Parliamentary service
- Elected to the House of Representatives for Ballarat, Victoria, 2001. Re-elected 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022.
Ministerial appointments
- Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing from 14.9.2010 to 25.3.2013.
- Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport from 14.9.2010 to 25.3.2013.
- Minister for Regional Services, Local Communities and Territories from 25.3.2013 to 1.7.2013.
- Minister for Road Safety from 25.3.2013 to 1.7.2013.
- Minister for Regional Australia, Local Government and Territories from 1.7.2013 to 18.9.2013.
- Cabinet Minister from 1.7.2013 to 18.9.2013.
- Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government from 1.6.2022.
Committee service
- Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 20.3.2002 to 19.7.2010.
- House of Representatives Standing: Health and Ageing from 2.12.2004 to 19.7.2010; Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government from 19.2.2008 to 19.7.2010.
Parliamentary party positions
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Economics Caucus Committee.
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Status of Women Caucus Committee.
- Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Urban, Regional and Rural Development Caucus Committee from 2002 to 2004.
- Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development from 26.10.2004 to 24.6.2005.
- Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury from 24.6.2005 to 3.12.2007.
- Shadow Minister for Health from 18.10.2013 to 23.7.2016.
- Shadow Minister for Health and Medicare from 23.7.2016 to 2.6.2019.
- Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development from 2.6.2019 to 23.5.2022.
Party positions
- Member of the Australian Labor Party from 1993.
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Health and Community Services Policy Committee from 1998 to 2000.
- President of the Australian Labor Party Port Melbourne Branch from 1998 to 1999.
- Member of the Australian Labor Party Ballarat East Branch from 2000.
Personal
- Born 2.6.1966, Melbourne, Australia
- Married
Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
- MA(PubPolcy) (Australian National University).
- BA(SocWk) (Phillip Institute of Technology).
- Assistant Director, National Public Health Partnership.
- Social worker at the Children's Homes and Family Services, Ballarat (Vic.) from 1988 to 1992.
- Research officer to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, 1993.
- Industry policy officer for the Australia New Zealand Food Authority from 1993 to 1994.
- Assistant Director of Population Health Division at the Department of Health and Aged Care from 1997 to 1998.
- Director of Injury Prevention in the Population Health Division at the Department of Health and Aged Care from 1998 to 1999.
- Senior Manager at KPMG Consulting from 1999 to 2001.
Electorate
- Name: Ballarat
- Location: The Division of Ballarat consists of: Ballarat City Council, Hepburn Shire Council, and Moorabool Shire Council.
- Area: 4,322 Sq km
- Electors enrolled: 114,954 (at 7.6.2019)
- Industries: Agriculture and farming including beef cattle, sheep, fruit and vegetable production, gold mining, education and training, professional, scientific and technical services, health care, tourism and retail.
Honours
- Victorian Young Achiever of the Year (Community Service) 1991.
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