Background
Fierravanti-Wells was born in Wollongong, New South Wales. And both her parents were Italian immigrants.
member of the Australian Senate
Fierravanti-Wells was born in Wollongong, New South Wales. And both her parents were Italian immigrants.
Australian National University.
She is a Senator for the state of New South Wales representing the Liberal Party since May 2005. Fierravanti-Wells is the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, since February 2016 in the Turnbull Government. She has previously served as the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs between September 2015 and February 2016.
Fierravanti-Wells was elected to the Senate at the 2004 federal election.
She was educated at the Australian National University, and was a senior government lawyer and ministerial advisor before entering politics. She was a Policy Advisor to Jim Carlton, then Shadow Minister for Policy Company-ordination and Development, between 1990 and 1993, and Senior Private Secretary to John Fahey, then Premier of New South Wales, from 1993 to 1994.
She was a senior lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor between 1994 and 2004. Normally she would have taken her seat on 1 July 2005, however following the resignation of Senator John Tierney in April (his term was due to expire on 30 June), Fierravanti-Wells was appointed to the resulting vacancy, and took her seat on 5 May.
Prior to the 2013 federal election, she was the Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Ageing.
And was appointed to the Abbott Ministry as the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Services from September 2013.
During the Turnbull cabinet re-shuffle, Fierravanti-Wells was appointed as Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, an outer ministry position. On 13 February 2016 it was announced that Fierravanti-Wells would be appointed Minister for International Development and the Pacific following a rearrangement in the Turnbull Ministry.
She opposes same-sex marriage and adoption, claiming in a 2012 interview that many LGBT people do not "even intend on staying in a monogamous relationship".
Fierravanti-Wells has been a member of the Federal Council of the Liberal Party. Is an active member of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy. And is on the committee of a new Liberal Party publication, The Conservative.