Maxine McKew works as an advisor on education to the not for profit group Social Ventures Australia. She is also Chair of Playgroup Australia, and is a member of the board of Per Capita. Maxine's career spans both politics and journalism. At the 2007 federal election Maxine McKew won a spectacular victory against John Howard and wrote herself into Australian political history as only the second candidate to have ever defeated a sitting prime minister in his constituency seat. She was immediately elevated to the executive and served as Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood, and later as ParliamentarySecretary for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Before making the switch to politics, Maxine had a thirty year career as a broadcast and print journalist. Her hosting of Lateline in the mid 1990's, and later, as the part-time anchor of The 7.30 Report, earned her a reputation as one of the country's most authoritative interviewers. Her television reporting has been recognized by her peers with both Logie and Walkely awards for broadcast excellence, while her work for the Bulletin Magazine saw her secure the Magazine Publisher's award for Columnist of the Year. Maxine is involved in a range of voluntary activities. She is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council for Macquarie University's School of Advanced Medicine and is an ambassador for Alzheimer's Australia.