Current parliamentary roles

• Member, Transport and Industrial Relations Committee
• Spokesperson, Transport Safety
• Associate Spokesperson, Labour

Former parliamentary roles

• Member, Health select committee 7 November 2005-2 August 2006
• Member, Transport and Industrial Relations Committee 9 November 2005-3 October 2008
• Deputy Chairperson, Government Administration Committee 2 August 2006-3 October 2008
• Member, Officers of Parliament Committee 7 November 2007-3 October 2008

Personal details

Born 25 February 1954, Marton, married with one son

Education/qualifications

• Terrace End Primary, Palmerston North
• Ross Intermediate, Palmerston North
• Freyberg High School, Palmerston North
• BA, Victoria University (Incomplete)
• Cert Labour Relations, Waikato University
• LTCL, Trinity College, London

Career

• Research Assistant to the Master of Armouries, HM Tower of London 1986-1987
• Administration Assistant, Physico-Chemistry Department, University of Auckland 1987-1989
• Union Organiser, Hotel and Hospital Workers Union 1989-1991
• Health Divisional Head, Service Workers Union for two years
• National Education and Organising Co-ordinator, Service Workers Union for two years
• Assistant Regional Secretary, Service Workers Union for one year
• National and Northern Region Secretary, Service and Food Workers Union 1997-2005

Community activities

• Co-author, paper on organising low paid service workers in New Zealand through the Employment Contracts Act 1996-1996
• Director, Otahuhu Union Health Centre 1997-2003
• NZ Worker Advisor, International Labour Organisation, Committee on Contract Labour 1998-1999
• Member, International Labour Organisation, Standards Committee presentation Minimum Wage Convention breach 1999-1999
• Vice President, NZ Council of Trade Unions 1999-2003
• Keynote speaker, ACTU Conference 2001, 2003
• NZ Worker Delegate, International Labour Organisation, Committee on the Informal Economy 2002
• NZ Worker Delegate, International Labour Organisation, Committee on the Scope of the Employment Relationship 2003
• ICFTU - First Substitute, Asia Pacific Region Women’s Committee
• Keynote Speaker, World Women’s Conference, Melbourne 2003
• Member, National Advisory Committee, Human Rights Plan of Action 2004-2005
• Presenter, ACTU Management course, Australia

Party activities

• Member, Labour Party Women's Council 2002-2003
• President, Union Affiliates 2002-2004
• Member, NZ Council 2004-2005
• Vice President, Affiliates Council 2005-2006

Leisure activities

Walking, exploring parks, beaches and ranges, history, music and art, writing, reading