Steering Committee
Responsibilities of the Members of the CWP Steering Committee are:
- To act as a conduit of information on CPA/CWP matters from Chairperson/Secretariat to women in their Region.
- To act as an information source for women MPs in their region on CPA/CWP matters, and to personally encourage women Parliamentarians to put their names forward as delegates and participants at CPA events.
- To encourage consideration of women as Regional Representatives on the CPA Executive Committee when vacancies occur.
- To brief the incoming Steering Committee Member.
- To promote the formation of local Branches of the CWP in CPA Branches.
- To meet before the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and assess the progress made by the CWP across the Association and to put forward proposals for further action.
Hon Kate Doust MLC
Chair and Australian Region Steering Committee Representative
Kate Doust was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2001 to represent the South Metropolitan Region, and has been re-elected five times.
She was elected President of the Legislative Council on Tuesday 23 May 2017, the first woman to be elected as President of the Legislative Council in Western Australia.
As the first woman Presiding Officer of the Parliament, she introduced International Women’s Day Celebrations to the Parliament and the establishment of a family room for members and staff of the Parliament of Western Australia.
Kate is the inaugural winner of the Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Award 2022, in recognition of her long parliamentary service as well as working to promote women and people with disabilities in her community. The award also recognises her contributions to the work of the CPA (including acting as a Mentor during programmes), her commitment to the diversity of her community, the work she has undertaken in addressing and combatting domestic violence, and her approach in embracing innovation and new ideas in the Parliament of Western Australia.
Kate has a keen interest in supporting women in the workplace and is a champion for women in science and technology. Prior to entering Parliament, she was a union official with the Shop Distributive Employees Association (SDA) of WA, primarily working in female dominated workplaces, to better the working conditions and terms and conditions of employment for members.
Kate and has been an active participant of a range of Labor Party Policy Committees, including Industrial Relations, Education, Social Development and for the Status of Women. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party’s National Executive, which is the chief administrative authority of the Australian Labor Party.
Her parliamentary positions have included Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Chair of the Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation, Member of the Legislative Council Privileges and Procedures Committee. She has also held a number of Shadow Ministerial Portfolios and Parliamentary Secretary role.
Kate has a Batchelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Australia and is currently studding a Master of Bioethics.
She is married, has three children and two grandchildren.
Leanne Castley MLA
ACT Representative
HARD work and having a go – they are the values that define Leanne Castley, a proud single Mum-of-two, country music singer and lover of cars, motorbikes and engines.
Leanne’s passions are small business and working hard for the people in her electorate of Yerrabi, so the fast-growing area continues to be a great place to live and raise a family.
Politics was never on Leanne’s radar but she was encouraged to contest the October 2020 ACT election and was thrilled and humbled to be elected.
“The chick from Charny” and a battler; that’s how Leanne described herself in her first speech on December 3, 2020, adding that she wanted to show that politics can be for hard-working, ordinary family battlers like herself.
Lisa Baker MLA
Western Australia Representative
Lisa Baker was elected to serve the people of Maylands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 2008. Lisa held the portfolio of Opposition spokesperson on Community Mental Health Services. She is also committed to improving the care and protection of animals. Lisa is passionate about working to support the community sector and has worked in a number of social and economic development roles throughout her working life. Issues of concern to her include self-employment, micro financing and small business development, mental health, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction and family violence. Lisa has served on many business and community-based organisations, including training, business, local government and the arts. Lisa was the founder of the Women’s Economic Development Organisation and currently sits on the Board of aged care service provider, Bayswater ECHO (Elderly Citizen’s Help Organisation).
Hon Kezia Purick MP
Northern Territory Representative
The Honourable Kezia Purick has been the Member for Goyder since 2008. She also served as Speaker in the 12th Assembly.
Kezia has lived in the Territory with her family since 1959 and been a resident of the rural area since 1966. Schooled in Darwin, Kezia completed tertiary studies in Perth. Kezia has an extensive background in the resource industry.
