 to 9.5.16; Publications from 14.5.13 to 9.5.16; Petitions from 4.12.13 to 9.5.16 (Deputy Chair from 11.12.13 to 9.5.16) and from 15.9.16.
• Joint Standing: Treaties from 6.2.13 to 14.5.13; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 15.9.16.
• Joint Statutory: Law Enforcement from 5.12.13 to 16.7.14; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 16.7.14 to 9.5.16.

Party positions

• Member, ALP from 1995.
• President, ALP Tweed Coast Branch 2003-04.

Personal

• Born 29.7.1967, Brisbane, Qld.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA (Qld), GradDip in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (Griffith).
• Police officer 1990-97.
• Juvenile Justice Conference Convener, NSW Dept of Juvenile Justice 2002-03.

Electorate

• Description: rural.
• Location: New South Wales north coast; it includes the towns of Bangalow, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Kingscliff, Lennox Head, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Nimbin, Ocean Shores, Pottsville, Suffolk Park and Tweed Heads.
• Area: 2 148 sq km.
• Electors enrolled: 112 715 (at 2.7.16).
• Industries: Tourism, commercial fishing, agriculture including dairy, beef cattle, tropical fruits, sugarcane, coffee and macadamia nuts, sugar processing, timber, light engineering, boat building and cottage industries.
• State electorates: Richmond includes the New South Wales Assembly electorate of Tweed, and parts of Ballina and Lismore.