About the Department

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development and Minister for Women's Affairs

Maxine Morand
Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development
Minister for Women's Affairs
Member for Mount Waverley

Personal Profile

Ms Morand is the first Victorian Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development and will lead the government's vision and reform of this critical area. Ms Morand is responsible for taking forward Victoria's plan to improve outcomes in early childhood to ensure that all Victorian children have the opportunity to get the very best possible start in life. The initial focus will be on the integration of early childhood services with schools under the new Department - a priority area for the Brumby government.

Ms Morand was elected to parliament as the Member for Mount Waverley in 2002. She previously held the post of Parliamentary Secretary for Health before being recently appointed the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development and the Minister for Women's Affairs.

Ms Morand has worked as a senior and staff nurse at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from 1980 to 1985 and as Victorian Transplant Coordinator at the Austin Hospital from 1985 until 1990. She later worked for the Cancer Council of Victoria as a researcher at the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer from 1996 to 2000.

Born in New South Wales, Ms Morand studied nursing after leaving school and later completed an Arts Degree and Masters Preliminary in Sociology from La Trobe University. Married with two children, Ms Morand supports the St Kilda football club and enjoys family, friends, reading and gardening.