Sonia Hornery MP
New South Wales Representative
Sonia grew up in Housing Commission in Edgeworth and Windale, before moving into rented accommodation in Wallsend and West Wallsend. Starting work as a teenager, she’s been a long time member of her union and she studied teaching at the University of Newcastle, before teaching in Walgett, Kempsey and all around the Hunter. She also spent time in the Army Reserves. After leaving teaching, Sonia worked in a variety of positions related to the health field, including Hunter Brain Injury Respite Options. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, with Honours, in History. She was a Councillor on the Newcastle City Council from 2002 until 2008, was elected to represent Wallsend in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. In 2013, Sonia was elevated to the NSW shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for the Hunter and Science and Medical Research and has since added the Arts portfolio to her responsibilities. Sonia was again elected in 2015 to represent the Wallsend electorate.
Corinne McMillan MP
Queensland Representative
As Principal of Cavendish Road State High School, Corrine understands what it means to be a trusted member of a close knit community that cares.
A highly respected educator for more than 22 years, Corrine knows that a good education changes people's lives and helps build stronger communities. Corrine McMillan has a proven record of leadership to be our community's voice in parliament.
Corrine McMillan is an established leader in our local community. In addition to being a school Principal, Corrine is also a member of the local Community Policing Board and the Board of the Mount Gravatt Show Grounds. Corrine has also helped lead a number of local community initiatives including Cyber Safety Information Forums, anti-bullying campaigns as well as supporting a Homework Hub to help local families.
Corrine will use her energy and experience to help deliver for our community. A major focus will be working to further improve our schools and health services for local families. She will also work with the community and local businesses to tackle suburban traffic hotspots so that residents spend less time on the roads and more time at home with family.
Jayne Stinson MLA
South Australia Representative
Jayne Stinson was elected as the Member for Badcoe on 17 March 2018 and appointed straight to the Shadow Ministry. Jayne has served in the portfolios of Planning and Development, Local Government, Child Protection, Multicultural Affairs and Arts. Jayne is an award-winning TV and radio journalist who has spent more than a decade reporting on our courts and social justice issues including child protection, domestic violence, mental health and multiculturalism. Jayne began her journalism career with the ABC and later reported for Ten News and the Seven Network. Jayne has also worked overseas in India, Cambodia and Africa. Jayne’s family battled unemployment when she was young, and she knows the value of education, training, and a secure job – as well as a social safety net. Jayne’s Dad ran his own small business in the manufacturing sector. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious back injury at work, requiring years of intense treatment. Jayne knows firsthand the value of public health care and protecting workers’ rights. A quality public education made all the difference in Jayne’s life, and the lives of her younger sisters. It meant she had the chance to complete school, go to uni and get a decent job, despite the challenges her family faced. Jayne lives in Forestville in the heart of the electorate of Badcoe. On weekends Jayne can be found at the farmer’s market, watching the Goodwood Saints or soaking up our diverse arts scene.
Hon Michelle O'Byrne MP
Tasmania Representative
Michelle was first elected to the Federal Parliament in 1998 until 2004 and has been in the Tasmanian Parliament since 2006.
During this period Michelle served as a senior Minister for 8 years and as Deputy Labor Leader from 2014 to 2021.
A former National co convener of Emily’s List, Michelle had worked to increase the number of women in Parliament and been responsible for delivering significant legislative reform for women.
A proud product of the public education system Michelle and her partner live in Launceston with their two teenage daughters.
Sharon Claydon MP
Commonwealth of Australia Representative
Sharon Claydon is the Federal Member for Newcastle. She was first elected in September 2013, becoming just the sixth member for Newcastle since Federation in 1901. Sharon is Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Social Policy and Legal Affairs Standing Committee and serves on the House Indigenous Affairs Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. She is also Deputy Chair of the Joint Select Committee on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – Oversight of redress related recommendations, and serves as a member of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Reference Group. In March 2015, she became a Member of the Speaker’s Panel, deputising for the Speaker in the House of Representatives. As a member of the Federal Labor Caucus, Sharon is the Chair of the Status of Women Committee and the Chair of Labor’s Medicare Taskforce. She is also Co-Convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of Carers and the UN Parliamentary Group. Sharon is a fifth generation Novocastrian with strong connections to her local community. She is an Honours graduate in Anthropology and, before entering Parliament, worked in remote Aboriginal communities and the community-based disability services sector. Sharon also served in local government as a Newcastle City Councillor.