Born 7.12.1952, Adelaide, SA.
Parliamentary service
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Elected to the Senate for South Australia 1984 (term began 1.12.1984), 1987, 1993, 1998 and 2004. Resigned 26.4.2007.
Committee service
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Senate Standing: Regulations and Ordinances from 26.2.85 to 5.6.87; Standing Orders from 12.2.86 to 5.6.87; Library from 6.9.89 to 11.9.90; Scrutiny of Bills from 11.5.90 to 22.9.94.
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Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Finance and Government Operations from 26.2.85 to 5.6.87; Legal and Constitutional Affairs from 11.5.90 to 10.10.94; Legal and Constitutional: References Committee from 10.10.94 to 29.4.96.
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Senate Select: Sales Tax Legislation from 25.6.92 to 19.8.92.
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Senate Estimates: F from 26.3.85 to 24.3.87, from 24.9.87 to 29.9.88 and from 8.2.94 to 12.5.94; E from 24.3.87 to 5.6.87 and from 9.5.90 to 6.5.93.
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Joint Statutory: National Crime Authority from 16.5.90 to 29.1.96; Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings from 14.5.90 to 2.6.94.
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Joint Standing: New Parliament House from 30.10.89 to 19.2.90.
Conferences, delegations and visits
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Official visits to Malaysia, Indonesia and India, October 1996; Hong Kong and Republic of Korea, September 1997; New Zealand, June and November 1998; Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, UK and USA, March-April 1999; East Timor, December 1999; Switzerland, Italy, Thailand and Laos, January 2000; Thailand, Switzerland and Italy, March 2000; Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Spain and UK, April 2000; France and Switzerland, June 2000; Norway, the Netherlands and Italy, November 2000; China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, April-May 2002; USA, Mexico, UK, Ireland and France, September-October 2002; China and Vietnam, January 2003; Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, March 2003; Thailand, China and Vietnam, April-May 2004; Papua New Guinea, December 2004; Indonesia, February-March 2005; USA and Canada, April-May 2005; Hong Kong, Italy, Switzerland, UK and China, October 2005; Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, March 2006; Thailand and Indonesia, June 2006; New Zealand, July 2006; USA, September 2006.
Parliamentary party positions
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Member, Opposition Shadow Ministry from 14.8.87 to 16.9.88, from 12.5.89 to 11.4.90 and from 7.4.93 to 11.3.96. Shadow Special Minister of State and Shadow Minister for the Status of Women and the Australian Capital Territory from 14.8.87 to 16.9.88; Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 12.5.89 to 11.4.90; Shadow Minister for Justice and Consumer Affairs from 7.4.93 to 26.5.94; Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Justice from 26.5.94 to 11.3.96.
Party positions
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Policy Chair, Liberal Party Women's Council (SA) 1979-82.
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Liberal Party Policy Co-ordinator (SA) 1982-84.
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Delegate, Liberal Party Federal Council 1983.
Qualifications and occupation before entering federal Parliament
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BA, LLB (Adel), GradDipLegalPrac, Marketing Studies Certificate (SAIT).
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Solicitor.
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Retailer, wholesaler.
View the full record at
Australian Parliamentary Library
Elected to the Senate for South Australia in 1984 (Liberal Party), Amanda Vanstone was appointed Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women on 30 January 2001.
Vanstone obtained a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Marketing Studies Certificate form the South Australian Institute of Technology. She began her career as a retailer, and worked in wholesaling before becoming a solicitor.
Since entering Federal Parliament, Vanstone has been appointed Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (11 March 1996 to 9 October 1997); Minister for Justice (9 October 1997 to 21 October 1998); and Minister for Justice and Consumer Affairs (21 October 1998 to 30 January 2001).
She has been a Member of the Cabinet and the Legal Committee of the Cabinet; Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Shadow Special Minister of State; and spokesperson on the Status of Women. She was involved in the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse.
Married to Tony, she is a supporter of the RSPCA.
View the full record at
Australian Women's Register