Biography

Parliamentary service

• Elected to the Senate for Victoria, 2022. Died in office 29.2.2024.

Parliamentary appointments

• Member of the National Library of Australia Council from 1.8.2022.

Committee service

• Joint Select: National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation served from 28.9.2022 to 4.10.2022; National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation served as Chair from 4.10.2022 to 10.11.2022; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum served from 30.3.2023 to 12.5.2023
• Joint Standing: Parliamentary Library served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 28.7.2022 to 28.9.2022
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 28.7.2022 to 1.7.2023; National Anti-Corruption Commission served as Chair from 9.2.2023 to 8.2.2024
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024
• Senate Select: Work and Care served from 4.8.2022 to 9.3.2023; Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements served from 6.9.2023 to 30.10.2023
• Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation served as Chair from 28.7.2022 to 29.2.2024

Parliamentary party positions

• Australian Labor Party. Served: 01.07.2022 to 29.02.2024

Party positions

• Member of the Australian Labor Party Administrative Committee (Vic.) from 1997 to 2003.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive from 2004.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive Committee from 2015.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Federal Election Review Panel, 2019.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Interim Governance Committee (Vic.) from February 2021.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party Federal Election Review Panel, 2022.

Other positions

• Member and Chair of the Footscray Community Legal Centre Board.
• Member and Chair of the 200 Gertrude St Gallery Board from 1992 to 1999.
• Director of Legal Super Pty Ltd from 1993 to 2017.
• Member of the Ansett Australia Creditors Committee from 2001 to 2012.
• Director of the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council from 2005 to 2009.
• Member of the ACTU Executive from 2005 to 2020.
• Vice-President of the ACTU from 2005 to 2015.
• Member of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Board from 2006 to 2014.
• Member of the Australian Social Inclusion Board from 2008 to 2012.
• Member and Chair of the Chifley Research Centre Ltd Board from 2013.
• Member of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image Board from 2015 to 2022.
• Member of the Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust Board from 2017 to 2022.
• Director of Statewide Superannuation Pty Ltd from 2019 to 2022.
• Member of the Portable Long Service Leave Benefits Authority Board from 2019 to 2022.
• Member of the Greater Western Water Board from July 2021 to April 2022.

Personal

• Gender: Female

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• (LLB) (University of Melbourne).
• (BComm) (University of Melbourne).
• Industrial Officer (Clerical and Administrative) in the Australian Services Union (Vic. Branch).
• Senior Associate at Maurice Blackburn & Co. from 1985 to 1994.
• Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1986.
• Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union from 1995 to 2020.