Dr Sharman Stone has been the Federal Member for Murray since 1996. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in anthropology from Monash University, a Master of Arts in sociology from La Trobe University, a Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education. She also holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in economics and business from Monash University.
Before entering Federal Parliament, Dr Stone was the Manager of International Development at the University of Melbourne.
Sharman has pursued a wide range of social, regional and indigenous issues since entering parliament and has authored or co-written a number of books, including Aborigines in White Australia: A Documentary History of the Attitudes Affecting Official Policy and the Australian Aborigines 1697-1973 and published journal articles and papers on environmental and rural issues, water law and conservation.
Dr Stone was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from 1998 to 2004, and was also the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration.
She was appointed the Minister for Workforce Participation in the former Howard Government following the 2004 election and was previously the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Shadow Minister for Environment, Heritage, the Arts and Indigenous Affairs, the Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Childcare and the Shadow Minister for the Status of Women.
Dr Stone is the Patron of the Goulburn Valley Vietnam Veterans Association, the Shepparton & District National Servicemen’s Association, The Shepparton Relay for Life and the Goulburn Valley branch of the Darwin Defenders Association.