Catherine King was first elected to Federal Parliament in 2001 to represent the electorate of Ballarat.
She was re-elected as member at subsequent Federal Elections in 2004, 2007 and 2010.
Ms King was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the portfolios of Health and Ageing and Infrastructure and Transport in the Gillard Government following the 2010 election. As such she holds responsibility in the Health portfolio for such areas as the Therapeutic Goods Administration, Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the Organ and Tissue Authority and in the Transport for national road safety policy and regional aviation.
She holds a Degree in Social Work and a Masters in Public Policy from the Australian National University.
MS King worked in the social welfare sector in Ballarat and later in the public sector as an assistant director for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care and then as a director.
Prior to entering Parliament she was a senior manager at KPMG Consulting in
Melbourne.
Ms King is the first woman to represent the electorate of Ballarat.
She has a strong commitment to equality of access for all Australians to vital services such as health care and education; quality care and amenities for older people and high standard, affordable childcare.
She is passionate about the development of regional Australia, including the provision of services and infrastructure, the creation and retention of job opportunitiesand the delivery of training for local people.
Parliamentary service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Ballarat, Victoria, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010
Ministerial appointments
Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing from 14.9.10
Responsibility for:
· Therapeutic Goods Administration;
· Office of the Gene Technology Regulator;
· National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme;
· Office of Chemical Safety;
· Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency;
· Food Standards Australia New Zealand;
· National Blood Authority;
· food policy;
· nanotechnologies;
· gene technology;
· blood and organ donation; and
· Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy.
Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport from 14.9.10
Responsibility for
· National Road Safety policy
· Vehicle Safety Standards
· Regional Aviation Access Program
Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Australia in Victoria
Responsibility for
· Regional Development Committees in Victoria
· Any other specific responsibilities that are advised by the Minister for Regional Australia
Committee service
House of Representatives Standing: Health and Ageing from 2.12.04 to 19.7.10; Chair Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government from 19.2.08 to 19.7.10.
Joint Statutory: Public Accounts and Audit from 20.3.02 to 19.7.10.
Conferences, delegations and Visits
Member, Parliamentary Delegation to Indonesia, June 2005.
Personal
Married with one son
Qualifications
Masters of Arts (Public Policy) - Australian National University
Bachelor of Arts (Social Work) - Philip Institute of Technology
Prior to entering Parliament
Senior Manager for KPMG Consulting - 1999 to 2001
Director of Injury Prevention for the Population Health Division of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care - 1998 to 1999
Assistant Director for the Population Health Division of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care - 1994 to 1998
Industry Policy Officer for the Australian New Zealand Food Authority - 1993 to 1993
Research Officer to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Paul Keating MP - 1992 to 1993
Social Worker for Ballarat Child and Family Services - 1989 to 1992
Honours
Victorian Young Achiever of the Year (Community Service) – 1991.