Reba Meagher

Reba Paige Meagher (born 11 September 1967) is a former Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electoral district of Cabramatta. She was a minister in various portfolios from 2003 to 2008, including Minister for Health. On 6 September 2008 Meagher announced that she would not be seeking a ministerial appointment from new Premier Nathan Rees.^[1] On 13 September 2008 she announced her retirement from politics. She formally resigned on 17 September 2008.^[2]

The Honourable Reba Meagher
Minister for Health
In office 2 April 2007 – 5 September 2008
Premier	Morris Iemma
Preceded by	John Hatzistergos
Succeeded by	John Della Bosca
Minister for Community Services Minister for Youth
In office 21 January 2005 – 2 April 2007
Premier	Bob Carr Morris Iemma
Preceded by	Carmel Tebbutt
Succeeded by	Kevin Greene (Community Services) Linda Burney (Youth)
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship
In office 8 November 2006 – 2 April 2007
Premier	Morris Iemma
Preceded by	Milton Orkopoulos
Succeeded by	Paul Lynch (Aboriginal Affairs) Graham West (Assisting on Citizenship)
Minister for Fair Trading Minister Assisting the Minister for Commerce
In office 2 April 2003 – 21 January 2005
Minister	John Della Bosca
Premier	Bob Carr
Preceded by	John Aquilina
Succeeded by	John Hatzistergos
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Cabramatta
In office 22 October 1994 – 17 September 2008
Preceded by	John Newman
Succeeded by	Nick Lalich
Personal details
Born	(1967-09-11) 11 September 1967 (age 57) Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Trade unionist

Early life

Meagher was born in 1967 in Caringbah, New South Wales, the daughter of Les Meagher, a printer for the Sydney Morning Herald.^[3] She received her Higher School Certificate from Endeavour High School in 1985. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney in 1989, and a Master of Labour Law and Relations in 1992.^[4][5]

Political career

Meagher declared on 7 November 2008 at an inquiry that, just over an hour after the Cabramatta MP John Newman had been shot in front of his fiancée on 5 September 1994, the then Labor Party head John Della Bosca, offered the seat to Reba Meagher, confirming an offer he had first made hours before the killing.^[6]

While in Parliament, Meagher served in a number of ministerial and sub-ministerial positions:

• Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads on matters concerning Roads (April 1999 to March 2002)
• Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Police (March 2003 to April 2003)
• Minister for Fair Trading (April 2003 to January 2005)
• Minister Assisting the Minister for Commerce (April 2003 to January 2005)
• Minister for Youth (January 2005 to April 2007)
• Minister for Community Services (January 2005 to April 2007)
• Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (November 2006 to April 2007)
• Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship (November 2006 to April 2007)
• Minister for Health (April 2007 to September 2008)

She also served on a number of Parliamentary Committees:

• Member, Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Commission (May 1995 to April 1998)
• Member, Legislative Assembly Standing Ethics Committee (May 1995 to March 1999)
• Member, Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption (May 1995 to March 1999)
• Member, Joint Standing Committee upon Small Business (November 1996 to March 1999)
• Member, Joint Select Committee into Injecting Rooms (June 1997 to February 1998)