Date of Birth: 12/07/1939
Place of Birth: Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 15/11/2018
Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
25 Mar 1995 |
30 Apr 1998 |
3 years 1 month 6 days |
A Member of the directly elected Legislative Council. Dates of Election 25 March 1995. |
Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
30 Apr 1984 |
03 Mar 1995 |
10 years 10 months 3 days |
A Member of the directly elected Legislative Council. Dates of Election 24 March 1984. |
Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
08 Sep 1982 |
05 Mar 1984 |
1 year 5 months 27 days |
A Member of the directly elected Legislative Council. Dates of Election 8 September 1982. Elected for balance of term of service of Hon. P.J Baldin, resigned. |
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Joined 1967. Held executive positions in Branch and State and Federal Electorate Councils and Labor Womens Committee. Delegate to the New South Wales Council and State Conference. New South Wales Member National Social Justice Committee. Chair of Australian Labor Party Parliamentary Task Force on the Arts.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Teacher and home duties. Educated at Armidale Teacher's College and University of New South Wales. Recreational interests include music, reading and theatre. In 2015 appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to social justice, particularly through drug law reform, and to the Parliament of New South Wales.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Alderman on Waverley Municipal Council 1974 - 1977; Deputy Mayor 1977 (first woman Deputy Mayor of Waverley)
Personal
Daughter of F. G. Burley. Married Maurice Symonds on 16 January 1965 and had issue, 3 daughters and 2 sons.