Parliamentary service

  • Chosen by the Parliament of Tasmania on 25.8.2005 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice S Mackay (resigned). Elected 2007 Re-elected 2013 and 2016, 2019 and 2022.

Ministerial appointments

  • Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport from 1.6.2022.

Parliamentary positions

  • Temporary Chair of Committees from 12.2.2008 to 28.9.2010.
  • Temporary Chair of Committees from 2.7.2019.

Committee service

  • Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation (formerly Regulations and Ordinances) from 13.9.2005 to 1.7.2011; Publications from 14.2.2008 to 11.11.2013 (Chair from 20.3.2008 to 11.11.2013); Selection of Bills from 30.9.2010 to 11.11.2013; Scrutiny of Bills from 1.7.2011 to 11.11.2013; Senators' Interests from 6.3.2014 to 1.7.2014; House from 1.9.2016.
  • Senate Select: Autism from 5.12.2019 (Deputy Chair from 25.2.2021).
  • Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Public Administration: Legislation from 13.9.2005 to 11.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration: References from 13.9.2005 to 11.9.2006; Community Affairs: References from 15.9.2005 to 11.9.2006; Finance and Public Administration from 11.9.2006 to 30.6.2008; Community Affairs from 11.9.2006 to 14.5.2009; Community Affairs: Legislation from 14.5.2009 to 9.5.2016; Community Affairs: References from 14.5.2009 to 25.2.2013; Community Affairs: References from 12.11.2013 to 9.5.2016; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation from 23.5.2018 to 23.5.2018 (Substitute member from 23.5.2018 to 23.5.2018); Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation from 22.10.2018 to 22.10.2018 (Substitute member from 22.10.2018 to 22.10.2018).
  • Joint Statutory: Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity from 14.2.2008 to 19.7.2010; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings (formerly Broadcasting) from 30.9.2010 to 21.6.2012; Human Rights from 1.7.2014 to 9.5.2016; Human Rights from 12.9.2016 to 1.7.2019.
  • Joint Standing: Treaties from 12.9.2005 to 11.2.2008; Electoral Matters from 14.2.2008 to 9.5.2016; National Broadband Network from 23.3.2011 to 21.6.2012; National Capital and External Territories from 9.12.2013 to 9.5.2016; Electoral Matters from 12.9.2016 to 1.12.2016; National Disability Insurance Scheme from 11.10.2016 (Deputy Chair from 25.7.2019); Electoral Matters from 8.2.2017 (Deputy Chair from 25.7.2019); National Capital and External Territories from 22.7.2019 (Deputy Chair from 1.8.2019).

Parliamentary party positions

  • Government Deputy Whip in the Senate from 27.9.2010 to 18.9.2013.
  • Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
  • Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
  • Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism from 2.6.2019.
  • Shadow Assistant Minister for Tasmania from 2.6.2019.

Party positions

  • Assistant Secretary for Education and Training in the Australian Labor Party State Branch (Tas.).
  • Acting Secretary of the Australian Labor Party State Branch (Tas.), 2000.

Other positions

  • Member of the Parliamentary Group on Population Development.
  • Deputy Convener of Parliamentary Friends of Parkinson's.
  • Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Arthritis.
  • Deputy Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
  • Member of the Parliamentary Antarctic Alliance.
  • Member of Emily's List.

Personal

  • Born 19.7.1963, Hobart, Australia
  • Partner

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

  • Administrative Officer for the Australian Labor Party from 1984 to 1996.
  • Adviser to Senator S Mackay from 1996 to 1998.
  • Portfolio Services Manager at the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Tas.) from 1998 to 2002.
  • Adviser/Office Manager to the Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment (Tas.) from 2002 to 2004.
  • Adviser/Office Manager to the Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (Tas.) from 2004 to 2005.