Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to welcome a senator from Queensland into the other House, Joanna Lindgren. Jo was selected as the new Queensland senator after a marathon six-hour preselection meeting in Brisbane recently. Filling a casual vacancy left by Brett Mason, she is following in the foot-steps of her great-uncle, none other than Senator Neville Bonner. Jo was born and raised in Brisbane and grew up in Inala where her parents continue to live. Jo's parents, John and Gloria, who are in Canberra this week, are factory workers.

Jo attended Brigidine College in Indooroopilly and went on to study an arts degree and received a graduate diploma in education from Griffith University. Jo has worked as a high-school teacher in Brisbane for many years in schools with high proportions of students from low socio-economic backgrounds. It was there that she developed an understanding of challenges facing children from disadvantaged backgrounds and that is what she is passionate about.

In 2010, Jo was appointed to QCAT and is one of only a few teachers who assisted that body in dealing with teacher disciplinary matters. Jo mentioned in her preselection material that a predominant Labor figure had once approached her to join and run for the ALP, but Jo said to the preselectors only a few months ago: 'Don't vote for me just because I'm a woman. Don't vote for me just because I'm an Aboriginal. Vote for me because I can make a difference to Queensland.'