My husband Alex and I live in Bankstown with our young children Larissa, Matthew and baby son Daniel. I was also raised in Bankstown.
Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Economics and later a Bachelor of Law, I have worked in the areas of marketing, public policy, human rights, Industrial Relations and the construction and infrastructure industry.
As Mayor for Bankstown City Council, it has been a great privilege to come to know and appreciate the many community, cultural, sporting groups and associations, service clubs, registered clubs and businesses that we have in Bankstown.
Attending and supporting various events and projects over my term has given me the opportunity to meet many genuine community minded people and helped me to understand our city’s needs.
I am committed to developing cultural and creative arts opportunities and exhibitions particularly for Bankstown's youth, and advocated for a new Arts Hub that will house various art, youth and theatrical organisations in the one facility. I have actively supported projects involving the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and encouraged the incorporation of Aboriginal art and the involvement of elders in choosing such art in the town centre upgrades.
I hold positions with various community committees and associations including:
- Director of WSROC and SSROC
- Vice Chair of the Bankstown Community College
- Chair of the Bankstown Business Advisory Service Board
- Chair of Bankstown Council's CBD Executive Committee
- Chair of Bankstown Council's Economic Development Taskforce
- Chair of the Bankstown's Sister City Committee
- Chair and Co-ordinator of the Bankstown Multicultural Taskforce and Advisory Committee
- Chair and Chief Co-ordinator of the Community Participation Taskforce.
In 2009 I was humbled to receive the Women in Local Government Award for an elected representative of a metropolitan Council.
I greatly value our community based organisations and volunteers for their tireless efforts and I am humbled to represent my electorate of Bankstown in the NSW Parliament.
As the Opposition's Shadow Minister for Fair Trading, Healthy Lifestyles, Volunteering and Youth, I look forward to listening and learning from the people of NSW.