 About the Senator
Biography
Judith was born on 11th April 1943 in Picton, New Zealand.
After completing her general nursing training, she followed the family tradition and joined the New Zealand Territorial Army as a commissioned officer in No. 2 General Hospital.
Judith qualified as a general nurse, a midwife and gained a Diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing, and was always determined that she would use her nursing career to see the world.
She has worked in a number of New Zealand hospitals, as a member of the 1967 New Zealand surgical team in South Vietnam and as a relieving matron/midwife throughout rural and remote Western Australia.
During her employment as a member of the Medical Department’s Emergency Nursing Service in Western Australia she met her husband, Gordon. He was a Royal Flying Doctor Service pilot based at Meekatharra, a small town in the Murchison. The family had farmed at Kojonup, in the Great Southern region of Western Australia for 32 years.
Sadly, Gordon passed away in November 2008. They had been married for 36 years and have two sons, Stuart and Robert.
Taking up the challenge of the former Howard government’s work force participation policy to keep mature aged experienced people in the workplace, Judith is proud to be the second oldest woman to have ever entered the Senate.
Having travelled extensively throughout rural Western Australia, Judith understands the problems and issues confronting such a diverse state.
Profile
Personal
Born 11.4.1943, Picton, New Zealand.
Widow.
Qualifications and occupation before entering federal Parliament
General Nursing, Maternity and Midwifery Certificates (NZ).
Post Basic Diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing (NZ).
Justice of the Peace.
Nurse 1961-71.
Farmer from 1973.
Rural Health consultancy 2002-03.
Military service
New Zealand Territorial Army: 2 General Hospital, 1st Lieutenant (Army Reserve) 1965-70.
Other positions
Member, King Edward and Princess Margaret Hospital Board, Perth 1994-97.
President, Country Hospital Boards Council of WA 1994-95.
Member, Aged Care Planning Advisory Committee (WA) 1996-2003.
Member, Metropolitan Health Service Board, Perth 1997-2001.
Parliamentary service
Elected to the Senate for Western Australia 2004 (term began 1.7.2005).
Committee service
Senate Standing: Scrutiny of Bills from 23.3.07 to 11.2.08 (Deputy Chair); Senators’ Interests from 13.2.08; Selection of Bills from 13.2.08.
Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Community Affairs: Legislation and References Committees from 1.7.05 to 11.9.06; Community Affairs from 11.9.06; Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: References Committee from 11.10.05 to 11.9.06; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport from 9.5.07 to 11.2.08.
Senate Select: Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities from 20.3.08.
Joint Standing: Electoral Matters from 26.2.07 to 17.10.07.
Parliamentary party positions
Opposition Deputy Whip in the Senate from 3.12.07.
Party positions
Member, Liberal Party Katanning Branch (WA) 1978-82.
Member, Liberal Party Kojonup Branch (WA) from 1996; Secretary 1996-2000 and 2002-04.
Member, Liberal Party State Council (WA) 1997-2005.
Vice-President, Liberal Party State Womens Council (WA) 1998-2002 and 2004.
President, Liberal Party OConnor Division (WA) 2000-04.
Member, Liberal Party State Executive (WA) 2000-04
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