Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for South Australia 2007. Re-elected 2013, 2016 and 2019.

Committee service

• Joint Select: Christmas Island Tragedy served from 3.3.2011 to 29.6.2011; Australia's Immigration Detention Network served as Deputy Chair from 16.6.2011 to 30.3.2012
• Joint Standing: Migration served from 27.8.2008 to 9.5.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade served from 4.12.2008 to 5.8.2013; National Capital and External Territories served from 2.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Treaties served from 1.9.2016 to 14.6.2017; National Broadband Network served from 9.8.2017 to 7.12.2017; Treaties served from 9.8.2017 to 11.4.2019
• Joint Statutory: Corporations and Financial Services served from 11.10.2011 to 27.2.2012; Human Rights served from 2.2.2017 to 3.2.2017
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs served from 1.7.2008 to 14.6.2010; Finance and Public Administration served from 16.9.2008 to 13.5.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served as Substitute member from 27.11.2008 to 23.11.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 18.6.2009 to 18.12.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.6.2009 to 26.11.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.3.2010 to 4.5.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 15.6.2010 to 26.7.2010; Environment, Communications and the Arts: Legislation served as Substitute member from 15.6.2010 to 6.8.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.10.2010 to 18.8.2011; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 10.5.2011 to 10.6.2011; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 8.11.2011 to 21.11.2011; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 25.11.2011 to 13.9.2012; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.3.2012 to 1.5.2012; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.10.2012 to 19.11.2012; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 31.10.2012 to 30.4.2013; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.12.2013 to 18.3.2014; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 12.12.2013 to 16.7.2014; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 17.3.2014 to 27.3.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.3.2014 to 10.2.2015; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 26.6.2014 to 28.8.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 5.3.2015 to 5.6.2015; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 9.5.2016; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.12.2015 to 4.4.2016; Education and Employment: Legislation served from 1.9.2016 to 21.8.2018; Education and Employment: References served from 1.9.2016 to 21.8.2018; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 10.10.2016 to 11.5.2017; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.2016 to 7.2.2017; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 17.8.2017 to 29.11.2018; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 19.10.2017 to 26.3.2019; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 24.10.2017 to 25.10.2017; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 22.3.2018 to 14.8.2018; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.9.2018 to 10.10.2018; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 18.10.2018 to 1.4.2019; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 6.12.2018 to 22.2.2019; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2019 to 1.7.2019; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 14.2.2019 to 26.3.2019; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 24.7.2019 to 17.9.2019; Environment and Communications: Legislation served from 16.9.2019 to 18.9.2019; Environment and Communications: References served from 16.9.2019 to 18.9.2019; Environment and Communications: References served as Chair from 19.9.2019 to present; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 19.9.2019 to present; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 16.11.2023 to present; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.3.2024 to present
• Senate Select: Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru served from 26.3.2015 to 31.8.2015; Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure in a Warming World served as Chair from 13.10.2016 to 7.4.2017; Future of Public Interest Journalism served from 9.8.2017 to 5.2.2018; Fair Dinkum Power served from 15.11.2018 to 5.12.2018; Fair Dinkum Power served as Chair from 6.12.2018 to 28.6.2019; Multi-Jurisdictional Management and Execution of the Murray Darling Basin Plan served from 1.8.2019 to 30.9.2021; Foreign Interference through Social Media served from 1.12.2022 to 1.8.2023
• Senate Standing: Senators' Interests served from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 26.7.2022 to present

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2008 to present
• Australian Greens Party Room Chair from 1.7.2011 to 10.6.2022.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Immigration and Citizenship; Consumer Affairs; Water and the Murray-Darling Basin; Human Rights; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues; Youth; Childhood Education and Care; Tibet from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2012.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Consumer Affairs; Human Rights; Immigration and Citizenship; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues; Murray Darling Basin; Tibet; Water from 1.7.2012 to 11.11.2013.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Immigration and Citizenship; Consumer Affairs; Water and the Murray Darling Basin; Human Rights; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues; Youth; Early Childhood Education and Care from 11.11.2013 to 1.7.2014.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Early Childhood Education and Care; Immigration and Citizenship; Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Issues and Marriage Equality from 1.7.2014 to 25.5.2015.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Immigration and Citizenship; Early Childhood Education and Care; Youth from 25.5.2015 to 25.8.2016.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning (Early Childhood, Schools, VET and Higher Education); Finance and Trade; Water and Murray Darling Basin; Arts; Youth from 25.8.2016 to 5.7.2019.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Environment and Biodiversity, Water and Murray Darling Basin, Arts, Media and Communications and Nuclear Issues from 5.7.2019 to 27.2.2020.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Environment and Biodiversity, Water and Murray Darling Basin, Arts, Media and Communications, Dental Health and Tourism from 27.2.2020 to 9.9.2020.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Dental Health, Arts, Media and Communications, Environment and Water and Tourism from 9.9.2020 to 15.9.2021.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Arts, Media and Communications, Environment and Water, Tourism, Gambling, Transport and Infrastructure from 15.9.2021 to 17.6.2022.
• Manager of Greens Business in the Senate from 10.6.2022.
• Australian Greens Spokesperson on Environment, Water, Arts and Communications from 17.6.2022.

Party positions

• Delegate to the Australian Greens State Council (SA).
• Delegate to the Australian Greens National Council from 2005 to 2008.
• Convener of the Young Greens from 2005 to 2007.
• Delegate to the Australian Greens National Conference from 2005 to 2008.
• Secretary of the Australian Greens (SA), 2006.
• Communications and Media Officer for the Australian Greens (SA), 2006.

Personal

• Born: 23.12.1981, Melbourne, Australia
• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BSocSci (University of Adelaide).
• Customer service at the Adelaide Central Markets from 2000 to 2003.
• Environment Officer for the Students' Association, University of Adelaide (SA) from 2001 to 2002.
• President of the Students' Association, University of Adelaide (SA), 2003.
• Bank teller at BankSA, 2004.
• Campaign manager for Amnesty International (SA/NT) from 2004 to 2008.
• Freelance writer and columnist from 2007.

Publications

• En garde, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic.: 2018.