Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of New South Wales on 5.5.2005 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice Dr JW Tierney (resigned). Elected to the Senate for New South Wales 2004 (term began 1.7.2005), 2010 and 2016.

Parliamentary positions

• Temporary Chair of Committees from 26.6.08 to 19.9.08.

Ministerial appointments

• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services from 18.9.13 to 21.9.15.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney-General from 28.5.15 to 21.9.15.
• Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection from 21.9.15 to 18.2.16.
• Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 21.9.15 to 18.2.16.
• Minister for International Development and the Pacific from 18.2.16.

Committee service

• Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances from 9.2.06 to 11.2.08.
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional: References Committee from 6.9.05 (Deputy Chair from 14.9.05) to 11.9.06; Finance and Public Administration from 11.9.06 to 24.11.08; Community Affairs from 12.9.06 to 9.5.07.
• Senate Select: Fuel and Energy from 26.6.08 to 12.11.08.
• Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 23.3.07 to 15.10.08 and from 12.5.10 to 27.10.10.
• Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 26.2.07 to 11.3.08; Migration from 4.2.09 to 22.6.09.

Parliamentary party positions

• Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration from 22.9.08 to 8.12.09; and Citizenship from 10.11.08 to 8.12.09; Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader in the Senate from 22.9.08 to 8.12.09.
• Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 8.12.09 to 18.9.13. Shadow Minister for Ageing from 8.12.09 to 18.9.13; Shadow Minister for Mental Health from 14.9.10 to 18.9.13.

Party positions

• Delegate, Women?s Council 1994-2005.
• Delegate, Liberal Party State Council (NSW) from 1995.
• President, Liberal Party NSW Italian Special Branch (various periods from 1995 to 2003).
• Metropolitan Representative, Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) 1996-1997.
• Member, Liberal Party Constitutional Standing Committee 1996-1997, 2003 and 2003-2004.
• Delegate, Liberal Party Federal Council 2000-02.
• Urban Representative, Liberal Party State Executive (NSW) 2003, 2003-2004.

Personal

• Born 20.5.1960, Wollongong, NSW.
• Married.

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA, LLB (ANU).
• Articled Clerk/Solicitor, Macphillamny Cummins and Gibson 1983-84.
• Legal officer, Australian Government Solicitor, Canberra 1984-86; Legal Officer, then Senior Legal Officer, Australian Government Solicitor, Sydney 1986-90.
• Acting Principal Legal Officer, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service 1990.
• Policy Adviser to the Hon. JJ Carlton, MP 1990-93.
• Senior Private Secretary to the State Premier (NSW), the Hon. JJ Fahey, MLA 1993-94.
• Senior Lawyer, Australian Government Solicitor 1994-2004.
• Consultant, Minter Ellison Lawyers 2003-04.

Honours

• Awarded Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic 1998.