Jacinta Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacinta Collins
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Collins in March 2019
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| Senator for Victoria | |
| In office 8 May 2008 – 15 February 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Ray |
| Succeeded by | Raff Ciccone |
| In office 3 May 1995 – 30 June 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Olive Zakharov |
| Minister for Mental Health and Ageing | |
| In office 1 July 2013 – 18 September 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Mark Butler |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Andrews |
| Manager of Government Business in the Senate | |
| In office 5 March 2012 – 18 September 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Joe Ludwig |
| Succeeded by | Mitch Fifield |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jacinta Mary Ann Collins
4 September 1962 Altona, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Alma mater | Monash University La Trobe University |
| Occupation | Research officer |
Jacinta Mary Ann Collins, born on September 4, 1962, is an Australian politician who used to be a Senator for Victoria. She served in the Senate from 1995 to 2005 and again from 2008 to 2019. She was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
During her time in government, she held important roles. She was a parliamentary secretary in the Gillard government. Later, she became the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing in the second Rudd government. After leaving politics in 2019, she started working as the national executive director for the National Catholic Education Commission.
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Early Life and Education
Jacinta Collins was born in Altona, Victoria, on September 4, 1962. She grew up in Ashwood, a suburb of Melbourne. She went to university and earned two degrees. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Bachelor of Social Work from La Trobe University.
Working Before Politics
Before becoming a politician, Jacinta worked for a group called the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA). This group helps workers in shops and other businesses. She started there in 1980 and worked until she became a Senator in 1995.
She began as a social welfare and research officer. Then, she became a national industrial officer for five years. She was also part of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) national congress from 1983. The ACTU is a big group that represents many workers' unions in Australia. In 1993, she was elected to the ACTU council.
Political Career
Jacinta Collins first became a Senator for Victoria in 1995. She was chosen to fill a spot that became empty when another Senator, Olive Zakharov, passed away. This is called a "casual vacancy." At that time, Jacinta was the only female Labor representative from Victoria.
Key Roles in Parliament
From October 1998 to November 2001, Jacinta worked as a Parliamentary Secretary. She helped the Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Employment, Training and Population. In 2003, she was named the Shadow Minister for Children and Youth. This meant she was the main spokesperson for her party on issues related to children and young people.
In the 2004 election, she lost her Senate seat. However, in 2006, she was chosen to run again for the Labor Party in Victoria for the 2007 federal election. She won this election. Her new term was supposed to start on July 1, 2008. But the Senator she was replacing, Robert Ray, resigned early on May 5, 2008. So, Jacinta was appointed to fill that casual vacancy and started her term sooner.
Leadership Positions
On September 14, 2010, Jacinta was promoted to Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations. This was part of the government led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
In March 2012, she made history. She became the first woman to be appointed Manager of Government Business in the Senate. This role is very important because it helps manage the government's plans and laws in the Senate.
On June 26, 2013, after Kevin Rudd became the leader again, Jacinta was elected Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. This was a big step, and it meant that for the first time, both the leader and deputy leader of the government in the Senate were women.
Committee Work
Jacinta Collins was very active in many Senate committees. These committees are groups of Senators who study specific topics and make recommendations. She was the Chair (leader) of several important committees, including:
- The Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee
- The Economics References Committee
- The Privileges Committee
Life After Politics
In January 2019, Jacinta Collins announced that she would not run in the next election. She decided to leave politics because of family health reasons. She officially resigned from the Senate on February 15, 2019.
On the same day, it was announced that she would become the new head of the National Catholic Education Commission. She started this new role on February 18, 2019. This commission works to support Catholic schools across Australia.
In 2023, Jacinta received a special award from the University of Notre Dame Australia. She was given an Honorary Doctorate of Letters for her important contributions to public life and education.
Personal Life
Jacinta Collins is married to Daryl, who works as a train driver. They have two children together. She was one of the first female Members of Parliament who was allowed to bring her baby onto the floor of parliament. This was an important moment for women in politics.
