Members of the Eighth Assembly (2012-2016) - Mary PORTER
Australian Labor Party, Ginninderra Electorate
ASSEMBLY SERVICE
Elected 29 October 2004
Re-elected 29 October 2008
Re-elected 20 October 2012 (Resigned 19 February 2016)
COMMITTEE SERVICE
Standing
Education, Training and Young People (December 2004 – October 2008, Chair- November 2012- present, Chair)
Public Accounts (November 2012- Present, Deputy Chair)
Climate Change, Environment and Water (December 2008 – October 2012, Deputy Chair)
Planning, Public Works and Territory and Municipal Services (December 2008 – October 2012, Chair)
Justice and Community Safety (December 2008 – November 2011, Deputy Chair)
Health and Disability (December 2004 – October 2008, Deputy Chair)
Planning and Environment (December 2004 – October 2008, Deputy Chair)
Select
Estimates (2006 - 2007, Chair)
PARLIAMENTARY POSITIONS
Deputy Speaker (November 2008 – present)
OCCUPATIONS BEFORE ENTERING THE ACT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Double Certificate, Nursing Sister, General and Midwifery
Volunteer Bush Nursing Sister remote areas, Northern Territory (1964 – 1973)
Sister in Charge, Dhupuma Residential College for Aboriginal students, Gove, Northern Territory (1973 – 1977)
Member of steering committee to establish Tuggeranong Community Service (1977)
Honorary Coordinator, Tuggeranong Community Service, 1978, then paid Coordinator when Government funding received (1979- 1992)
Member, Steering and Management Committees, Southside Youth Refuge (1983 – 1985)
Member, Social Developers Network (1984 to present)
Member, ACT Health Consumers Association (1984 – 1987)
Member, ACT Healthy Cities Committee of Management (1985 – 1988)
Member, ACTCOSS Board (1986 to 1989)
Member, Steering Committee to form what is now “Volunteering ACT”; President and Board (1986- 1989); On receipt of Commonwealth Government Funding for Volunteering ACT, employed as first CEO (1993- 2004).
Member of Steering Committee to form what is now West Belconnen Health Co-op, and current patron
Member of Sub-Committee to establish and manage Karralika Therapeutic Community, Tuggeranong (1986 –1988)
Member of Steering Committee to establish Halfway House for Alcoholics in Kambah, ACT (1986)
Member, Visual Arts Committee, Tuggeranong ACT (1987 – 1989)
Member, ACT Community Health Association (1987 – 1989)
Member, Board of Management, Welfare Rights and Legal Service, ACT (1988 – 1991)
Member, Management Committee, Southside Community Service, ACT (1989 – 1990)
Member, Australian Council of Social Service Board of Governors (1989 – 1991)
ACTCOSS President (1989 – 1992)
Administration Electoral Office, Ros Kelly, Member for Canberra, 1992- 1993
ACTCOSS Immediate Past President (1992 – 1994)
Board member, Canberra Labor Club Group (1993 – 1995)
Vice President, Volunteering Australia (1993 – 2000)
President, TRAHCS ACT (Training for Health & Community Services) and member of the Steering Committee which established this organization (1993 to present)
Member, ACT Minister for Health Advisory Board (1995)
Member, Belconnen Youth Unemployment Task Force (1995)
Board Member, ACTCOSS (1996 – 1999)
President, Volunteering Australia (2000 – 2001)
Member, Community and Expert Reference Group, major Charities
Sub-Committee of Bushfire Recovery Taskforce (2003 to present)
Vice President, NEDnet Board of Governance 2009
ACT Patron of the Canberra and Area Amateur Theatre Awards
Patron of Belconnen Community Health Centre, Canberra Philharmonic Society, Belnorth Football Club, Kippax Sports Club, Sports Club Kaleen, Belconnen Bowls Club, ACT Boccia, NuSkills Learning and Development, Australia’s Helping Hand, Gawad Kalinga, Phoenix Theatre Company, Free Rain Theatre Company and Pets & Aged Care Steering Group
AWARDS
Awarded AM in the Order of Australia and the Centenary Medal (2003)
Appointed Honorary Ambassador for the Australian Capital Territory (2004).
INTERESTS
Theatre, the arts, film, restorative justice, bush walking and reading (published poet).