Member for Gellibrand
Nicola became Australia’s first female Attorney-General in December 2011 and the Minister for Emergency Management in 2012. Prior to those appointments Nicola had been the Minister for Health.
Nicola is an honours law graduate who finished top of her class at the University of Melbourne, and was an Associate to High Court Justice Mary Gaudron.
Working to protect the rights of individuals has been a hallmark of Nicola’s career which included working as an industrial lawyer and union organiser before being elected to the Federal Parliament in 1998 representing Labor in the western suburbs seat of Gellibrand in Melbourne.
As part of the Federal Labor Government, Nicola served as Australia’s Health Minister for four years and oversaw major reforms to Australia’s public hospital, primary care and preventative health systems. Nicola has received national and international awards for her accomplishments in tobacco control where Australia now leads the world by requiring plain packaging for tobacco products.
Nicola is married with one child.