For over 22 years Dr. Carmen Lawrence has been active in Australian politics. Born and educated in Western Australia, Dr Lawrence began her career in representative politics in 1986 when she won the WA seat of Subiaco. In 1990, she became the first woman to hold the office of Premier of a State Government, and was also the first woman Treasurer. After entering federal politics in 1994, Carmen Lawrence served as the Minister for Human Services and as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women. She has also held the positions of Shadow Minister for the Arts, Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, and Technology, and Shadow Minister for Reconciliation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. During the 2000 election campaign she attracted national attention by opposing the detention of asylum seekers and in 2002 resigned from the opposition front bench over the matter. Dr Lawrence retired from politics in 2007 and now works as a Professorial Fellow at the University of Western Australia.