Nicola Roxon

The Honourable Nicola Roxon served as a member of the Australian Parliament for 15 years, representing the Western suburbs Melbourne seat of Gellibrand.

Elected at 31, she served as Australia’s Health Minister for four years from 2007 and oversaw major reforms to Australia’s public hospital, primary care and preventative health systems.

In 2011 Ms Roxon became Australia’s first female Attorney-General, and the Minister for Emergency Management in 2012. She has received national and international awards in recognition of her public health work, particularly in tobacco control.

With Ms Roxon’s leadership Australia successfully introduced a world first: all tobacco sold must now be in plain packaging with large, graphic health warnings.

Trained as a lawyer, protecting the dignity of workers and promoting the standing of women has been a hallmark of Nicola’s career.

Prior to entering parliament, Ms Roxon worked as an industrial lawyer, union organiser and an Associate to High Court Judge Mary Gaudron. Ms Roxon resigned her ministerial positions February 2013 and finished her period in Parliament in August 2013.

Since her retirement from politics in 2013, Ms Roxon has served on the Boards of a number of public health and private sector organisations, including Cancer Council Australia, BUPA and health superannuation fund HESTA.