Anette Schoombee has been a Judge of the District Court of Western Australia for ten years. Before that she worked as a solicitor and partner in a large law firm, and practised at the independent Bar for some eight years. She was on the board of WA Bar Chambers Pty Ltd, Australian Women Lawyers Ltd, and Outcare Ltd. She strongly believes that it is essential that disadvantaged people, particularly the young, are given adequate support to stabilise and better their lives.