Judy Spence

'Judy Spence "was first elected as a Labor Member on 2 December 1989.

"Following the recent 2009 election Judy's new role is Leader of the House. Previous to this she was the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport from February 2004 to March 2009. Minister for Families, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Disability Services from February 2001 to February 2004; and was Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Women's Policy and Fair Trading from July 1998 to February 2001.

"Outside politics, Judy's voluntary responsibilities have included Presidency of Blind and Low Vision Youth Support Inc and membership of organisations ranging from Foodbank to the Toohey Forest Protection Society. She is a member of the Mount Gravatt Community Centre, Mount Gravatt Historical Society, MacGregor State High School P&C Association, Southern Districts Marching Association, Hornets River City Basketball Club, Sunnybank Lions, and Surf Lifesaving Queensland. Judy is also a member of Amnesty International and the Parliamentary Amnesty Group."

• Former Director-General, Queensland Corrective Services

Criticism

Writing in 2005, Bill Mason noted that: "Queensland police minister Judy Spence angered Palm Island community leaders when she told a conference of police commissioners in Brisbane on March 14 that Palm Island was “a dysfunctional community which is lacking in leadership, where few people have a sense of social obligation”."