Speeches First speech Browse all speeches (Hansard) Biography Parliamentary service Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 2004. Re-elected 2010 and 2016. Resigned 6.9.2021. Committee service Joint Select: Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples served from 29.11.2012 to 25.6.2015; DisabilityCare Australia served from 18.6.2013 to 5.8.2013; Northern Australia served from 10.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse served from 22.6.2017 to 15.12.2017; Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (2018) served from 20.3.2018 to 29.11.2018; Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 19.9.2019 to 6.9.2021Joint Standing: National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 3.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 12.9.2016 to 15.2.2018; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 7.3.2018 to 8.3.2018; National Disability Insurance Scheme served from 26.3.2018 to 27.3.2018; Northern Australia served from 6.12.2018 to 1.7.2019; Northern Australia served from 12.6.2020 to 19.2.2021; Northern Australia served from 20.2.2021 to 2.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 3.3.2021 to 9.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 10.3.2021 to 19.3.2021; Northern Australia served from 20.3.2021 to 19.4.2021; Northern Australia served from 11.5.2021 to 18.5.2021; Northern Australia served from 19.5.2021 to 28.5.2021; Northern Australia served from 29.5.2021 to 8.6.2021; Northern Australia served from 9.6.2021 to 17.6.2021; Northern Australia served from 19.6.2021 to 21.6.2021Joint Statutory: Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account served from 1.7.2005 to 23.3.2006; Corporations and Financial Services served from 23.8.2012 to 28.2.2013Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: Legislation served from 5.10.2005 to 10.9.2006; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served from 7.11.2005 to 8.11.2005; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Chair from 9.11.2005 to 10.9.2006; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.3.2006 to 17.10.2007; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served from 11.9.2006 to 23.8.2008; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 12.9.2006 to 8.2.2007; Community Affairs served as Substitute member from 29.3.2007 to 9.5.2007; Community Affairs served from 1.7.2008 to 13.5.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations served from 1.7.2008 to 13.5.2009; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport served as Substitute member from 3.9.2008 to 4.2.2010; Finance and Public Administration served as Substitute member from 10.11.2008 to 29.4.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 4.12.2008 to 26.2.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts served as Substitute member from 4.12.2008 to 7.5.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs served as Substitute member from 20.3.2009 to 13.5.2009; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 5.7.2011; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 4.2.2010; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 14.5.2009 to 25.6.2009; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 18.6.2009 to 10.9.2009; Environment, Communications and the Arts: References served as Substitute member from 13.8.2009 to 7.10.2010; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.10.2009 to 16.11.2009; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 29.10.2009 to 24.2.2010; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.11.2009 to 25.2.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served as Substitute member from 4.2.2010 to 6.12.2010; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.2.2011 to 9.11.2011; Environment and Communications: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.3.2011 to 15.6.2011; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 24.3.2011 to 16.4.2012; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: References served as Substitute member from 23.8.2011 to 25.11.2011; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.11.2013 to 22.11.2013; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.12.2013 to 11.12.2013; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 12.12.2013 to 9.9.2014; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 28.2.2014 to 28.2.2014; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 19.6.2014 to 27.8.2014; Environment and Communications: References served as Substitute member from 10.7.2014 to 25.3.2015; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 2.10.2014 to 24.11.2014; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 19.3.2015 to 17.3.2016; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 24.11.2015; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 12.10.2015 to 14.10.2015; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 2.12.2015 to 15.1.2016; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 3.12.2015 to 2.3.2016; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Community Affairs: References served as Chair from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.2016 to 28.11.2016; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: References served as Substitute member from 10.11.2016 to 15.8.2017; Education and Employment: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.11.2016 to 28.11.2016; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 23.3.2017 to 14.12.2017; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 20.6.2018 to 27.11.2018; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 16.8.2018 to 1.7.2019; Finance and Public Administration: References served from 16.8.2018 to 1.7.2019; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 21.8.2018 to 14.2.2019; Education and Employment: References served as Substitute member from 12.9.2018 to 14.2.2019; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 6.12.2018 to 11.2.2019; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 10.12.2018 to 10.12.2018; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 6.9.2021; Community Affairs: Legislation served from 2.7.2019 to 3.7.2019; Community Affairs: Legislation served as Deputy Chair from 3.7.2019 to 6.9.2021; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served as Substitute member from 11.11.2019 to 19.8.2020Senate Select: Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities served from 20.3.2008 to 24.9.2010; Health served as Substitute member from 10.10.2014 to 10.10.2014; Charity Fundraising in the 21st Century served from 20.6.2018 to 14.2.2019; Effectiveness of the Australian Government's Northern Australia Agenda served from 1.8.2019 to 28.4.2021; COVID-19 served from 8.4.2020 to 6.9.2021Senate Standing: Selection of Bills served from 9.8.2005 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 1.7.2008 to 3.2.2009; Scrutiny of Bills served from 22.9.2008 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 15.6.2010 to 19.6.2012; Senators' Interests served from 25.10.2010 to 5.7.2011; Procedure served from 14.8.2012 to 9.5.2016; Procedure served from 1.9.2016 to 1.7.2019 Parliamentary party positions Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2005 to 06.09.2021Australian Greens Whip in the Senate from 9.8.2005 to 6.9.2021.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family; Community and Disability Services; Fisheries and Marine; Ageing; Indigenous Affairs and Indigenous Health; Agriculture; the Kimberley and Northern Australia; Natural Resource Management from 1.7.2011 to 1.7.2012.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; Ageing; Agriculture; Family; Community and Disability Services; Fisheries and Marine; Native Title; Natural Resource Management; the Kimberley and Northern Australia from 1.7.2012 to 11.11.2013.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family, Community and Disability Services; Marine, Fisheries and Whaling; Ageing; Indigenous Affairs; Indigenous Health and Native Title; Agriculture; the Kimberley and Northern Australia; Natural Resource Management from 11.11.2013 to 1.7.2014.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Family; Ageing; Community and Disability Services; Marine from 1.7.2014 to 25.5.2015.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family, Ageing, Community and Disability Services; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs; Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Marine from 25.5.2015 to 25.8.2016.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Family and Community Services; Ageing; Disability Services; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues; and Mental Health from 25.8.2016 to 5.7.2019.Co-Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Greens from 10.11.2017 to 4.12.2018.Australian Greens Spokesperson for Family and Community Services, Ageing, First Nations Peoples' Issues and Mental Health from 5.7.2019 to 9.9.2020.Australian Greens Spokesperson on Health, Mental Health, Family, Ageing and Community Services and Gambling from 9.9.2020 to 6.9.2021. Party positions Delegate to the Australian Greens National Conference from 2001 to 2004.Co-Convener of the Australian Greens (WA) from 2002 to 2004. Other positions Ambassador to the Deafness Forum. Personal Born: 4.11.1961, Sydney, AustraliaGender: FemaleMarital Status: Single Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament BSc(Ag) (University of Western Australia).Research officer at the Department of Agriculture (WA) from 1984 to 1987.Coordinator at the Conservation Council (WA) from 1987 to 2004. Honours Received the Bessie Rischbieth Conservation Award, 2003.Received the Leadership Award from Suicide Prevention Australia, 2014. Publications Towards sustainability, Conservation Council of WA, WA, 1990.The Mallie Road catchment project: a National Soil Conservation Program project, Department of Agriculture (WA), South Perth, WA: 1991.Management Ramsar wetlands, Conservation Council of WA, WA, 1996.To drain or not to drain, Dee Margetts, MLC, WA, 2005.