Former community development worker and TAFE lecturer, mother and South Australian Democrat member of the Legislative Council in South Australia, Kate is part-time gardener, devotee of good crime thriller novels and ABC comedy programmes and lover of fine South Australian wines and Adelaide Hills cheeses, fruits and apple pies.

Aboriginal Affairs

Ageing

Children's Services

Disability Services

Education

Equal Opportunity

Family & Youth Services

Further Education & Training

Gambling

Housing

Local Government

Recreation & Sport

Social Justice (inc. Refugees)

Tourism

Volunteers

Youth

Kate started studying for her first degree way back in 1981, and is still at it (meanwhile her daughter has graduated from Adelaide University!). Sometime this century she will finally complete a Bachelor of Community Welfare. Kate has managed to complete an Advanced Diploma of Community Services (Management), gained qualifications in workplace training and assessment and published books on community management and business & community partnerships.

Kate and her family are sponsors of the Australia Cambodia Foundation (which operates the Sunrise Children’s Village near Phnom Penh and provides a home to orphaned and disadvantaged Cambodian children). She is a member of Maternity Coalition, the South Australian Council of Social Service, Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, the Electoral Reform Lobby and various other community organisations.

Kate has been a member of the Governing Council of Birdwood High School since 2000.

On Saturdays Kate can be found on the sidelines of a football game somewhere in the Adelaide Hills, cheering on and photographing ‘her three boys’. Occasionally she can be found with friends and members of her extended family in someone’s back garden enjoying (in moderation of course) good wine and great food.  In summer she disappears to walk on the beach as much as possible.

Kate’s dislikes are simple – mundane shopping, poor customer service, people who expect that their lack of planning should become someone else’s emergency, boiled vegetables and bad spelling.  And to save herself and other people embarrassment, she doesn’t dance, play any musical instrument or sing (except in the car with the windows tightly closed).

Influential people:

·      My large and complicated family – who taught me that family relationships are never simple but always worth the effort we put in…

·      The thousand of volunteers and community development workers I have known over the last 20 years – who taught me that, with clear goals, hard work, perseverance and a sense of humour, we can indeed achieve our wildest dreams!

·       My workmates at TAFE – who taught me that valuing true friendship and humour can transform a less-than-happy work environment to a place of laughter and light.

·       My friend Bron – who never wants to talk politics, and, like me, always wants to show love with home cooked food.

·       My friend Mercia – who has always challenged and encouraged me, and always encouraged me to challenge other people.

·       Every independent midwife I have ever known (and especially Julie) – these women know how to balance love, personal courage, fear and confidence like no-one else!

·       Every person who has helped achieve what other people said couldn’t be done.