32 Facts About Barbara Pocock

Barbara Ann Pocock AM was born on 22 March 1955 and is an Australian politician and economist.

Barbara Pocock is a member of the Australian Greens and has been a Senator for South Australia since 2022.

Barbara Pocock is an emeritus professor of the University of South Australia and was previously deputy chair of The Australia Institute from 2004 to 2022.

Barbara Pocock grew up with her family on a mallee, sheep and wheat farm near Lameroo, 200 kilometres from the South Australian state capital of Adelaide.

Barbara Pocock moved to Adelaide in 1969 to attended Wilderness School as a boarding student before moving to Norwood International High School in 1972 to complete year 12.

Barbara Pocock began studying economics in 1975 and graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1978 with a Bachelor of Economics.

Barbara Pocock was employed by the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1979 as a research officer in the International Department in which she would write briefing notes for the Governor.

Barbara Pocock's portfolio encompassed regions including Asia, Africa, and the Pacific.

Barbara Pocock joined academia in 1989 when she was employed by the South Australian College of Advanced Education as a Lecturer.

Barbara Pocock was then promoted to a senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide in 1997, before being promoted to associate professor in 2002.

Barbara Pocock established and led the Centre for Work and Life at UniSA from 2006 to 2014.

In 2010 Barbara Pocock was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for services to industrial relations and social justice.

Barbara Pocock was a Director and Deputy Chair of the Australia Institute between 2004 and 2022.

Barbara Pocock was a founding member of the New Left Party.

Barbara Pocock was a signatory of the Time to Act statement in March 1989 which led to the party's formation and subsequently served on its women's commission.

In December 2018, Barbara Pocock won Greens preselection to contest the federal seat of Adelaide.

Barbara Pocock increased the party's by six percentage points at the 2019 federal election, recording a primary vote of 16 percent.

Barbara Pocock was chosen as the Greens' lead Senate candidate in South Australia in September 2020.

Barbara Pocock was chair of the Senate select committee into work and care from 2022 to 2023.

Barbara Pocock played a leading role in the parliamentary hearings and public scrutiny following the PwC tax scandal in 2023.

Barbara Pocock has long been a strong supporter of the feminist movement and the labour movement.

Barbara Pocock has focused her research on industrial relations, work and family, pay equity, and inequality in the workplace.

Barbara Pocock is a strong believer in the importance of trade unions and advocated for equality through fair labour law.

Barbara Pocock has called for increased access to sick leave and holiday leave for casual workers and argued that the casual loading does not compensate for the loss of such conditions.

Barbara Pocock has advocated against long working hours and fairer conditions for working carers, including parental leave and early childhood education and care.

Barbara Pocock is a critic of the legislative restrictions on strikes and the outlawing of secondary boycotts.

Barbara Pocock has called for JobSeeker unemployment payments and all forms of income support to be increased to $88 a day, and an improvement in rental rights and the availability of public housing.

Barbara Pocock has pointed to the historically high levels of the profit share in Australia and the consequences for inequality of stalled wages and falling real incomes for workers.

Barbara Pocock is a campaigner for urgent climate change action, LGBTQ+ rights, refugee rights, and anti-nuclear policies.

Barbara Pocock argues for free University, TAFE, and for the forgiveness of student debt due to the large economic burden placed upon university students.

Barbara Pocock separated from their father in 2007 after 22 years.

Barbara Pocock is a Port Adelaide football fan, and a recreational gardener, painter, sewer and writer.