Karen Grogan has been a tireless advocate for fairness and opportunity since entering Parliament in October 2021. Re-elected in 2025, she brings a lifetime of experience in social justice, environmental advocacy, and community leadership to her role in the Senate. 

Before entering Parliament, Karen worked across the social and community services sector, environmental advocacy, mental health, education, and work with Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. 

Karen has held high-profile leadership roles including as CEO of the South Australian Council of Social Services and director of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. She has also worked in the university sector, fought for vulnerable and low-paid workers at the United Workers Union and collaborated with First Nations communities at the Central Land Council. 

In the Senate, Karen has championed well-paid and secure jobs, universal access to healthcare, and an equitable education system. She is a passionate advocate for the river Murray and believes in a social safety net that supports people when they need it most. She currently serves as chair of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee. 

Karen laid out her values in her first speech to the Senate, saying: 

"I am a feminist. 
I am a unionist. 
I am a community activist. 
I am an environmentalist. 
I am an immigrant. 
I am a proud South Australian. 
I believe in Truth, Treaty and Voice for First Nations people. 
And I believe in the value of each and every South Australian."