About

Senator the Honourable Kate Lundy

I am currently the Minister for Sport, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation. I was sworn in as Minister in March 2012 following the announcement of the second Gillard Government Ministry.

Background

Australian Capital Territory

I am a passionate about my home town of Canberra and have an interest in the National Capital Plans and their relevance to a vibrant 21^st century city. I am committed to working to ensure our national capital is a place for all Australians to share and enjoy.

Canberra’s inspiring landscape and remarkable geometry makes the city itself a work of art and reflects Griffin’s plan for our national capital.

As an avid  rower I also enjoy rowing out on Lake Burley Griffin as often as I can.

Information Technology

In my role as Senator for the ACT I have participated in every Senate Inquiry relating to telecommunications and Information Technology over the last fifteen years, and spearheaded Gov 2.0 initiatives such as her Public Sphere events which facilitate online public collaboration on policy development.

In September 2009 I was recognised for leadership in the Gov2.0 online innovation with Public Sphere initiative when I was ranked 13^th in a short list of 25 global leaders by the International Centre for E-democracy and Politics Online.

In 2010 I was fortunate enough to be awarded the most influential person changing the world of Internet and politics, and accepted the award at the World eDemocracy Forum in France.

I continue to be a strong advocate for the use of the Internet, digital technology and ICT innovation to strengthen the Australian economy for future growth, to transform public engagement in government processes and to enhance social inclusion within our communities.

I am also a patron for CASE: Computer Assistance Support Education, a non-profit group that provides smart, open technology support to community organisations.

Personal interests and family

As an active sportswoman I participate in hockey, soccer and rowing when time permits. I am lucky enough to be the patron of the Canberra Rowing Club, co-patron of Majura Junior Soccer Club, and patron of Canberra United, Canberra’s team in the FFA’s National Women’s Football League.

I also enjoy gardening, watercolour painting and most of all, spending time with my blended family of five children and our pet German Shepherd, Zuki.

History

I was born in Sydney in 1967, and spent my early childhood in Quirindi, New South Wales. My family moved to Canberra in 1975.

Growing up in Canberra, I attended Latham Primary School, Ginninderra High  and Copland College. My main interests at school were science, art and just about any sport, particularly netball and basketball. My very first job was at McDonalds, where I worked for a short time as a casual.

When I was 16, I left college to enter the workforce as a labourer in the building and construction industry. My job was removing asbestos from buildings. This established my continuing concern for workplace health and safety. My political awareness grew on the job and I became a workplace delegate for the Building Workers Industrial Union (later to become the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union: CFMEU).

I became politically active as a result of my experiences in the workplace and joined the Australian Labor Party when I was 18. I have been active in the party and have held  a number of positions within my sub-branch and policy committees over the years.

In 1986, I joined the union as a full-time organiser, working extensively in occupational health and safety, sustainable industry development and later, communications and information technology. In 1987, I was elected Vice-President of the ACT Branch of the BWIU and was proud to be the first woman ever to hold an executive position for the BWIU in Australia.

During my time with the union, I established a national Rank and File Drug and Alcohol Program in the ACT. This program allows workers to confront and deal with this sensitive issue amongst themselves.  I also worked on a ‘Jobs for Canberra’ campaign which sought to establish some job security for thousands of building workers prior to the recession in the early nineties.

I later became the union’s training co-ordinator and had responsibility for the design and publishing of the quarterly publication, “The Building Worker”. It was in this capacity that I was introduced to the Internet during the early stages of its commercialisation.

In 1988, I had joined the executive of the ACT Trades and Labour Council. Later, in 1993 I became the youngest person and first woman elected as President of the Council. As a member of the TLC Executive, I was appointed to several government and community boards, covering issues ranging from workplace health and safety, cultural heritage, health promotion and regional economic development.

