Following the 2016 election, Karen was appointed to the Ministry as Assistant Minister for Vocational Education & Skills. She comes to the role as a strong advocate of the vocational sector, having taken a leadership role on the Coalition’s Vocational Education Reform Taskforce in 2014 while chairing roundtable discussions with stakeholders across the nation. Karen has also been active in working to promote the skills required to grow Australian industry and business in the future. She has championed the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) professions as the drivers of innovation and jobs for the future. She recognises the important role the vocational sector has in the technical application, support and growth of these disciplines.

Adam Bandt is a Greens MP and the Federal Member for Melbourne. He was elected in 2010 when he made history by becoming the first Greens MP elected to the House of Representatives at a general election. Adam has since been re-elected in 2013 and 2016, with an increased vote at each election. Adam is the federal Greens spokesperson on climate change, energy, employment & industrial relations and science, research and innovation. Adam has been a strong and independent voice in the middle of Parliament calling for strong action on climate change and a transition to a clean economy, for a better way for people seeking asylum, against the Liberals and Labor’s cruelty towards refugees and for greater investment in science, research and innovation. In 2010, Adam and the Greens secured $13 billion for clean energy and got kids’ dental into Medicare. He has introduced legislation on protecting the Alpine National Park, banking reform, banning live animal exports and requiring Parliamentary approval for sending troops overseas. Adam’s Bill to compensate fire fighters with cancer passed both houses in November 2012 and he was a co-sponsor on the cross-party Marriage Equality Bill. Adam received undergraduate Law/Arts Honours degrees at Murdoch University, where he won the Sir Ronald Wilson Prize for Academic Achievement and he completed a PhD at Monash University in 2008. For many years he worked at the labour law firm Slater & Gordon, where he became a partner in the industrial and public interest unit. He became a barrister specialising in the field of industrial, employment and public interest law. Adam has represented many unions and low paid workers and has worked on cases involving freedom of speech and implementation of international covenants into Australian law. Adam lives in Flemington with his wife Claudia, their daughters Wren and Elke and their two dogs Max and Albi.

Craig Laundy is the Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. He was first elected as the Federal Member for Reid in 2013, representing one of the most culturally diverse seats in Australia. Prior to his current ministerial appointment, Craig served as the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs and also as the Chair of the House Standing Committee on Economics. Craig had a successful career before entering politics, working in his family’s hotel business for over 20 years. In his first term Craig was outspoken on a number of issues important to his constituents. He is a vocal supporter of Australia’s small and family business sector, called for a review of parliamentary travel entitlements, campaigned in defence of Sections 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act, and advocated for the Australian Government to do more to help refugees fleeing conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Born in 1971, Craig is the 4th generation of his family to have lived in Strathfield, attending local schools before going to the University of NSW where he graduated with a Bachelor of Economics degree.

Richard Marles is currently the Shadow Minister for Defence and the Federal Member for Corio. Richard’s previous appointments include Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Minister of Trade, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry, and Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Affairs. Born in 1967, Richard was raised and educated in Geelong and went on to study Law and Science, achieving a LLB (Hons) and a BSc from the University of Melbourne.

Di Martin is a Walkley Award winning journalist who now runs her own communications consultancy. She's worked on national issues for 25 years and her career spans radio, TV, print and social media. Until recently she worked in the Parliamentary Press Gallery as Political Producer for RN Drive, a position she established in Parliament House. Prior to that Di made documentaries for RN's investigative program, Background Briefing; worked with Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast; filed freelance features and documentaries from Washington DC; and spent four years with AM, PM and The World Today. She's also been a specialist Asia Pacific reporter for RN and Radio Australia, and was instrumental in establishing Australia's first daily Asia Pacific program in the mainstream Australian media. She won a Walkley Award for her coverage of East Timor's vote for independence. Di has a Bachelor of Communications from Charles Sturt University, and has a keen interest in NRM issues.