Kate Thwaites
Counted against the divisions held while they sat, not the whole parliament. Absence from a division is not abstention: pairing arrangements, leave and parliamentary duties are not distinguished in the official record. How these figures are computed.
Background
| Born | 19 Jan 1980, Melbourne, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Entered parliament | 18 May 2019 |
| Parliaments | 46th, 47th, 48th |
| Qualification | Institution |
|---|---|
| Masters of International Development | RMIT University |
| Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) | RMIT University |
Occupations before parliament
| Role | Organisation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Public Servant | 2015 – 2019 | |
| Adviser | J Macklin, MP | 2010 – 2013 |
| Media Adviser | Oxfam Australia | 2008 – 2010 |
| Journalist | ABC News | 2002 – 2008 |
Positions held
| Role | Ministry | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Minister for Social Security | Albanese Ministry | 29 Jul 2024 | 13 May 2025 |
| Assistant Minister for Women | Albanese Ministry | 29 Jul 2024 | 13 May 2025 |
| Assistant Minister for Ageing | Albanese Ministry | 29 Jul 2024 | 13 May 2025 |
Committee service
| Committee | Role | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Standing | Member | 28 Jul 2022 | current |
| Parliamentary Library Joint Standing | Member | 28 Jul 2022 | current |
| Privileges and Members' Interests House of Representatives Standing | Member | 28 Jul 2022 | current |
| Electoral Matters Joint Standing | Chair from 3 Aug 2022 | 23 Jul 2019 | current |
| Treaties Joint Standing | Member | 23 Jul 2019 | current |
| Public Accounts and Audit Joint Statutory | Member | 30 Nov 2021 | 11 Apr 2022 |
| Public Accounts and Audit Joint Statutory | Member | 25 Feb 2021 | 9 Aug 2021 |
| Social Policy and Legal Affairs House of Representatives Standing | Supplementary member | 10 Jun 2020 | 31 Mar 2021 |
| Public Accounts and Audit Joint Statutory | Member | 22 Jul 2019 | 23 Mar 2020 |
Memberships as the Parliamentary Handbook records them; current means no end date is recorded.
Election history
| Election | Electorate | Party | First pref % | Swing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 federal election | Jagajaga | Australian Labor Party | 42.56 | +1.81 | Elected |
| 2022 federal election | Jagajaga | Australian Labor Party | 40.90 | 0.00 | Elected |
| 2019 federal election | Jagajaga | Australian Labor Party | 42.02 | +0.90 | Elected |
First-preference share of the formal vote at each event, matched by name within the member's state.
Parliamentary expenses
| Category | Apr-Jun 2026 | Jan-Mar 2026 | Oct-Dec 2025 | Jul-Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Administration | $107,274 | $59,471 | $72,705 | $31,522 |
| Office Facilities | $45,790 | $45,597 | $41,113 | $44,791 |
| Employee Travel | $37,475 | $46,924 | $25,466 | $16,683 |
| Scheduled Commercial Transport | $14,329 | $6,609 | $7,548 | $10,429 |
| International Travel | -$946 | $19,413 | $9,421 | $0 |
| Other Car Costs | $5,560 | $5,401 | $7,408 | $5,890 |
| Travel Allowance | $5,031 | $8,187 | $5,973 | $4,770 |
| Family or Nominee Travel | $1,655 | $488 | $3,217 | $0 |
| Telecommunications | $772 | $831 | $859 | $590 |
| Total | $216,940 | $192,920 | $173,711 | $114,675 |
Expenditure as the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority publishes it each quarter, in its own categories, rounded to the dollar. Travel distances, office locations and roles differ, so totals do not compare between members. IPEA's reports and notes.
Funding disclosures
| Election | Electorate | Donations | Donors | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 federal election | Jagajaga | Nil return | ||
| 2022 federal election | Jagajaga | Nil return | ||
| 2019 federal election | Jagajaga | Nil return | ||
Returns as lodged with the AEC: a candidate's return covers the gifts received and electoral expenditure for that election, a member's annual return the gifts received in the financial year. A nil return records no gifts or spending of the candidate's own. A party-endorsed candidate lodges one when the party or its campaign committee handled the campaign's money, and the party discloses it in its own returns. AEC Transparency Register.
Voting record 220 divisions
Photo: Thescrubbythug (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Wikidata, Parliamentary Handbook, AEC (CC BY 4.0), IPEA (CC BY 3.0 AU), AEC disclosures (CC BY 4.0), They Vote For You (ODbL). Errors? Request a correction.