Parliamentary Responsibilities

Parliamentary Service

• Elected to the Senate for the Australian Capital Territory, 6.3.1996. (Territory Senators serve for the same term as the House of Representatives)
• Re-elected to the Senate for the Australian Capital Territory, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010

Additional Parliamentary Responsibilities

Current (as of October 2012):

• March 2012 – Sworn in as Minister for Sport, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, Senator for the Australian Capital Territory

Previous:

• February 2011 – March 2012 – Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
• September 2010 – February 2011 – Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary to Immigration and Citizenship
• November 2007 – Government Senator, Chair Joint Standing Committee National Capital and External Territories.
• December 2006 – Shadow Minister for Local Government, Sport, Recreation and Health Promotion
• June 2005 – Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation
• November 2004 – Shadow Minister for Manufacturing and Consumer Affairs
• August 2004 – Shadow Minister for Arts, Sport and Information Technology
• November 2001 – Shadow Minister for Information Technology and Sport
• October 1998 – Shadow Minister for Sport and Youth Affairs and Assisting on Information Technology
• August 1997 – Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Sport and Tourism and Assistant to the Shadow Ministers for Science and Information Technology, Youth Affairs and the Arts

Committee Service

Senate and Joint House Committees

Previous membership (From 2007 until election in 2010):

• Chair, Joint Standing Committee National Capital and External Territories
• Joint Standing Committee of Cybersafety
• Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts (and participating member)
  
• Joint Standing Committee Public Accounts and Audit
• Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network
• Appropriations and Staffing Committee—Standing Committee
• Agricultural and Related Industries—Select Committee
• Community Affairs—References Committee
• Economics—Legislation Committee
• Economics—References Committee
• Education, Employment and Workplace Relations—Legislation Committee
• Education, Employment and Workplace Relations—References Committee
• Environment, Communications and the Arts—References Committee
• Finance and Public Administration—Legislation Committee
• Finance and Public Administration—References Committee
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Legislation Committee
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—References Committee
• Fuel and Energy—Select Committee
• Legal and Constitutional Affairs—Legislation Committee
• Legal and Constitutional Affairs—References Committee
• Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities—Select Committee
• Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport—Legislation Committee
• Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport—References Committee
• Deputy Chair Environment, Communications, IT and the Arts Legislation Committee
• Full member, Environment, Communications IT and the Arts References Committee
• Participating Member, Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
• Participating Member, Finance and Public Administration References Committee
• Participating Member, Economics Legislation and References Committees
• Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation and References Committees
• Senate Select Information Technologies from 30.9.97 to 27.1.98.
• Deputy Chair Joint Standing Committee National Capital and External Territories

NOTE: list not exhaustive

Patron Responsibility

• ACT Cricket Association Vice President
• ACT Tennis Association (Tennis ACT)
• ACT Touch Association
• ACT Wrestling Inc
• AFL Canberra Junior League
• Asthma in Parliament Friend
• Australian Touch Association
• Canberra Eid Mela Society

• Women into Building Project

Conferences, Delegations and Visits

• Delegation Leader: 7th Australia-Japan Young Political Leaders Exchange Program, 5 – 14 October 1997 Report arising from Delegation to Japan
• Parliamentary Delegate to the Australian Constitutional Convention, Canberra, February 1998.
• European Community Visitors Program Report, January 2000
• IT Trade Mission to Israel and Silicon Valley, The Australian Experience in San Francisco and Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference in Toronto, Canada. May 2000
• International Parliamentarians Association for Information Technology (IPAIT), Seoul, Korea August 2002
• ALP Trade Delegation to China 20 February to 1 March 2005

Party Positions and other memberships

• Member, ALP from 1987
• Delegate, ALP Branch Council and Branch Conference (ACT) from 1988
• Founding member, Emily’s List 1996 onwards

Personal

• Born 15.12.67 at Sydney, NSW
• Lived in Quirindi, NSW, 1968 – 1974
• Canberra, since 1975 – and love it!

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• Year 10 Certificate Ginninderra High School, Canberra
• Asbestos Removal Labourer 1984-86.
• Organiser: Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (ACT Branch) 1986-96 (formerly Building Worker’s Industrial Union)
• Vice President: Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (ACT Branch) 1987-96 (formerly Building Worker’s Industrial Union)
• Scaffolding Certificate and Licence 1992
• Member, Vice president, ACT Trades and Labour Council Executive 1988-1996
• President, ACT Trades and Labour Council 1993-96.