Catherine King is the first woman to be elected to represent the people of Ballarat and has held the seat since 2001.

She has a degree in social work from RMIT and a Masters in Public Policy from the Australian National University. Catherine worked in Ballarat after she completed her university studies in 1987.

A strong sense of public service led her to work in Canberra with the then Department of Health and Aged Care as an assistant director and later director.

Catherine also worked in the private sector as a consultant with KPMG before entering Parliament. Catherine's passion for making life better for young people and their families motivated her to become involved in politics.

"My strong belief is that everyone should have an equal chance in life, no matter where they come from or how much money their parents have."

Catherine is a passionate and tireless advocate for her community and lives in central Ballarat with her husband and their son.

She loves to spend any spare time with the family, is a supporter of Richmond in the AFL and, as a former competitor, takes an interest in rowing – a strong sport in Ballarat.