Karin MacDonald, MLA

	Member for Brindabella ACT Government Whip
	Phone: (02) 6205 0130
	Fax: (02) 6205 0418
	Address: GPO Box 1020, Canberra ACT 2601
	Email: macdonald@parliament.act.gov.au

Karin MacDonald MLA was first elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly in October 2001 and was re-elected in October 2004. She was appointed Government Whip in November 2004 and is the only female Member for Brindabella.

Karin is Chair of the Assembly's Standing Committee on Health and Disability, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and a member of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure.

Karin was also the Australian representative to the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians group from 2004 to 2007, and represented Australia at a number of conferences aimed at increasing female representation within parliaments and improving living and working conditions for women.

Karin MacDonald was born and educated in Sydney and completed her teaching qualification at the University of Sydney. She joined the Australian Labor Party in 1992.

After moving to Canberra, Karin worked for five years as the Canberra organiser for the Australian Services Union before she took up the executive directorship of the Business Training Advisory Board. Karin also worked in a number of administrative positions and with disabled children.

Karin is particularly interested in education issues, access to quality health care - especially for people living with mental illness, and social justice for indigenous Australians. In her time in the Assembly, she has worked on a number of issues including banning smoking in pubs and clubs and providing appropriate housing for people living with a mental illness.

Karin is married to Brendan Scott and lives in Chifley.