Claire was born in Toowoomba in 1956 to Mick and Mary Moore. Mick and Mary were a strong part of the Catholic community of Toowoomba, Mick as a cattle buyer and Mary Moore as a local community activist.
Claire received her secondary schooling at St Saviours College in Toowoomba, and studied at both the University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland before starting work with the Commonwealth Public Service.
Claire worked in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs for 12 months before transferring to the Department of Social Security. Her work for DSS included a 3 year stint from 1990-93 based in Townsville.
In 1994 Claire was elected the Branch Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, a position she held until elected to the Senate in 2001. Claire took her position as a Senator for Queensland on July 1, 2002.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Claire has always played an active role in community groups such as Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR). She was a founding member of both the Australian Workers Heritage Centre and Emily's List. Claire has been a member of Friends of ABC since 1988 and is a member of the Australian Republican Movement.
Claire is a proud unionist whose activism extended beyond her Secretaryship of the CPSU. From 1996-2001 she was Vice-President, Chair of the Women's Committee and Chair of the Arts Committee of the Queensland Council of Unions. Claire is also a keen member and supporter for APHEDA, the trade union overseas aid program.
Claire's interests are women's history, particularly in trade unions and the ALP, cricket, Australian and Irish folk music, detective fiction, Paul Keating and art galleries.
Claire is currently the Shadow Minister International Development & the Pacific.
Claire is proud to be the Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development.
