Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Jagajaga, Victoria, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Ministerial Appointments
Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs from 3.12.07 to 14.12.11
Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Minister for Disability Reform from 14.12.11
Committee Service
House of Representatives Standing:
Family and Community Affairs from 29.5.96 to 31.8.98
Conferences, delegations and visits
- Official visit to China, February-March 2003
- Official visit to Japan, France and UK, March-April 2003
- Official visit to UK, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, April-May 2006
- Official visit to the OECD Ministerial on Social Policy 2011, France, May 2011
- Official visit to the United States of America, October 2011
Parliamentary Party Positions
- Deputy Leader of the Federal Australian Labor Party from 22.11.01 to 04.12.06
- Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 22.11.01 to 04.12.06
- Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 19.3.96
- Shadow Minister for the Aged, Family and Community Services from 20.3.96 to 27.3.97
- Shadow Minister for Social Security, the Aged and Family Services from 27.3.97 to 26.8.97
- Shadow Minister for Social Security and the Aged and Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition on the Status of Women from 26.8.97 to 20.10.98
- Shadow Minister for Health from 20.10.98 to 25.11.01
- Shadow Minister for Status of Women from 20.10.98 to 5.9.00
- Shadow Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Science from 25.11.01 to 26.10.06
- Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science and Research from 26.10.04 to 10.12.06
- Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services from 10.12.06 to 3.12.07
- Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation from 10.12.06 to 3.12.07
Party Positions
- Member, ALP Economics Policy Committee (Vic) 1981-85
- Member, ALP Manufacturing Industry Policy Committee (Vic) 1981-85
- Delegate, ALP State Conference (Vic) from 1995
- Delegate, ALP National Conference from 1998
- Member, ALP National Executive 1998-2001
Personal
Born 29.12.1953, Brisbane, Qld.
Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament
- BComm (Hons) (Melb)
Researcher, Australian National University 1976-78
- Economics Research Specialist, Legislative Research Service, Parliamentary Library, Canberra 1978-81
- Research Coordinator, Labor Resource Centre 1981-85.
- Adviser to the Victorian Minister for Health, the Hon. D.R. White, MLC 1985-88
- Director, National Health Strategy 1990-93
- Director, Australian Urban and Regional Development Review 1993-95