Margaret was elected to the House of Representatives as the representative for the Electorate of McPherson on the southern Gold Coast in October 1998. She has held the seat comfortably over four elections.
Born in Baa, Fiji Islands, Margaret migrated to Australia with her family during her school years.
She holds a Diploma of Business Administration, Accounting and over the years has worked in private industry, the Department of Education and operated a successful business whilst raising a family.
Margaret moved to Indonesia in 1975 and returned to Australia in 1978. In Indonesia, she was active in a number of major national non-government organisations in the field of overseas aid specialising in reproductive health, family planning, counselling and working in areas ranging from elephantiasis to cholera.
Margaret’s interest in overseas aid – especially in the Asia Pacific region – continues and she is a member of the Alternative Government’s Policy Committee of Trade and Foreign Affairs where she has a say in Australia’s aid abroad and is a member of the UNICEF Parliamentary Group.
Margaret has held a number of Committee Chairmanships and in December 2007, she was appointed Shadow Minister for Ageing. Since her appointment, she has been on a listening tour, meeting older Australians and identifying gaps in the system. Margaret is currently working on policies to take Australia forward to enable it to meet the challenges of our ageing population.
Driver training for Australia’s youth, education, health, services and facilities for older Australians and social matters such as domestic violence are issues high on Margaret’s agenda.
Political life takes up a great deal of Margaret’s time but in her spare time, she enjoys reading, exercising, the theatre and music. Margaret is married to David. They have three children, Dayne, Dimity and Kristin and four grandchildren – Jaiden, Emily, Angus and Abby.
Community Involvement -
- Bond University Council (Member)
- Bond Medical School Advisory Board (Member)
- Gold Coast Community Fund (Member)
- Gold Coast Titans Board (Member)
- Director Titans Community Foundation
- Steering Committee of the Bendigo Bank, Varsity Lakes (Member)
- Regional Economic Development Advisory Board (Member)
- Airport Noise Abatement Committee (Member)