Education
Born in Brisbane, she attended the University of Queensland before becoming a teacher, eventually rising to an assistant to the Director of the Brisbane Kindergarten Training College.
Born in Brisbane, she attended the University of Queensland before becoming a teacher, eventually rising to an assistant to the Director of the Brisbane Kindergarten Training College.
In 1980, she was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Lilley, defeating the sitting Liberal Member of Parliament Kevin Cairns. She held Lilley until her retirement in 1993.
She was the fifth woman elected to the House of Representatives, and the second female Labor member of that House (the first was Joan Child). In 2000-2004, she was a council member of the City of Caloundra. Her father Jack Melloy was a long serving member of the Australian Labor Party and member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.
Her daughter, Vicky Darling, is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.