Born 19.7.41 at Launceston, Tas.
Parliamentary Service
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Elected to the Senate for Queensland 1983 (term deemed to have begun 1.7.82).
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Re-elected 1984, 1987 and 1993 (retired 30.6.99).
Committee Service
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Senate Standing: Library from 4.5.83 to 21.2.85; House from 26.2.85 to 5.6.87 and from 11.5.90 to 29.4.96; Publications from 11.5.90 to 30.5.95; Privileges from 1.7.93 (Chair from 1.7.93) to 29.4.96.
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Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education and the Arts from 21.4.83 to 5.6.87; Science, Technology and the Environment from 21.4.83 to 21.2.85; Finance and Government Operations from 14.11.85 to 5.6.87; Constitutional and Legal Affairs from 25.2.87 to 5.6.87; Community Affairs from 11.5.90 to 17.10.90 and from 5.11.90 to 28.9.93; Rural and Regional Affairs from 10.9.91 to 30.6.93; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 1.7.93 to 10.10.94; Full member, Environment, Recreation, Communications and the Arts: Legislation Committee from 10.10.94 to 29.4.96 and References Committee from 10.10.94 to 24.9.97 and from 30.12.97 to 9.11.98; Participating member, Community Affairs: Legislation Committee from 17.9.96 to 9.11.98; Participating member, Finance and Public Administration: Legislation Committee from 17.9.96 to 9.11.98.
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Senate Select: Volatile Substance Fumes from 26.2.85 to 6.12.85; Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic Technologies from 14.8.91 (Chair from 14.8.91) to 23.6.92 and from 12.5.93 to 26.6.97 (Chair from 13.5.93 to 29.4.96); Land Fund Bill from 30.11.94 to 9.2.95; Uranium Mining and Milling from 22.5.96 to 15.5.97; Information Technologies from 23.9.97 to 30.9.97 and from 27.1.98 to 9.11.98.
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Senate Estimates: E from 4.5.83 to 16.4.85; D from 16.4.85 to 23.9.85; from 20.3.86 (Chair from 18.4.85 to 12.9.85 and from 10.4.86) to 24.3.87 and from 6.5.93 to 19.8.93; F from 24.3.87 (Chair from 24.3.87) to 5.6.87; C from 9.5.90 to 6.5.93 and from 19.8.93 (Chair from 31.8.93) to 10.10.94.
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Joint Statutory: Public Accounts from 13.12.83 to 26.10.84 and from 14.5.90 to 12.5.94; National Crime Authority from 16.5.90 to 20.2.91; Native Title from 25.3.94 to 29.3.95; Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund from 29.3.95 to 28.8.97 and from 13.5.98 to 30.6.99; Australian Security Intelligence Organization from 8.3.95 to 29.1.96.
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Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory from 11.5.83 to 26.10.84; New Parliament House from 28.2.85 to 5.6.87; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade from 18.5.93 to 29.1.96 and from 29.5.97 to 30.6.99; Treaties from 5.3.98 to 30.6.99.
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Joint Select: Video Material from 31.5.85 to 5.6.87.
Conferences, Delegations and Visits
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Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the European Parliamentary Institutions, Strasbourg and Berlin, September-October 1985.
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Ministerial visits to New Zealand, March 1989; Japan, Philippines and Indonesia, January 1990.
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Member, 84th IPU Conference, Punta del Este, Uruguay, October 1990.
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Adviser, UN Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, June 1993.
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Adviser, Australian Delegation, UN Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, September 1994.
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Member, Official Delegation to 40th CPA Conference, Banff, Canada, and bilateral visit to Mexico, September-October 1994.
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Adviser, Australian Delegation, UN 4th World Conference on Women, Beijing, September 1995.
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Parliamentary Adviser, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York, September-December 1997.
Party Positions
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Member, ALP State Council (Qld) 1981-83.
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North Queensland ALP Organiser 1982-83.
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Member, ALP National Platform Committee on Aboriginal and Islander Affairs from 1983.
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Member, ALP National Platform Committee on Status of Women 1983.
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Member, ALP National Platform Committee on Foreign Policy 1986-87.
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Chair, ALP Caucus Status of Women Policy Committee from 1995.
Other Positions
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Representative on the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation 1991-96.
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Member, Parliamentary Education Office Advisory Committee.
Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament
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BA (Qld), DipSpEd (James Cook).
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Teacher 1960-76.
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Lecturer 1977-82.
Local Government Service
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Councillor, Townsville City Council 1979-83.
View the full record at
Australian Parliamentary Library
Margaret Reynolds was a Senator for Queensland from 1983 until 1999. First elected to the Senate in 1983, she was re-elected in 1984, 1987 and 1993. Reynolds worked as primary and remedial teacher then a tutor before entering parliament. She also served on the Townsville City Council from 1979-1983. Reynolds' responsibilities have included: Federal Government representative on the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation 1992-1995; Minister assisting PM on Status of Women 1988-1990; Chair of the Parliamentary Adviser to the United Nations; and Minister for Local Government 1987-1990. Reynolds has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1971, and has held many positions in the ALP.
Reynolds retired from parliamentary politics in 1999. She is now the National President of the United Nations Association of Australia and an Adjunct Professor and Sessional Lecturer in the School of Political science and international studies, University of Queensland.
View the full record at
Australian Women's Register