Joanne was first elected to the Victorian Parliament as the Member for Gisborne in 1999 and later, following electorate redistribution, re-elected as the first Member for Macedon in 2002.
Prior to entering Parliament, Joanne was Head of Library at Salesian College in Sunbury.
Joanne served in the former Labor government as Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries, a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and co-convenor of the Government Women’s Parliamentary Taskforce.
Her non-parliamentary interests and memberships include, Amnesty International, the RSPCA, Friends of Dromkeen, Emily’s List, the RSPCA, the Gisborne Football Club and the Parliamentary Lions Club and patron of the Gisborne and District Obedience Dog Club.
Joanne is a keen horse rider, gardener, avid reader and proud owner of three dogs of varying shapes and sizes.